Q: I'm selling stock to buy a home in two years. Should I spread out the sale to cut taxes? -- Angie, Berkeley A: Go ahead and sell. Yes, you could possibly save on taxes...

Q: I'm working full-time while I get my doctorate. Do I pay down my $100,000 student debt or add to my 401(k)? -- Shannon, Tampa A: If your 401(k) offers a match, take it, says...

Q:I have 148 shares of Eastman Kodak stock, which is now worthless. How do I take the loss on my tax return? -- Peggy C., Whitestone, N.Y. A: Because Kodak's old stock was canceled when...

Q: How do I sell my home without using a real estate agent? -- Bill, Chicago A: With housing on the rise, more sellers are flying solo, says Eddie Tyner, general manager of ForSaleByOwner.com. The...

Q: I have Series EE savings bonds I got when I was young. Can they be cashed in tax-free for my master's degree? -- Michelle D., Norwell, Mass. A: That's unlikely, says Tom Adams, publisher...

Q: Must I pay a bill collector $134 for a shipping charge? A (now-closed) store I shopped at was to pay it. -- Elizabeth, Carlisle, Mass. A: You have 30 days after a collection agency...