Vital Signs
Fat of the land
Type 2 diabetes threatens millions as obese boomers confront middle age. You can improve your odds, though with diet, exercise.

Jonathan Burton's Life Savings
Putting your adviser to the test
The bear market is the time your financial advisers need to earn their keep. How do you tell if they are up to snuff?
• What the best 401(k) plans have in common

Jennifer Openshaw
Forget gas and fire up the grill
In a summer of inflationary discontent, try these four ideas for inexpensive backyard family fun.

Andrea Coombes' Ways and Means
At peace with my plastic
Take it from me, in tough times the temptation is great to turn to your credit cards for solace. But don't sabotage your finances.
• Fight back against these five credit-card traps

Real Estate
Hidden tax traps in housing bill
A number provisions in the housing rescue law will force you to rethink your tax strategy, particularly if you own a vacation home.
• Surprisingly little consumer benefit in housing bill
• CEO: Housing bill is critical 

Retirement Living Women's wall of worry Women lag men in savings and face a rougher road to retirement security. But there are ways they can recover.

Back-to-school shopping
Learning a tough lesson
Budgeting 101 is the topic this year, with  shoppers saying that rising food and energy costs, are forcing them to pinch pennies.
• Stores pitch value to pinched shoppers

investing
Finding the winners
This fund manager won MarketWatch's Stockpicker of the Quarter award by following the numbers straight to winning stocks in the energy and industrials sectors.
• Where to find the market's bargains
• A guide to dividend investing