Do you feel like your 401k is at ground zero? You're not alone.

When it comes to direct investing in residential real estate and becoming a landlord, you should ask yourself: “What am I getting into?”

The equity markets have plummeted since the beginning of 2008, and investors have flocked to fixed income options in droves. Bonds are not flawless, so buyers should beware of the associated risks.

The rule of 72 is a good heuristic for estimating the doubling time of compound interest. Other rules are handy for estimating continuous compounding or the effects of inflation when your HP-12C isn't at hand.

In the same way you need a bank to store your money, you need a brokerage firm in order to invest it. Brokerage firms are where you keep stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and retirement accounts.

Switching costs - and aggravation - are often cited for consumers staying put in bank and brokerage accounts they no longer want. Theresa Carey walks through her own steps, and tax considerations, for the smoothest way to switch brokers.

Here are the questions you need to ask before you sign up with an investment broker.

No matter what your goal is, you should definitely test-drive a brokerage firm before opening an account. Scour its web site, visit its offices nearby, and talk to the phone reps to see how smart they seem.

To figure out if you need an investment broker (and what kind), start by figuring out what it is you want to do with your investment cash. Then consider what you’ll need to make each of these goals easily achievable

Dave Kansas, FiLife Editor at Large, just published The Wall Street Journal Guide to the End of Wall Street as We Know It. We sat down with him to get his thoughts on what happened and what happens next.  FiLife: Wall Street "died" in the fall. But job cuts are hitting now at major companies. How are the two related? ...