Florida public schools, faced with fierce competition for students from private schools, raised their scores on standardized tests slightly after the creation of the state’s business-supported private-school-voucher program, according to a National Bureau of Economic Research report recently released.

If you're planning on dying anytime soon, tax advisers say it would be best to do it before Jan. 1.

The so-called "death tax" returns with a vengeance next year, bringing a 55 percent top tax rate on estates valued at more than $1 million. That compares to the current rate of 0 percent on estates up to $3.5 million.