Kiplinger's Personal Finance - February 2015

contents kiplinger's personal finance // founded 1947

VOL. 69 NO. 2

IN EVERY ISSUE

6 from the editor Our best college rankings.

10 letters The missing online broker.

72 3 simple steps See if a refi is worth it.

AHEAD

13 Topic A: When to worry about a data breach . . . States tackle tax reform . . . Money advice from Kiss rocker Gene Simmons . . . Knight Kiplinger on money and ethics. plus: February money calendar.

18 success story Turning kids into engineers, by Patricia Mertz Esswein.

19 opening shot Time to buy Chinese stocks, by James K. Glassman.

22 your mind and your money A dirty money secret, by Anne Kates Smith.

INVESTING

24 oldies but goodies These six funds are long-playing gems that consistently beat their benchmarks.

28 how to invest after you retire

Our strategies ensure that your nest egg will last as long as you need it.

33 seven great dow stocks for

dividends Of the 30 stocks in the Dow Jones industrial average, these are the most likely to keep boosting payouts.

32 going long Dow 20,000? Why not? by Jeremy J. Siegel.

36 income investing Don't part with preferreds, by Jeffrey R. Kosnett.

38 practical investing Five lessons from my winners, by Kathy Kristof.

35 more about investing ETF spotlight (35). News of the Kiplinger 25 (37). Fund rankings (39).

MONEY

40 kiplinger's best college values

2015 Our rankings of the top public colleges, private universities and liberal arts colleges that offer a quality education at an affordable price. plus: The top 50 schools overall.

52 pay cash for your health care By paying out of pocket, you could gain control over your care and spend less than with health insurance.

56 rethinking retirement Plan for a long life, by Jane Bennett Clark.

58 Ask kim Reshop your car insurance, by Kimberly Lankford.

59 more about your money Yields and rates (59).

52

LIVING // COVER

60 the power of $1,000 You might want to use a small windfall to boost your emergency fund or plump up your retirement account. More power to you. But we think we've assembled a sparkling collection of ways to juice up your investments, amp up your tech, and splurge on yourself or your home. plus: "Supercharge It" suggestions for $10,000.

70 drive time When leasing makes sense, by Jessica Anderson.

71 the lowdown What you need to know about gifts of love, by

Carolyn Bigda.

On the cover: Photo-illustration by John Sposato

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Kiplinger's Personal Finance 02/2015

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Find the Best College for You

Our exclusive, easy-to-use tool lets you filter Kiplinger's list of the 300 best college values using the criteria important to you.

links/collegefinder

Kiplinger's Economic Outlook Stay ahead with exclusive forecasts of inflation, GDP, jobs and more.

outlooks

Surprising Tax Deductions Extraordinary deductions that pass muster with the IRS.

links/surprising

5 TAX FEATURES

1. The Most Overlooked Tax Deductions links/overlooked

2. Calculate Your Share of U.S. Tax Burden links/taxburden

3. Surprisingly Successful Tax Deductions links/surprising

4. Red Flags for IRS Auditors links/auditredflags

5. 10 Most Tax-Friendly States in the U.S. links/taxfriendly

Quiz Yourself Is It Tax-Deductible?

See if you can separate legitimate deductions from ones that will trigger an IRS response.

links/taxdeductible

INTERACT

tool Retirement Savings Calculator

Determine how much more you need to save each month to meet your retirement goal.

links/retirementcalculator

Online store The Kiplinger Tax Letter

New health insurance rules could make the upcoming filing season a nightmare for taxpayers and tax preparers. Be ready with The Kiplinger Tax Letter!

go/getkiptax

CARS THAT REFUSE TO DIE

David Muhlbaum celebrates 15 models with exceptional--and maybe surprising--endurance and

value. Share your picks.

GREAT STOCK FUNDS FOR 2015

Columnist Steve Goldberg's picks have widely different strategies (and expenses), but share a history of solid results.

links/refuse

links/goldberg15

DAVID MUHLBAUM

@DaveyDog

STEVE GOLDBERG

@Kiplinger

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JUMP-START YOUR RETIREMENT PLAN Mark your calendar for a free live chat with NAPFA planners on February 19,

9 a.m.?5 p.m., and get answers to your most pressing retirementplanning challenges.

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