Ex-AIG’s Cassano says bailout was too generous (Reuters)

Reuters - The former head of the AIG unit that nearly crippled the insurer said the 2008 taxpayer bailout of up to $182 billion was too generous to customers like Goldman Sachs.

Retirement Planning Tool Tracks Your Progress (U.S. News & World Report)

U.S. News & World Report - There are scads of online tools that ask you key questions about your retirement goals and then provide you a dollar figure for how much money you need to be setting aside to reach those goals. And that's all they do. The rest is up to you. Mint.com, a 3-year-old personal finance site that was bought late last year by Intuit, has just launched a new series of planning tools called Mint Goals that can follow your spending, income, investment, and retirement plans in real time, and provide informed advice on how you should proceed. ...

Obama: Still problems in housing market (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama says that no matter how much the government spends, some people still won't be able to afford their mortgages and will lose their homes.

Summary Box: New mortgages up after rates fall (AP)

AP - HOME LOAN APPLICATIONS UP: The number of borrowers applying for home loans last week grew by nearly 9 percent from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Pay Off Mortgage Faster - or Invest? (U.S. News & World Report)

U.S. News & World Report - The stock market might be behaving badly, but that's not a reason to leave stocks out of your long-term financial planning right now. In fact, with the market near recent lows, you may be more interested in considering one of the most common financial conundrums for homeowners: Is it better to use your excess cash each month to pay off your mortgage faster or to invest?

Mortgage applications rise 9 pct. after rates fall (AP)

AP - Applications for mortgages rose last week as consumers refinanced their loans at the lowest rates in more than 50 years.

Home refinancing up but buying demand near 13-year low (Reuters)

Reuters - Refinancing drove total U.S. mortgage applications to an eight-month peak, as loan rates fell to or near record lows, but demand to buy homes sank toward 13-year lows last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday.

Madigan sues Countrywide, alleging discrimination (AP)

AP - Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Countrywide, alleging the fallen mortgage industry giant discriminated against blacks and Latinos buying home mortgages in Illinois.

The Dangers of DIY Estate Planning (U.S. News & World Report)

U.S. News & World Report - Every year, thousands of consumers bypass lawyers and create their own wills, powers of attorney, and other estate planning documents with the help of online tools and books. As one might expect, lawyers don't like this do-it-yourself approach. They say it breeds mistakes, since when it comes to legal issues, one size never fits all. Do they have a valid point, or are they just trying to protect their own livelihoods?

Keep simple

You don't need a complex savings plan to have a large nest egg for your retirement.

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