Michael Sheehan

All the closely watched economic indicators -- retail sales, consumer prices, unemployment rates, and home prices -- are giving off mixed signals. But these under-the-radar indicators are surprisingly accurate at calling the direction of the economy ... and the news is good.

Some studies show the majority of doctors in the U.S. don't have a will. If you do, estate planners urge you to be diligent about changing the terms and updating your IRA beneficiaries when family circumstances change, or your assets may not always be paid out according to your wishes. If you don't, get cracking.

Physicians are losing their ability to treat "superbugs," as well as far more common diseases, due to the rapid increase in resistance to antibiotic drugs, a new report shows. Some advice to avoid contributing to the problem.

Price protection, warranty extensions, purchase insurance, automatic recordkeeping -- and, yes, cash-back -- are just a few of the perks physicians get when they use credit cards to make purchases for their practices.

If you're a doctor with a six-figure income, chances are you've been on the receiving end of an invitation to an "educational" seminar that may include free lunch or dinner at an upscale hotel or restaurant. Investigations by regulators and the AARP have found many of these seminars are rife with fraud.

The nation's five largest health insurers processed 20% of claims incorrectly in 2009, a new study shows. The inaccuracies resulted in backlogs in processing, anger and confusion among patients, and wasted time and delayed payments for physicians.

A majority of locum tenens physicians find their work satisfying, according to a recent survey. But lower pay and time away from family were cited as the main drawbacks to the job.

Small practices may get some relief from ever-increasing health-insurance premiums in the form of a new tax credit that covers up to 35% of the costs. But figuring out whether your practice is eligible for the credit can be extremely taxing.

Mutual-fund companies clearly state that past performance is no guarantee of future returns. Nonetheless, financial advisors say long-term performance is the only thing most investors care about. Don't make the same mistake -- here are the numbers that really matter.

The "Red Flags" Rule, aimed at preventing identity theft, was delayed until Dec. 31, as lawmakers, policy enforcers and doctors groups wrangled over whether physicians should be considered "creditors" under the rule.

Hurricane season 2010 officially begins this week, and experts predict it's going to be an exceptionally bad one. Business insurance will cover typical replacement costs if your medical office is hit. But what about the income lost while you can't see patients? For that, you need business interruption insurance.

Healthcare reform is decimating the nation's doctor-owned hospitals. Provisions of the new law ban the construction of new doctor-owned hospitals and place stiff restrictions on the expansion of existing facilities. As a result, doctors stand to lose millions.

Nearly two out of every five healthcare professionals reported a data security breach in 2009, up from just 13% the previous year, according to a recent survey. The majority of the breaches typically involve lost or stolen laptops and portable data-storage devices, and improperly discarded documents.

Though home prices have nudged higher in recent months, many physicians are holding off on selling real estate as they wait for values to ratchet up. But with many challenges looming, the direction of the housing market is still anybody's guess.

Shopping for a car takes lot of time -- something few physicians can afford. Haggling with dealers over price also makes many buyers queasy. Now, shoppers can sidestep the whole aggravating process by hiring "concierge" car-buying services.

Credit-card companies are slashing their rewards programs, leaving many cardholders in danger of losing their hard-won points. Using your credit card to make purchases in your practice may help.

This year, savers can convert traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs no matter how much they earn -– though high-income healthcare professionals don't seem in a big rush to do it. Now, some financial advisors are suggesting a unique Roth conversion tactic that may be worth a look.

Replacing a computer is easy enough, but retrieving the lost data that was stored there can be expensive and incomplete. Here are a few ways you can ensure you've got a paddle left once you end up the creek.

Some colleges will enroll your child in their sponsored health plan automatically, even if your child is covered under your policy. Others insist that the student have outside coverage. Consumer consultants advise parents to research their options.

If an insurance agent offers you a can't-lose, tax-deferred investment, it ought to be a slam dunk, right? Of course not! It never is. For one thing, agents receive rich commissions for selling these, so you must be wary of high-pressure salesmanship.

Travelers caught in Icelandic volcano delays may have been wishing they purchased a travel insurance policy, but hindsight is 20/20. Running out and purchasing insurance now might not make sense in your situation.

If you talk less than 100 minutes a month, for example, a prepaid plan, which can cost as little as $10 a month, is almost a no-brainer. Anything over that level could cost more than a contract, since the higher per-minute charges on a prepaid phone add up fast.

Fewer than 1% of flights have "surface delays" of more than three hours, but upwards of 200,000 passengers are affected by such delays each year. Unfortunately, new rules preventing this nightmare were designed with a major loophole.

Although payment plans vary from school to school, many parents will get their first college tuition bill in the mail soon. Right now, interest rates on a HELOC tend to be lower than on other loans, and it can be a much more flexible way to pay college bills.

Going without a will is a really bad idea, and yet, based on several different surverys, it is highly likely that if you chose a doctor at random, he or she wouldn't have one. There's really no excuse as a simple will is cheap.

Despite the wealth of information out there about the importance of managing mutual fund costs, investors still, by and large, chase performance, regardless of expense ratios.

After the stock market went into free fall, the IRS suspended retirement account minimum distribution rules. With a tentative recovery taking hold, the government's back to get its beak wet.

If you've been inspired to visit a national park lately, your first order of business is to plan reservations well in advance of peak season. Otherwise, nearby lodging may be impossible to come by.

Having lived long, the $100 bill has experienced many instances of change, and now, measures once thought to fool counterfeiters have since proved otherwise. Not wishing to squander time, the US Treasury is unveiling its new design.

Credit unions offer an attractive alternative to the average national bank, especially since many are paying higher interest rates on savings and charging lower interest rates on loans.