If you’re a “Gen-Xer,” born between 1965 and 1980, you’ve still got many years to go until you retire. At this stage of your life, what can you do to help build resources for the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned?

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.”

Not everyone gets one, but it’s always a welcome sight — a tax refund. If you receive a refund this year, how can you best put it to work?

Now that tax season is here, and the debate over tax rates has been resolved (at least for now), you can focus on your tax return, which is due on April 15. As you work on your return, you may see some areas in which you’d like to make some changes for 2013 and beyond — and one of these areas may be your investments. Specifically, can you find ways to become a more “tax-smart” investor?

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.

Not all households have two wage earners. By choice or circumstance, either you or your spouse may be out of the work force for an extended period of time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make progress toward your joint financial goals, such as a comfortable retirement. It does mean, however, that you need to carefully review your situation and make the right financial moves.

In the past few years, Americans have done a pretty good job of whittling down their debt load. If you’re in this group, you may now have a chance to use your lower level of indebtedness to your advantage — by investing for the future.

If you’re relatively young, and you’ve only been investing for a few years, you possess an asset that is invaluable and cannot be replaced: time. And the more time you spend contributing to tax-advantaged investments, the better off you may be.

As an investor, you can sometimes feel you’re at the mercy of forces beyond your control. This may be especially true today, when the entire country appears to be on edge about the approaching “fiscal cliff.” What can you do in the face of such a dire prediction?

In the past few years, Americans have done a pretty good job of whittling down their debt load. If you’re in this group, you may now have a chance to use your lower level of indebtedness to your advantage — by investing for the future.

Now that 2012 is drawing to a close, you may want to review the progress you’ve made this past year in many areas of your life — including your financial situation. By going over your investment portfolio and other key areas related to your finances, you can learn what moves you may need to make in 2013 to stay on track toward your important objectives, such as college for your children, a comfortable retirement and the ability to leave the type of legacy you desire.

Now that 2012 is drawing to a close, you may want to review the progress you’ve made this past year in many areas of your life — including your financial situation. By going over your investment portfolio and other key areas related to your finances, you can learn what moves you may need to make in 2013 to stay on track toward your important objectives, such as college for your children, a comfortable retirement and the ability to leave the type of legacy you desire.

If you have young children, the end of another school year means you are now one year closer to the day when you send them to college — and one year closer to dealing with the high costs of higher education. However, you still have time to save and invest — and one of the best investment choices you can make is a Section 529 college savings plan.

Some people buy investments here and there, now and then. Others open an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), put some money in it, and then forget about it. But this type of haphazard investment behavior can lead to haphazard results.

If you’re a small-business owner, with no full-time employees (except possibly your spouse or business partner), you’re probably used to taking care of just about everything on your own. So, if you’re thinking of establishing a retirement plan — and you should — you might also be attracted to “going solo” with an “Owner-only” 401(k).

Oct. 21-27 is National Save for Retirement Week, established by Congress to remind Americans of the importance of — you guessed it — saving for retirement. So why not mark the occasion by considering ways in which you can boost your own financial resources for those years in which you’re officially a “retiree”?

As an investor, you can sometimes still feel you’re at the mercy of forces beyond your control. This may be especially true today, when the Federal Reserve has warned of an approaching “fiscal cliff.” What can you do in the face of such a dire prediction?

If you’re a woman, you have to be actively involved in your financial preparations for retirement — and that’s true whether you’re single or married. As a woman, you have at least two special considerations associated with your retirement planning:

If you’re somewhat familiar with investing, you may know that the Roth IRA is a great retirement-savings vehicle. But are you aware that some of its benefits can also pay off for the next generation of your family?

Have you recently received a pension buyout offer? If so, you need to decide if you should take the buyout, which could provide you with a potentially large lump sum, or continue accepting your regular pension payments for the rest of your life. It’s a big decision.

It’s graduation time and if you have children graduating from college, you’re probably excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for them. But once your last child leaves home, and you become an “empty-nester,” you may also find some good opportunities for yourself — opportunities to improve your financial situation.

If you’re part of “Generation X” — the age cohort born between the mid-1960s and the early 1980s — you’re probably in one of the busiest phases of your life, as you’re well into your working years and, at the same time, busy raising a family. But just as you’re “multi-tasking” in your life, you’ll also need to address multiple financial goals.

If you’re part of “Generation X” — the age cohort born between the mid-1960s and the early 1980s — you’re probably in one of the busiest phases of your life, as you’re well into your working years and, at the same time, busy raising a family. But just as you’re “multi-tasking” in your life, you’ll also need to address multiple financial goals.

Mother’s Day will soon be here. If you’re a mother, you will (hopefully) receive thoughtful cards and gifts. But there’s one present you may eventually want to give yourself, and it’s a gift that truly does keep on giving: a strategy for your retirement. Of course, it’s important for everyone to build adequate financial resources for retirement — but the challenge is even greater for women.

Mother’s Day will soon be here. If you’re a mother, you will (hopefully) receive thoughtful cards and gifts. But there’s one present you may eventually want to give yourself, and it’s a gift that truly does keep on giving: a strategy for your retirement. Of course, it’s important for everyone to build adequate financial resources for retirement — but the challenge is even greater for women.