Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

The financial crisis is taking on a new victim: retirement. Planning and saving is hard enough, let alone trying to do it in the midst of a market meltdown! These are unprecedented times, folks, and your nest egg could get hit hard if you aren't careful.

We have heard from many of you wondering where to put your retirement money without the risk of losing it all. Here's our answer designed to keep you on the right savings path and protect your money in our shaky economy.

Dear Ken and Daria,

I am 20 years away from retirement and have been re-considering my portfolio allocation. What is the right mix in this economy?

-Gary

Not sure how to allocate your retirement funds? Visit Dolans.com for our complete library of 401k calculators and worksheets to determine what's best for you.

We call them "money moments" -- those situations when we are forced to make a money decision on the spot with those seemingly simple questions posed to us under pressure from a salesperson that tie your stomach up in knots wondering if you're really getting a good deal or just getting ripped off.

The truth is, most of the money "deals" you are offered are just a waste of your hard-earned dollars!

Here are eight money moments every one of us faces at some point, along with a comeback answer that could save you money. Read them all and the next time you are put on the spot by a salesperson, you can skip the sweaty palms because you'll already know the right answer!

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

Dear Ken and Daria,

A family member has asked me for a loan. Is this a good idea, and what is the best way to go about it?

-Marion

Would you -- should you -- lend money to a family member or friend in need? During these tough economic times, you may be asked to be "bankers" for someone going through a period of unemployment or having trouble making ends meet. While we know you want to help, it's important not to let your heart overrule good sense.

This is a big step that could cause future problems and we want you to protect yourself. Let's talk about what you need to consider before making your decision, and how to loan money the right way.

A written agreement can help protect you from future problems when loaning money to family members. Get started with Ken and Daria's sample loan note, available only at Dolans.com.

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

Here's the truth: Americans are drowning in debt. Consumers currently owe nearly $700 billion on all credit cards and carry, on average, more than $8,000 in credit card debt from month to month.

Now, here's the good news: This doesn't have to be you. If you're having trouble making payments, consolidating your debt may be the answer. Let's take a look at what exactly this means and how it could help erase your balances once and for all.

Dear Ken and Daria,

I have a high amount of debt and have been thinking about debt consolidation. Can you explain how this works, and how it affects my FICO score?

-Bruce

Are you up to your eyeballs in debt? Ken and Daria show you how to get outstanding balances under control with smart debt management strategies, only at Dolans.com.

We now have a "Dirty Dozen."

This weekend, Ameribank Inc. failed -- the 12th bank this year. And trust us, it won't be the last.

We don't expect this to be as bad as the nearly 900 banks that went under from bad loans in the early 1990s during the S&L crisis. That's right -- in case you've forgotten (or, gasp, aren't old enough to remember!), we've been through this before and apparently the Wall Street money guys didn't learn a damn thing the first time around!

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

Here's a little trick when it comes to saving for retirement: every little bit helps. That's why we're thrilled when we hear about folks contributing any amount to their retirement plans because it all adds up over time to a very rich future! But we also want your investments to work hard for you, which means choosing the right savings vehicle.

When deciding between a traditional and Roth IRA account, there is one major rule of thumb to live by. Find out what it is in our video response below.

Dear Ken and Daria,

I've been told I should invest in a traditional IRA instead of a Roth IRA because of my low income. Which is the right choice for me?

-Jill

Confused about where to begin your retirement planning? Learn how to start saving for your future and get answers to all your questions about Roth IRA rules, rollovers and more at Dolans.com.

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

Eleven banks have now been claimed by the FDIC this year and more institutions are at risk of failure now than at any time in the last five years. Talk about a big flashing sign that this banking mess is far from over!

So how do you know if your bank is safe? Making sure it is FDIC insured is a good first step (learn how this insurance works here), but it isn't always enough. Here's how to find a secure bank to protect your deposits.

Dear Ken and Daria,

With all the recent bank failures, how can I find out if my bank is safe?

-Richard

Are you concerned about the safety of your money? Learn how the FDIC and latest bank failures affect you at Dolans.com.

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

We have always recommended that you check your credit report annually and be on the lookout for bad marks that could drag your credit score down. If you do find negative reports, don't freak out and don't get scammed by those credit companies offering a quick fix either.

Here's the right way to remove any blemishes from your report and keep it that way for years to come.

Dear Ken and Daria,

I have several negative marks on my credit report, but I am working hard to raise my score. What can I do to remove those bad marks?

-Matthew

Did you check your annual credit report and not like what you found? Ken and Daria show you how simple steps can effectively raise your credit score on Dolans.com.

Dear Ken and Daria,

Do I need to re-address my estate planning documents when I move?

-Robert

Everyone -- and we mean everyone -- should have an estate plan that dictates how your assets will be handled after you're gone. We know it's not fun to think about, but without one your loved ones won't be cared for the way you'd like.

Of course, once you draw up your estate plan, it's important to re-visit it during big life events -- including a move out of state. Let's take a look at what your estate plan should include, and how to update it.

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

Take the estate planning bull by the horns with Ken and Daria's guide to drafting your will the right way, only on Dolans.com.

Boy, were there some serious fireworks in the Dolan household over this one!

Very seldom do Daria and I VEHEMENTLY disagree on an issue...much less about something that involves things we are both passionate about -- food and good health. But we had a hot debate about this one.

Here's the issue: The state of Alabama is giving its state employees, all 37,527 of them, one year to get fit. If they don't, they start paying $25 a month for health insurance that they get currently get free.

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

Here's the plain truth: The single best step you can take to living the retirement of your dreams is to contribute the maximum amount allowed to an IRA. Unfortunately, too many people ignore this rare gift from Uncle Sam.

We hear from readers all the time about why they don't contribute to retirement plans, and it's usually because they don't know where – and how much – to contribute. Let's clear up some of that confusion with our answer to the following WalletPop reader question.

Dear Ken and Daria,

Can a working and a non-working spouse both make IRA contributions?

-Jim

Making the most of your IRA is a key part of successful retirement planning. Get answers to all your questions about IRA rules, Roth IRAs, rollovers and more at Dolans.com.

Time to add yet another name to our Celebrity Money Mistakes gallery!

Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss had a Close Encounter of the unpleasant kind this weekend, when he sued his father and uncle over money.

Dreyfuss claims he loaned his family members $870,000 in 1984, but he never got back his money or the interest he says was due.

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Dear Ken and Daria,

With all the interest rate cuts the Fed has made, why does it take so long for them to reflect in refinancing a mortgage?

-John

Mortgage rates aren't the only thing impacted by rate cuts. Learn five critical ways fed interest rate cuts impact your wallet.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

Today's July retail sales report shows what we've been saying for some time--people seem to be spending their government stimulus checks on necessities such as food and gas, and not on shopping sprees.

President Bush's economic stimulus program--which doled out up to $600 per person to over 130 million households--might not have had the desired impact on the economy, but an extra $600 bucks surely helped your bottom line, right?

What's that you say...you haven't gotten your stimulus check yet?

Well, if you filed your 2007 tax return--which you must do in order to be eligible--more than 8-12 weeks ago, it's time to track down your missing money. Maggie B., one of our Dolans.com readers, followed the advice we're about to give you and discovered her stimulus check was collecting dust at the IRS because it was returned as "undeliverable" by the post office.

So take 5 minutes right now to visit www.irs.gov and click on the button right smack in the middle of the screen that says "Stimulus Package."

We're shocked to hear ourselves saying this, but the IRS has put together pretty useful, easy-to-understand information that can help you track down your check. The most common reason people don't receive their checks is because the check was returned to the IRS as undeliverable.

And that doesn't just apply to this year's stimulus checks. The IRS is holding BILLIONS of dollars of unclaimed tax refunds. In 2006 alone, the IRS owed a whopping $110 million in refunds to more than 155,000 people they couldn't find!

So download Form 8822, which is the IRS' official change of address form, right from that main stimulus package web page and find out if you have any unclaimed refunds coming to you.

The site also lists all the eligibility rules and reasons why you might not have received a check (for example, Uncle Sam kept it to pay back taxes you owed). The IRS will even put a trace on your check to help you track it down if it's been more than 8 weeks since you filed your return.

(By the way, if you haven't filed your 2007 tax return, it's NOT too late! You have until October 15th to file and still be eligible for your rebate. After that, say sayonara to a quick 600 bucks.)

Like the idea of finding lost money you didn't even know you had? We can show you more where that came from! Check out our new video, How to Find "Missing" Money at Dolans.com.

Personal finance experts Ken and Daria Dolan help people like you learn to save more, spend less and live richly at Dolans.com.

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Dear Ken and Daria,

My wife and I have the money to pay off our mortgage. Should we pay it off or invest for a higher return?

-Richard

Thinking of re-financing your mortgage? Check out the Dolans' guide to negotiating the best mortgage for you.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.