It probably doesn’t show up on your calendar, but May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month. And you might agree that such a month is useful, when you consider the following:

Any chance of cities or counties conducting future gun-buyback programs is about to evaporate.

Here’s a sobering statistic: 46 percent of workers surveyed had little or no confidence that they will have enough money to live comfortably throughout their retirement years, according to the 2010 Retirement Confidence Survey, issued by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. So you may want to explore all possible retirement savings vehicles —including a variable annuity.

You’re probably accustomed to measuring the progress of your investments, and the overall condition of the investment world, by checking on indexes such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500. And since these types of benchmarks focus almost exclusively on American companies, you might get the idea that the best investments are located right here in the United States. But that impression would be false — because there is, literally, a world of investment opportunities beyond the U.S. borders.

Gun rights

You probably aren’t too worried about it, but April is Stress Awareness Month. Each year, the Health Resource Network sponsors this “month” to inform people about the dangers of stress and to share successful coping strategies. Obviously, it’s important to reduce stress in all walks of life — including your investment activities. How can you cut down on the various stresses associated with investing?

Life is full of ups and downs — and the financial markets are no different. As an investor, you’re no doubt happy to see the “ups” — but the “downs” can seem like a real downer. Isn’t there any way to help smooth out the volatility in your investment portfolio?

If you own a business, you may well follow a “do it now” philosophy — which is, of course, necessary to keep things running smoothly. Still, you also need to think about tomorrow — which means you’ll want to take action on your own retirement and business succession plans.

For the first time since 2008, contribution limits have risen for one of the most popular retirement savings vehicles available: the IRA. This means you’ve got a greater opportunity to put more money away for your “golden years.”

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In an uncertain economy, it’s natural for people to “tighten their belts” by cutting down on their spending. And yet by having too much cash on hand today, you could actually slow your progress toward your financial goals of tomorrow.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton would like to see more recycling in the city of Phoenix.

From a petting zoo in your backyard to a bounce house at your neighborhood park, celebrations of all kinds this time of year are hosted outdoors to take advantage of Arizona’s spring weather.

As you take out your trash this week, think about this: Phoenix families, businesses and industries generate enough solid waste to fill Chase Field to the top, 14 times each year. 14 times! And much of what we throw away is recyclable, reusable and valuable.

As you know, the U.S. Congress has adopted some measures to help avoid the much-feared “fiscal cliff.” At this point, important spending decisions have been put off, but new tax laws are in place — and, as an investor, you’ll want to know just how this legislation will affect you.

Phoenix voters approved changes to the city’s pension system during a special election on Tuesday.

Freshmen, it’s not too early to start thinking about your college plans. Your first step — build a strong resume. If you establish high standards and work hard, you will set yourself up for unlimited opportunities when you apply to colleges in the fall of your senior year. Here are some tips to get you started:

The state House voted Thursday to slam the door on gun buyback programs — even when the owners specifically ask that their weapons be destroyed.

In the past, many people stayed at one job, or at least one company, for almost their entire working lives. When they retired, they could typically count on a pension, the value of which was based on their years of service and earnings. But today, workers can expect to hold several different jobs in their lifetime, and to a great extent, pensions have been replaced by 401(k) plans, which place much of the funding responsibility on employees. So, assuming you will change jobs at some point, and you do have a 401(k), what should you do with it?

Given the economic climate we’re in, you may one day be faced with a downsizing or otherwise forced to retire earlier than you had planned. But even if that happens, you can still maintain control of your financial future — if you make the right moves.

The lucrative pensions that taxpayers now provide for state and local elected officials could soon be on the way out.

Saying it’s none of the government’s business, a House panel voted Wednesday to bar cities, counties and the state from destroying guns that are voluntarily surrendered to them.

Almost everyone would agree: Moving is a hassle. In addition to selling your current home and finding a new one, you may need to deal with a new school for your kids, a new doctor, a new dentist — the list goes on and on.

The Texas Rangers had been to two straight World Series and the Los Angeles Angels brought in Albert Pujols.

In the three seasons leading up to Trevor Neider taking over the Mountain Pointe girls basketball team, the Pride won a total of 17 games, including three the year before in 2008-09.