Americans will soon face a recession that few are prepared to endure. In fact, if you're under age 45, you haven't seen a severe recession in your entire working life.

When everyone is telling you that this credit crisis could not have been predicted, you can point to one man who boldly – and incredibly accurately – told you...

Nancy Kelly-Ristau is the face of the American nightmare. She's 55, divorced and facing the fact that she can no longer afford her home in west suburban River Forest, where she lives with her two daughters.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty together again!

It's amazing how easily fear overcomes resolution, and how easily long-term investors turn into panicked sellers in a market decline. That's what happens when you don't have a plan that you understand, and a commitment to stick to the plan.

Gotcha! That's what the market said to all those investors who panicked and sold out of fear on the way down recently. And guess what? The ones who panicked most were the professionals!

Just when America was warming up to the idea of purchasing long-term care insurance to protect family assets from the devastating costs of custodial care, the three largest insurance companies have shaken up the market by raising prices on existing policies, not just on policies to be sold in the future. How should that impact your planning?

Are you keeping score of the presidential nominees' economic policies? Or do you view the contest simply as an endgame – waiting to see who wins and who loses?

It's tough to get a mortgage today – but that's not news. Every financial institution is tightening lending standards and requiring a higher down payment and raising interest rates. Well, almost every lender is doing that. But if you're a veteran who has been honorably discharged from the military, you can get a great deal on a home loan.