U.S. News & World Report - While the financial reform legislation won%27t upend the conventions of buying or selling a home, it will precipitate key changes within the mortgage market. Even after all of the new rules are implemented, most consumers will still encounter the same figures--real estate agents, mortgage brokers, home inspectors--that have long defined the home-buying process. But the legislation includes a number of specific provisions that, while perhaps less visible to house hunters, will have a profound effect on the type of mortgage that buyers end up with. ...

U.S. News & World Report - Most young people who are just starting out don%27t have a lot of money to save or invest--much less pay a professional to advise them on how to save and invest. But some experts say financial guidance at a young age is worth the cost. Yuval Bar-Or, founder of The Light Brigade, an Ellicott City, Md.-based company that offers financial literacy consulting, says financial planners are a good resource because they can examine your complete financial picture. "A planner can help by using their knowledge ... to come up with a game plan. ...

U.S. News & World Report - We discuss the importance of saving and investing for retirement so often that we sometimes forget the importance of other areas of our lives. While tucking away enough money is important, having a comfortable retirement is so much more than just having enough money to draw on. Here are five nonfinancial ways we all need to plan for retirement.