The middle class has disappeared. We have a highway to poverty and no roads coming out.

A pile of bills and statements - whether paid or not - is a sign that someone is clueless about what's coming in and going out.

You must recognize, embrace, and be honest about what is real for you today and allow that understanding to inform the choices you make. Only then will you be able to build the future of your dreams.

Remember: If the IRS suspects you haven't reported income, it can challenge returns from the past six years. So if you are self-employed or have multiple income sources, hold on to six years of files to be absolutely safe.

At the age of 16 I started performing with a dance band in the evenings and began earning more money than my father, but he was pleased for me.

I actually have only one Jackson! ESP makes all of my guitars now. But that Jackson was probably the last one I paid for, which is why I used it so much; I had to get my money's worth. That's why, for the longest time, it was in all of our photos.

Nobody had a credit card when I was a kid. No one had credit card debt. But these big companies and banks wanted to know how to get more money out of people - get them charging things.

One of the most constant aspects of American life is change - and nowhere is it more evident than in our financial markets.