AARP-Protect Medicare and Social Security

Continue »

California's 529 college-saving plan to gain options under TIAA-CREF

Families investing in California's college-saving plan soon may have lower average fees and a new lineup of fund options.

The state board that oversees the ScholarShare program selected investment giant TIAA-CREF, a big manager of retirement accounts for teachers and others working in education, to manage the so-called 529 plan.

A 529 plan allows college savers to invest in a variety of options, including stock, bond and money-market mutual funds. Gains are not subject to federal tax as long as the money is used for college expenses such as tuition, room and board. Gains in the ScholarShare plan are similarly exempt from California's income tax.

Continue »

Google creates $280-million solar power fund

In a move that could boost solar energy use in homes, Google Inc. is creating a $280-million fund to help finance rooftop installations.
The Internet search giant, an avid investor in renewable energy technologies, said the deal with SolarCity, a solar panel installation company based in San Mateo, Calif., is the largest green investment it has ever made.

"Google's leading the way and other companies could follow suit," said Lyndon Rive, chief executive of SolarCity. "It's not just about a dramatic environmental impact, it's also a good return."

Continue »

Return of Optimism for US Housing

The housing market in many US cities is performing better than recently released national data would suggest, leading some analysts and real estate brokers to express cautious optimism about the prospects for a recovery.

List prices rose in 24 of 26 cities tracked by Altos Research in May, with San Francisco, Washington and San Jose, California, showing the biggest gains. New York and Las Vegas were the only two cities in the index where prices declined.

Continue »