This week on @blueleaf we posted a number of articles on personal finance, investing, and trends in the American economy. My personal favorite this week is “How Personal Finance Changes As You Begin To See Success” from The Simple Dollar. It highlights that when you transition from being concerned about your finances to carefully managing them, you stop worrying about money and begin using it as a tool.

Is The McMansion Dead? – Darwin’s Finance

The Pros and Cons Of Being Self-Employed – Brip Blap

Hedge Funds Lag The Simplest Portfolios – Monevator

Equities: The Shift From Active To Passive – Felix Salmon

Yes, You Will Get Social Security – Get Rich Slowly

Bankruptcy: America Is Filing Like Its 1999! - Good Financial Cents

5 Easily Avoidable Financial Mistakes Young People Make – Green Panda Treehouse

Is Low Wage China Disappearing? - Project Syndicate

Planning To Rollover Your 401(k) Into An IRA? – The Digetari Life

The Downside Of Owning REITs – Million Dollar Journey

Paying Taxes On Earned Income – Consumer Boomer

Money Mistakes That Mostly Women Make – Moneyning

Would You Rather Do What You Love Or Be Paid More? – Financial Highway

New York Lowers 529 Plan Fees – NYT Bucks

Can The Obama Administration’s New Stimulus Plan Revive The Housing Market? - Money Morning

How Increased Immigration Would Help Fix The Economy – Felix Salmon

How Personal Finance Changes As You Begin To See Success – The Simple Dollar

It’s Still A Good Idea To Buy A House In This Economy – Free From Broke

Getting Rich Over Time – Money Crush

Have a great weekend!

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This week on @blueleaf, we included a ton of great articles (including some videos and other postings) within our daily four handpicked favorites. An article that we are particularly fond of this week is an editorial in the New York Times that discusses how investing in low fee mutual funds provided the best returns in the past year. This article can be found in the first link below.

Investing Made Easy – If Only – NY Times

Calculating Net Worth: Should Home Values Be Included? – Frugal Dad

Should You Leave An Inheritance To Your Children? - Personal Finance By The Book

Retirement Plans: Help For Small Firms – Kiplinger

How Overconfidence Hurts Portfolio Performance – Kiplinger

Vanguard Expands Target Date Funds To Young Investors – Consumerism Commentary

Higher Education Can Have A Negative Effect On Your Level Of Wealth – Bible Money Matters

Why The Economy Is Not Relevant To Investing – Million Dollar Journey

Small Business Tax Deductions – Wealth Pilgrim

How To Set Your Child’s Allowance – Bucks

Building Up Savings Rates Is A Life Long Process – Five Cent Nickel

An Unhappy Birthday For Social Security – Kiplinger

The Fed Can’t Print Jobs – Kudlow’s Money Politics

Taking The Lump Sum Option On Your Pension – Good Financial Cents

Statistical Shocker: S&P 500 Performs Best When The Economy Is Shrinking – Peridot Capitalist

Why Won’t “Fiscal Hawks” Discuss The Real Issues? - Baseline Scenario

Avoid These Financial Products – Bargaineering

What Near Record Low Treasury Yield Means – Good Financial Cents

What Kind Of Insurance Do I Need To Have? – Smart On Money

CPI Shows Inflation May Be  A Bigger Problem Than The Fed Thinks It Is – Money Morning

Funny Stock Symbols – My Journey To Millions

Have a great weekend!

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It’s Friday the 13th!!!!!

My personal favorite article this week is “What Is Retirement?” by Get Rich Slowly. It introduces the concept of “semi-retirement” which is a more likely future for many (and a common state that many retirees find themselves in today.) Defining what you would like your retirement to look like is one of the first steps in planning it.

Check out the rest of this week’s articles below:

How To Survive Financial Betrayal – Five Cent Nickel

Student Loan Debt Surpasses Credit Card Debt – Consumerism Commentary

The Pros and Cons Of Hiring A Professional Tax Preparer – Good Financial Cents

The Most Important Fund Criteria – Motley Fool

Will Social Security Be There When You Retire? – Out Of Your Rut

Vanguard vs. Fidelity – Which Funds Are Better? – My Personal Finance Journey

Refinancing? 7 Things You Need To Know – Devil In The Details

How Expiring Bush Tax Cuts Affect Taxpayers – Cash Money Life

What To Look At When Investing In Fixed Income – Green Panda Tree House

Why Personal Finance “Experts” Continue Giving Worthless Advice – I Will Teach You To Be Rich

Falling Rates For Certificates Of Deposit – Bucks

Are IPO’s A Good Investment Option? – My Personal Finance Journey

FAQs On The Child-Care Tax Credit – Kiplinger

Secrets To Maximizing Social Security – Kiplinger

Investment Psychology: Top 5 Ways Investors Go Broke – The Digetari Life

What Is Retirement? – Get Rich Slowly

India: On The Path To Double Digit Growth? – Money Morning

401(k) Match: Is This Employee Perk Going Away Or Coming Back? – Darwin’s Finance

Mutual Fund Basics – Pt Money

Kiddie Roth - Joe Taxpayer

Have a great weekend!

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This week on @blueleafcom, we have posted many introductory articles to investing: articles on tax refunds, on emergency funds, on cost reduction, on the traditional IRA, and on investment strategy for complete beginners.

We hope not only to help those who already know what they are doing (and would like to do it quicker, better, and more precisely), but also those who need a bit of hand-holding along the way. Our product has (and will very soon feature more) tools for people in both these categories, and the literature we select for you each week reflects just that.

Simplify your lifetime investments.

Some excellent weekend reading can be found below.

What Will Retirement Look Like For Younger Generations? – Frugal Dad

Got A Refund? 10 Ideas To Spend Your Tax Refund – Stupid Cents

The Feds Options To Jump-Start The Economy – Kiplinger

You Need An Emergency Fund: Expect The Unexpected – Moolanomy

How To Combine Finances For Couples – Consumerism Commentary

Guaranteed Annuity Income: Is It Really Safe? - Oblivious Investor

Low Interest Rates Do Not Make Homes Affordable – Wisebread

Senior Workers Outnumber Teenage Workers For The First Time – Financial Samurai

Retire At 70? Screw That With These Helpful Tips – Studenomics

Is A Liberal Arts Education Worth It? – The Digetari Life

Investment Strategy For Beginner Investors – Free From Broke

In Defense Of The Traditional IRA – Free From Broke

Account Hierarchy Priority Order - My Personal Finance Journey

Investment Basics: What Are Options And Futures - Provident Planning

Can’t Control The Markets? Try Controlling The Costs - Everything Finance

Is Financial Compatibility Important When Choosing A Life Partner? – Money Ning

Should You Overestimate Your Retirement Needs? – Pt Money

Fallacy of Other People’s Money – Fiscal Geek

Paying The Price: Time To Reassess How Fund Managers Are Rewarded – The Economist

Investors Should Be Cautious Of ‘Safe’ Funds – The Independent

Have a great weekend!

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This week on @blueleafcom, we included plenty of good reads for the weekend. One long article too: “The Estate Tax: Ninety Years And Counting,” which includes a history of the estate tax and the motivations behind it, directly from the IRS.

Why read it? Well, perhaps your investments all go incredibly well. And perhaps, as we hope, you do save enough to retire comfortably. That’s what we all want, isn’t it? And we don’t exactly hear anyone say, “I wish I was so rich I qualified for the estate tax.”  But we at blueleaf.com com want you to be prepared for success too, not just tragedy. Because, well, we want you to succeed. The estate tax is not as high as you may think if your financial planning all goes well throughout your lifetime.

My personal favorite this week is “Top Mistakes Young Families Make.”

What Is Better From A Tax Perspective: Roth IRA or 401(k) – Brip Blap

How To Manage Retirement Savings – Good Financial Cents

What Are Your Financial Motivations – Intelligent Speculator

The Estate Tax: Ninety Years and Counting - IRS

Beware Of The Pitfalls Of Too Much Information – Kiplinger

Elusive Low Correlations – Seeking Alpha

How To Pick Stocks In The New Normal Economy – Money Morning

2011 Tax Brackets: What Will Change And How Should We Plan For It? – Oblivious Investor

10 Reasons Why We May Not See Anything Less Than A trillion Dollar Deficit For Decades To Come – End Of The American Dream

Different Types of Bankruptcy – Good Financial Cents

Indianomics – Project Syndicate

Smallest Tax Refund – My Journey To Millions

How To Avoid Investment Fraud: Don’t Be A “Madoff” Victim – The Digitari Life

Should I Walk Away From My Mortgage? – Frugal Dad

Top Mistakes Young Families Make – Bible Money Matters

Is A Graduate Degree Worthwhile Or Worthless? – Consumerism Commentary

Dollar Cost Averaging Helps Eliminate Emotion and Market Risk – Free From Broke

Tax Benefits Of Homeownership- Three Reasons Its Overrated – Out Of Your Rut

Why You Should Keep Your Financial Advisor – Five Cent Nickel

Have a great weekend!

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We just figured, why waste time and money writing a million posts when we can just use our powers of selectivity and link you to all the right places? We’ve got to spend the time making our product spectacular. We leave the rest to the pros.

This week @blueleafcom, we posted the following articles. “Barriers To Earning More Money” is my personal favorite.

How Much House Can You Afford – Money Smart Life

Saving America’s Middle Class – The Return of Frugality – Frugal Dad

Barriers To Earning More Money – Studenomics

The High Cost of Being Single - Five Cent Nickel

P/E Ratios – Consumerism Commentary

Effects On The Recession On America’s Personal Finances – My Dollar Plan

The Mental Anchor Of Money Mistakes – NYT Bucks

The Future of Social Security – Five Cent Nickel

The Spill May Be Over, But BP Sports Nasty Wounds – Motley Fool

The Five Minute Rule – Bargaineering

Need A Mortgage? Don’t Get Pregnant – New York Times

Developing Multiple Streams Of Income – The Digitari Life

Senate Is Set To Extend Aid To The Jobless – New York Times

A New Age In The History of Energy – Money Morning

Wealth Preservation Strategies Of The Rich – Monevator

Watch The Clock Of Investment Cycles – Financial Times

The New Financial Regulation Law And Your Money – Consumerism Commentary

Got Company Stock Options? Here’s How They Work - The Digitari Life

How Banks Make Money – Cash Money Life

Test Your Investment Instincts – Kiplinger

Have a great weekend!

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We’ve been really well-behaved, just like this kid. No joke links, no pranks. We’ve gotten down to business. The links below have awesome advice and novel ways to think about financial freedom and how to take control of your finances. Enjoy.

The Uses and Abuses of Economic Ideology – Project Syndicate

A Roosevelt Moment for American Banks – Project Syndicate

Four Fund Metrics That Hurt Your Returns – Amateur Asset Allocator

How Much Can I Afford For a House? – Wealth Pilgrim

Buffet Doesn’t See Double Dip – The Guru Investor

What Are The Leading Economic Indicators – Good Financial Cents

Bank Error In Your Favor? No Such Thing – Bargaineering

The New Doom – New York Observor

How Do You Define Financial Freedom? – Get Rich Slowly

What’s Going On With The Estate Tax? – Good Financial Cents

Are Big Banks Doomed? Look At These Survey Results - I Will Teach You To Be Rich

Dear China: You’re Making Me Nervous… - Wall Street Oasis

The Economics of A College Degree – Reuters

The Maes & Macs; Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae, Sally Mae – Bargaineering

Learn To Live With Conflicts of Interest - Bucks

Why Mortgage Rates Vary So Much – Bucks

Ignore Generic Financial Advice - Bucks

Calculating Real Estate Investor Return – Oblivious Investor

Coverdell Savings Account Tax Break Expiring – Bargaineering

The Myth That Risk Goes Away Over Time – Felix Salmon

Have a great weekend!

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We threw in the fourth link just for fun. Maybe the third, too.

This week on @blueleafcom, we posted links to articles with advice on how to behave (financial speaking) in a losing market. We like to keep you motivated, with articles that give specific advice on both personal and market situations. Making too little money? Check out “How To Make a Profit From a Market Loss”. Making too much money? Check out “Federal Taxes on Bonus Pay”. Want general life advice and cool doodles? Check out “Three Keys To Motivation And It Has Little To Do With Money”.

We’ve got you covered.

Rich Homeowners More Likely To Walk Away From Mortgages - Consumerism Commentary

Federal Taxes on Bonus Pay – Consumerism Commentary

How to Use Fear to Manipulate People – Invest It Wisely

Even Lebron Doesn’t Listen To President Obama – Financial Samurai

Annuities Draw New Look in Time of Uncertainty – Yahoo Finance

Contrarian Statistic: Credit Card Delinquencies Drop to 8 Year Low?! – Periodot Capitalist

British Companies Becoming Take-Over Target for Cash-Rich U.S Companies – Money Morning

Treasury versus Progressives on the Financial Reform Bill – RortyBomb

3 Things You Must Know About Inheriting An IRA – Good Financial Cents

Financial Services Companies Get Ready for Boomers – Consumerism Commentary

Morality on Wall Street – Wall Street Oasis

Companies Holding Cash, Delong and Cramdowns and Stimulus? – RortyBomb

Yikes: Long Siege Ahead for U.S. Economy, Says Paul Krugman – Investment News

Towards a Google Bank - Reuters

Beware of Cheap Stocks – Motley Fool

Backing Great Management Teams – Motley Fool

Why Alternative Energy Will Never Pencil Out – Seeking Alpha

Making a Profit From a Market Loss – Money Watch

Can Uncle Sam Take Your Land? – Money Watch

How To Get Your Spouse On Your Financial Team – Consumerism Commentary

Three Keys To Motivation And It Has Little To Do With Money – Financial Samurai

Have a great weekend!

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Its July 4th weekend! Hope everyone’s bbq’s and pool parties turn out awesome!

This week on @blueleafcom, the articles we posted took on a serious tone. We posted a good few on retirement planning, but also some on the recent decline in the economy and what this means for the long run. We also had a very surprising one on U.S. bank involvement in money laundering. If you’ve missed them, see below:

Should I Invest or Prepay My Mortgage? – Get Rich Slowly

S&P Index Soon To Be Cheapest Since 1989 – Peridot Capitalist

10 Questions You Should Ask When Considering Retirement – Tech Republic

I Lost A Lot of Money In The Market: Should I Get Out? - Generation X Finance

Why Auto-Enroll 410(k)s May Reduce Retirement Savings – Tax Policy Center

What Happens to Your Stuff When You Die? – Get Rich Slowly

Greenspan: Recent Decline ‘Typical’ Of Recovery – Yahoo Finance

Reverse Mortgages Now A Less Costly Lifeline – Yahoo Finance

30 vs 15 year Mortgage. Which is Best for First Time Homebuyers? – Wealth Pligrim

IRA Beneficiary Rules: The “Stretch” IRA – Oblivious Investor

How to Create a CD Ladder - Frugal Dad

With Rates This Low, Should You Be Borrowing to Invest? – Darwin’s Finance

Volatility On No News – Reuters

U.S. Banks Still Very Involved in Money Laundering – Reuters

What is Goldman Sachs Thinking? – Baseline Scenario

Yet Another Sign of a Shaky Economy - Motley Fool

Personal Income Edges Higher - CNN Money

Who to Blame for The National Debt – Motley Fool

The U.S. Economy Is Headed for A Second-Half Slowdown – Money Morning

Banks Worth a Second Look – Investment News

Have a great weekend!

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This week on @blueleafcom we posted links on portfolio allocation, the implications of the BP oil spill, and the replacement of Peter Orzag as the Director of the OMB. Also a few things on the new financial reform bill, credit card regulations, and the extension of the first homebuyer tax credit. The Senate’s been working hard.

Rebalancing and Asset Allocation: Critical For Investing – I Will Teach You To Be Rich

What the Financial Reform Bill means For Financial Advisers – Investment News

Will Elections and a Resignation Open the Door For U.S. Budget Changes? – Money Morning

Making Your Nest Egg Last a Lifetime – CNN Money

Fannie Mae Demonizes the Victims of the Housing Bust – Felix Salmon

High Interest: How to Choose Between Checking, Savings, and CDs – Get Rich Slowly

The Hidden Danger in Your Portfolio – Motely Fool

Why Stock Spills Are Nothing Special – Motley Fool

16 Business Lessons I Learned From Poker - US News: Money

The Wrong Way to Protect Your Portfolio – Motley Fool

Does Income Change Who You Are As a Spender? – My Journey to Millions

Paul Krugman For OMB – Baseline Scenario

Credit Card Regulations: A Win to Customers? Or the End of Credit? – Get Rich Slowly

Is it Better to Buy or Rent? – Moolanomy

Why China’s Foxconn Will Hurt the Economy More Than The Global Oil Spill – Money Morning

Why a Bank Might Like Owning a Hedge Fund – Rortybomb

Four Factors to Consider Before Determining Your Long-Term View on U.S. Stocks – Money Morning

Senate Approves Extension of First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit – Think Your Way to Wealth

Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Set to Lead GM IPO – Reuters

Dead On Arrival: Financial Reform Fails - Baseline Scenario

Have a great weekend!

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