In Brief

By Anamaria Wilson

BAG BONUS Any precious possessions you pack are now covered by a higher payout if an airline loses your bags on a domestic trip. The Department of Transportation has upped the airlines' liability limit for lost, delayed or damaged luggage, from $1,250 to $2,500 a passenger. But if you're flitting off to a foreign locale and you lose your bag, too bad. Airlines are obligated to pay just $9.07 a lb. or $640 a suitcase. So pack light, and always keep your valuables, such as jewelry and breakables, with you.

E-ROB Some 150 buyers are claiming they got ripped off by a seller on eBay. Although crooks represent just a tiny fraction of transactions, Internet fraud is rising: complaints increased 38% last year. How do you avoid it? Either pay by credit card or use an escrow service that won't release your money to the seller until you've got your goods. It costs a couple of bucks for each transaction, but it's worth it for costlier items.

TAX FACTS Accounting firms report that day traders are getting into tax trouble because they don't know the law. Yes, the maximum capital gains rate is 20%. But it applies only to long-term holdings--at least a year. Otherwise, the gain is income and taxed up to 39.6%. The lesson: it may be worth sitting on a stock a little longer to qualify it as a long-term holding. Even if the stock falls, say, 25%; and you're in the top bracket, you'll probably break even because the lower tax rate will offset the price dip.

--By Anamaria Wilson