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STOCK MARKET INVESTORS may wonder what happened to the cash dividends companies supposedly were going to pay after the Tax Act of 2003 reduced taxes on dividends, Better Investing says. Dividend payments by Standard & Poor's 500 companies increased by 12 percent in 2004 and by 16 percent in the first half of 2005. But only 75 percent of the S&P 500 companies pay a dividend, compared with 85 percent in the 1980s and most of the '90s. And only about 30 percent of profits are returned to shareholders. One reason investors don't demand more dividends, Better Investing says, is that they don't know what they're missing.

HOUSING BUBBLE OR NOT, there's still money to be made in rental real estate, Kiplinger's Personal Finance says. "But you need to invest for the long term and not the quick flip," the magazine says. Market momentum may not boost the price, "but patience and renovations may." Step one is smart buying. "Patience and renovation will mean little unless they are supporting a solid initial investment."

APPLIANCES AND LIGHTING account for 28 percent of the typical household's annual energy use. SmartMoney.com suggests some simple ways to conserve: Keep light bulbs clean - dust can cut light output by as much as 25 percent. When preheating an oven, don't let it sit empty for longer than necessary, and don't open the door to check on food. Each time, 25 percent of the heat is lost. Use glass or ceramic pans in ovens, because they heat faster than metal pans. And keep the inside of your microwave clean so food cooks more efficiently.

TIRED OF THE CORPORATE GRIND? Working Mother says now is a great time to make a move to a nonprofit and get paid for it. "Humanitarian, arts and environmental groups are actively seeking people with business skills who can help them measure the cost of their mission - and keep advancing its progress," the magazine says. The best way to get a foot in the door is to do volunteer work before making the transition into full-time nonprofit work.

WHAT REALLY SETS today's 30-year-olds apart, BusinessWeek says, is that they could be the most indebted generation in modern history. "Many had to borrow serious money to attend colleges that are ever more costly. And as soon as they entered school, they were offered credit cards." By 30, many have accumulated thousands of dollars of debt. "The consequences can be profound: Many of those 30-year-olds feeling unduly burdened by their financial obligations have had to make compromises on some of life's vital decisions," the magazine says.

[Last modified November 10, 2005, 21:51:02]