An updated tax rule is causing restaurants to rethink the practice of adding automatic tips to the tabs of large parties. Starting in January, the Internal Revenue Service will begin classifying those automatic gratuities as service charges-which it treats as regular wages, subject to payroll tax withholding-instead of tips, which restaurants leave up to the employees to report as income.

You already can invest your retirement money and your kid's college savings on Wall Street. Next on the list: your health care.  A growing number of employees are required by companies to set up special savings accounts to cover part of their medical bills. Over time, they are also encouraged to invest a portion of it in stocks, bonds or a mutual fund, just like they do with a 401(k) or IRA.