7 life insurance mistakes to avoid
Is your insurance adequate? How do you know? Even in today’s hard times, you may need more, not less.

EBay among 10 hot stocks
The operator of the world’s largest online trading community appears on an MSN Money list of recommended stocks. Here are StockScouter’s top picks.

Shareholder Rights, Boards, and CEO Compensation

I analyze the role of executive compensation in corporate governance. As proxies for corporate governance, I use board size, board independence, CEO-chair duality, institutional ownership concentration, CEO tenure, and an index of shareholder rights. The results from a broad cross-section of large U.S. public firms are inconsistent with recent claims that entrenched managers design their own compensation contracts. The interactions of the corporate governance mechanisms with total pay-for-performance and excess compensation can be explained by governance substitution. If a firm has generally weaker governance, the compensation contract helps better align the interests of shareholders and the CEO.

Are you skimping too much?
Don’t let worries about the economy take the fun out of life or keep you from the occasional splurge. But make sure you get the most bang for your buck.

Stocks trim losses; Dow off 42
Profit-taking hits stocks after 5 days of gains, but Ford sparks a recovery from the lows. Sun Microsystems shares plunge after merger talks with IBM fail. A prominent analyst sees the worst loan losses for banks since the Depression.

Where jobless benefits go furthest
Comparing cities’ costs of living with maximum unemployment benefits can pinpoint where the weekly checks help most — and least.

Rescue your retirement in 1 move
The road back to personal prosperity may be simpler (but more labor-intensive) than you imagine. The assets you stand to gain could make taking it worth your while.

Dow up 153 as hope trumps bad news
Weak news on home and auto sales and manufacturing is nonetheless better than expected and gives bulls a reason to buy. Banks may get a break on accounting rules. Thornburg Mortgage will file for bankruptcy protection. Is a Facebook IPO in the offing?

3 ways to fight bankers’ bonuses
Don’t just stamp your feet. Take these steps to ensure your tax dollars aren’t going to huge bonuses for the financial wizards who got us into this mess.

Dow jumps 216 on turnaround hopes
Stocks jump for a third straight day, but late selling keeps the Dow from its first close above 8,000 since February. Research In Motion earnings impress. Investors cheer changes to accounting rules. Friday’s unemployment report is a concern.