The Help Desk

What are the downsides of limited partnerships?

Are there any downsides to investing in a limited partnership, as opposed to stocks? — Mike Davis, California

In a nutshell, yes. Though master limited partnerships — which earn income chiefly from real estate, natural resources, and commodities — often yield more than shares of their plain-vanilla corporate cousins, they have their drawbacks.

Legal intricacies make filing your tax return confusing and time consuming. MLP income over $1,000 in a retirement account is MORE

Are credit-card-linked discounts worth the privacy risk?

Are discounts linked to my credit card spending worth the privacy risk? — Michael, West Bloomfield, Mich.

Both online and off, your purchases often factor into the discounts you're offered. Buy baby food at the grocery store, for example, and you might get a coupon for diapers along with your receipt.

Companies such as FreeMonee and MyLinkables can offer you deals based on your past credit card spending. Details vary, but each has MORE

How do you find a lost pension?

How do I find a pension if my old employer has merged several times and I can't locate it? — Kent David, Hot Springs Village, Ark.

Hit the phones: Arkansas is one of 30 states in which federally funded counseling centers provide free legal help with pensions and other retirement plans, such as 401(k)s. As long as you live or work in one of those states, or your company was based in MORE

How do I start investing?

I am a 21-year-old college student, and I feel overwhelmed by all the financial advice out there. It seems that a lot of advice is geared toward people who already have a lot of money. But what should a young adult do to start investing? – Manuel P.

Step one: Don't wait. There are a lot of benefits of to starting to save and invest at a young age. For starters, MORE

What will be taxed if I help my daughter build her new house?

Our daughter is building a new home with an in-law suite for us. I am 72 and my wife is 68. We plan to sell our present home and contribute $300,000 of the proceeds to live in this in-law suite. Is there a tax liability for our daughter or us? Also, since we plan to live out our lives in this arrangement, would this contribution be an estate asset for MORE