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No one knows when the next big stock slide will occur, but investors should take these steps now to be ready. »

As the market recovers and home equity is once again on the rise, you may be tempted to tap that wealth and use it elsewhere. This is borrowing from one asset (often your home or a 401(k) account) to fund something else. If you have a steady, reliable source of income and are confident you will be able to repay the loan, this can allow you to capitalize on a low interest rate, tax-deductible option. Using a home equity loan or line of credit can be a useful and cost-effective tool for responsible borrowers, but it comes with risks. While it can save you on interest, offers fewer monthly payments and allows higher loan limits, it doesn't necessarily solve your debt problem and puts your home at risk if you can't pay it back. This isn't a good source of funding for a vacation or new fancy car, but there are some instances when it can make sense to use your equity. 1. Home Update or Improvement Improving your home and increasing its value are often good reasons to use your home equity.

A hacker group has stolen as much as $1 billion from banks and other financial companies worldwide since 2013 in an “unprecedented cyber-robbery,” according to computer security firm Kaspersky Lab.

The economy is adding jobs at the fastest clip since the end of the last century, but Americans sure aren’t shopping like it’s 1999. And that could be a hindrance for the U.S. in 2015.