12 tips for weathering tough economic times - Consumer News Roundup for 12/20/11

• Weathering tough economic times - 12 Tips for 2012
  (FINRA)
  The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation today released Weathering Tough Economic Times—12 Tips for 2012, which provides practical help money tips for 2012.
• SEC releases investor bulletin on Real Estate Investment Trusts .pdf
  (Securities and Exchange Commission)
  Information about Real Estate Investment Trusts from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
• Federal Reserve Board proposes steps to strengthen regulation and supervision of large bank holding companies and systemically important nonbank firms
  (Federal Reserve)
  The Federal Reserve Board on Tuesday proposed steps to strengthen regulation and supervision of large bank holding companies and systemically important nonbank financial firms. The proposal, which includes a wide range of measures addressing issues such as capital, liquidity, credit exposure, stress testing, risk management, and early remediation requirements, is mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
• Scam alert: Holiday shopping brings new life to a lottery ticket scam
  (AARP)
  An old lottery ticket scam is being brought back to life in parking lots across the country.