Investors who thought they could count on the stock market to make up for the mediocre savings they have socked away in 401(k)'s and IRAs are having an awakening.

Bills are piling up to the point where you dread opening your mailbox. If only your creditors would forgive your debt. Sometimes, they will--but even then your money troubles might not disappear.

Q: I am 63, my wife is 61, and we both still work. Our goal is simple: We want to maximize our net retirement income. If we have too much income, our Social Security will be taxed, and our Medicare payment increased. After 70 1/2, there are mandatory withdrawal rules for our IRAs. The IRS, Social Security and Medicare all provide calculators, but none includes all these rules. Can you recommend a calculator that includes all these rules so I can determine my actual retirement income? -- B.L.

Yes, it is a nice problem to have. But it's also a real concern for many people who have saved diligently and are not sure how to go about spending their savings, or are reluctant or afraid to do so.

"I am a U.S. citizen by choice, not chance."

Every week, when I sit down to write this column, I follow a basic routine: I grab my laptop, collect my notes and turn on my iPod. The last step may seem to some to be unprofessional, but trust me: were I not able to plug in those white ear buds, I'd have a lot more trouble tuning out background noise and getting my work done.

On a list of purchases that annoy consumers, gasoline, razor blades and ink-jet printer refills probably rank high. But how about batteries? It's a hassle and expense to change batteries in remote controls, audio players, cameras, children's toys and other devices.

Q: I am a home-based employee of a large medical-equipment manufacturer. Before my first call of the day, I perform administrative duties. I am paid for that time. I also earn overtime when I work more than 40 hours a week. But because of a quirky overtime policy, I usually don't receive all the pay I am owed. That's because when we put in for overtime, the company expects us to deduct one hour of commuting time automatically. I have to do this even though I'm home-based, and I am home-based because my company structured the job that way. Is it legal to require me to deduct commuting time?

Q: Can I expect my shares of Johnson & Johnson to increase in price soon? -- F.C., via the Internet

High investment costs remain out of mind when overall returns are strong. Why sweat decimal points when basking in 20 percent gains?

May 12 - 16 calendar