A new wave of private firms that cater to clients' every imaginable financial need are increasingly courting the merely wealthy. Here's what they offer.

The Intelligent Investor: A few investors have taken the bold step of investing directly in their adviser's firm. What could possibly go wrong?

To earn yields of 5% or more, investors are turning to more complex fare, such as high-yield corporate bonds, preferred stocks and real-estate investment trusts.

Most people still take their Social Security benefits as soon as they possibly can and many of them are leaving money on the table.

Personal aptitudes and attitudes like being a good listener and communicator strongly influence likability and workplace relationships.

Forget the campus bookstore. You can typically get up to 70% back selling to online resellers.

The stock market is expecting a massive new economic boom while the bond market sees the economy remaining in a funk. They can't both be right, but they can be wrong, writes Brett Arends.

Social Security tax maximums and cost-of-living adjustments are calculated differently based on formulas set by law.

David Oreck, whose vacuum cleaners are used in homes all over the country, says private-equity firms drove his former company into bankruptcy.

Student loans from credit unions can be among the least-expensive options. But interest rates vary substantially, from around 2.75% to 9.3%.