September 17, 2000
Loose change
R-E-S-P-E-C-T? If doctors, scientists and teachers are at the high end of the respect scale, accountants, bankers and union leaders are not, says a Harris Poll ranking of "prestigious" occupations. Teachers, military officers and, remarkably, members of Congress are making gains, while lawyers are losing ground.
More people indulging in the business news buffet
Hungry for business news? Where you gonna feed?
Embracing immigrants
A hot economy and the scarcity of workers it has produced has helped transform attitudes about immigration.
Don't rush into a viatical settlement
If you or someone you love is terminally ill, you may be looking into a viatical settlement, which involves selling your life insurance policy to a company for a cash payment that you can spend while you're alive. Viatical settlements can provide you with immediate cash to help you maintain your financial independence. But bear in mind that these transactions are incredibly complex, and because this market is loosely regulated, fraudulent viatical settlement companies do exist. Consider these tips:
Original certificate isn't needed when cashing CD
Q. I have my original certificate of deposit for $15,000 and the bank claims I cashed it in. I don't remember doing that. Wouldn't I have had to turn in the certificate to get my money?
