Author: Russ Wiles, Arizona Republic

From debt to lending to taxes and more, this is how you can know whether you are making progress or falling behind in your finances.

Consumers said they plan to spend $1,048 on average for gifts, decorations and holiday food this season. That’s up from $1,007 per-capita last year.

Sex and money ranked first and second among five “taboo” topics for discussion among family members and friends, in a TD Ameritrade survey.

Keeping a lid on spending is one way to survive the holidays financially, but it’s not the only one. Thefts, fire risk and other dangers lurk, too.

“It’s not uncommon to see an employer making 30 to 50 benefits and perks available,” one expert says.

Financial planning often is too complicated, and personal, to generalize. These rules of thumb offer insights on decisions about real estate, stocks.

Low interest rates are making mortgage refinancing more popular. But there are some tax and other risks to consider.

This FDIC fund now holds a record $107 billion, enough to cover 1.4% of insured deposits. The ratio fell below 0% in 2009 and 2010.

Just three months remain in 2019. To shore up your money situation, consider these timely seasonal tips dealing with taxes, savings and more.