Spare Change

Money Tip

Bereavement airfares, which are discounted tickets for people who need to fly to a funeral or to visit a sick relative, are quietly disappearing, another casualty of the airline industry’s troubles. Some airlines say that because all fares have dropped so low in recent years, the bereavement deals are no longer needed.

Survey Says

Young adults between the ages of 19 and 29 are the largest and fastest growing segment of the U.S. population lacking health insurance. Young adults comprised 40 percent of the 6 million people who joined the ranks of the uninsured from 2000 to 2004, according to The Commonwealth Fund.

Fund Fact

Investors shouldn’t just buy index funds, a Vanguard financial adviser recommends; they should buy actively managed funds, too — perhaps in a 50-50 split. Combining the two gives you the possibility of outperforming the market, and a possible reduction in the variability of the portfolio because you are combining two different strategies.

Market Tip

The stock market’s recent gyrations may have you wondering whether now is a good time to jump in — or out — of the market. A better question is whether you should rebalance your portfolio, particularly if the market has knocked it out of whack. The answer: probably not yet. You’ll lose chunks of your gains to taxes each time you sell holdings in a taxable account.