Question: I'm refinancing my mortgage, and my lender tells me that I need to get a new title insurance policy, which will cost more than a thousand dollars. We haven't made any changes to our home, and there aren't any outstanding liens on the property. Is there any way around this fee?

Q. Were you wrong to be so bullish?

The iPhone is no longer the only touchscreen 'smart phone' in town. But are the challengers a better value?

I could not have bought my first house long ago without borrowing the down payment from Mom and Dad. Their loan got me started down the home-equity path, and it's paid dividends ever since.

Lisa and Bruce Brown are fortunate enough to have plenty of assets to protect. Foremost of these is their children: The Browns are the proud parents of four-year-old Emma, and they have another baby on the way. The Oakland couple also have considerable assets of the financial variety. Thanks to diligent saving and smart property investments, the Browns have a net worth of nearly $2 million.

At a financial-planner conference earlier this year, I spotted a session called "ETFs: Are Your Clients Investing Without You?" I had to go. We advisers are well aware of the advantages of exchange-traded funds: broad diversification, low costs and a slim tax bill.

Did you wake up with pinkeye? Or maybe a painful sore throat or a nasty rash? You want relief and you want it now. Well, good luck getting it.

Question: An adviser has been telling me about a concept that he calls "infinite banking." Apparently, it involves using a life insurance policy to become my own banker. It seems like a good idea, but something doesn't seem quite right to me. Do I have cause for concern? - Matt, St. Louis, Missouri

In a year when stocks have sunk more than 40% and even supposedly safe bond funds are down, all you probably want is a little peace of mind -- or an investment that won't sink with the rest of your portfolio.

Plentiful jobs, excellent schools, affordable housing - America's best small cities have all that and more.

The real estate game has changed. This guide can help you play to win.

Feel like you're getting nothing but lemons? Allow us to introduce nearly two dozen recipes for lemonade.

Gas, food and medical costs are all up - and higher prices may be on the way. Time to get a strategy.

Our first roundup of 100 key people, places, things and strategies for right now.

Full table of contents from the November issue.

Full table of contents from the October issue.

Full table of contents from the September issue.

Full table of contents from the August issue.