The winter games are big business, with advertisers and other sponsors paying huge sums to try to reach the world's consumers. But the Great Recession may foil their plans.

The number of lawsuits filed against the Japanese automaker mounts as lawyers reach out to car owners and their families in an effort to capitalize on the vehicles' defects.

About a third of us think we will. And more than a few of us believe a ticket out of our workaday financial worries will have lottery numbers printed on it.

A prominent bull and an equally notable bear disagree on the market's future, but both see big potential in giants like Merck, IBM, Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo.

Fewer lenders are providing expensive, short-term cash to taxpayers anticipating refunds from the IRS this year. Consumer advocates say that's a good thing.  

Wild optimism about economic growth is at the heart of the Obama administration's plans to shrink the federal budget deficit. And that's not the only problem.

The foundation of capitalism rests on the confidence of mom-and-pop investors -- who want to believe that there are rewards for playing by the rules and penalties for breaking them.

Chase denied an untold number of loan modifications for a reason that is now prohibited: It determined that homeowners' financial troubles were temporary.

Year after year, the IRS sees Americans committing the same sorts of mistakes on their returns. Many of these errors are easy to avoid; some are more complicated.

Investment guru Charles Ellis suggests portfolios for investors of any age using just 2 funds -- with an emphasis on foreign stocks.

Sometime after Feb. 22, when 2009's credit card reform law begins to take effect, you'll see changes on your monthly statements. The new format might tell painful truths, but it'll be good for you.

Where can you find them? Start by looking at which stocks performed the best over the past 10 years. Here are 25 -- and the keys to finding the next generation.

The nation's unemployment rate fell in January, but employers shed 20,000 jobs, the Labor Department says. Here's a look behind the contradictory numbers.

Unusually strong crosscurrents are creating chaos in markets all over. We need to step back to sort out what's happening with stocks, bonds, currencies and gold.

For starters, we're not always smart or careful consumers. But let's not take all the blame. Sometimes, the odds really are stacked against us.

Neither the cell phone carrier nor Apple, the smart phone's designer, predicted the popularity of the iPhone, to the chagrin of both companies and their customers.   

Lawsuits against Toyota are beginning to mount after millions of vehicles are recalled. But calculating coverage rates goes beyond what you see in the news.

There's a lot of talk about China and India, and for good reason. But Jubak's Global Three-Part Asset Allocator suggests another country's long-term prospects are even brighter.

Your family's addition needs to be covered -- and not just with a blanket. Take a close look at your insurance, and be sure to add the baby to your health plan.