Dear Liz: I agree with the writer who suggested contacting elected officials for help with IRS issues. I worked for the IRS as a criminal investigator for 25 years and dealt with the majority of divisions. An inquiry forwarded by a member of Congress on behalf of a constituent is known as a “congressional.” When a […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: How a congressional inquiry can help with an IRS problem
Q&A: How to protect QCD checks from mail theft
Dear Liz: In response to a reader whose check to the IRS was stolen from the post office, you (again) warned readers that mail theft and check fraud have soared and that electronic payments are now the safest way to send money. I’ve been making my charitable donations using qualified charitable distributions from my IRA. My […]
Q&A: Why a fireproof safe may not protect your estate documents
Dear Liz: I’d like to add to the conversation about where to store estate documents. Having lost my home, studio, office, and all the contents in the Eaton fire of January 2025, I can tell you that the temperature of our urban fire was high enough to incinerate the contents of many “fireproof” home safes in […]
Q&A: Delayed tax refund? Contact your lawmaker
Dear Liz: A reader requested advice regarding a delayed tax refund. I had a similar problem a few years ago. The IRS owed me a substantial refund. I tried calling the IRS but couldn’t reach a person. The automated system insisted my refund had been sent. I wound up calling my congressman’s office. They assigned a […]
Q&A: Can a brokerage sell your stocks without warning?
Dear Liz: How can I get help after my brokerage’s margin team illegally sold my Tesla and Palantir stock, citing market volatility and not notifying me? Answer: Just because you don’t like the result doesn’t mean the brokerage acted illegally. If you took out a margin loan using your portfolio as collateral, the agreement you signed allows […]
Q&A: Does an inherited Roth IRA get a new 10-year deadline?
Dear Liz: I recently inherited a Roth IRA. If I understand correctly, I can leave the money in the IRA for 10 years. If I die before then and my adult son inherits the account, does he then get an additional 10 years to do something with the money? Answer: That depends on the circumstances. If you […]
Books
Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.
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Your Credit Score: How to Improve the 3-Digit Number that Shapes Your Financial Future (5th edition)
Improve your credit score, for real, with the #1 best-selling guide you can trust! Today, a good credit score is essential for getting credit, getting a job, even getting car insurance or a cellphone. Now, best selling journalist Liz Pulliam Weston has thoroughly updated her top-selling guide to credit scores, with crucial new information for protecting (or rebuilding) yours.
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Deal with Your Debt: Free Yourself from What You Owe
Struggling with debt? Get realistic help that's actually useful.
In this extensively updated guide, you can discover how to control and manage debt effectively. You'll learn which debts can actually help build wealth over time, and which are simply toxic. You'll find up-to-date, real-world strategies for assessing and paying off debt, money-saving insights on which debts to tackle first, and crucial information about everything from debt consolidation loans to credit scores and credit counseling. Weston offers practical guidelines for assessing how much debt is safe -- and compassionate, realistic guidance if you've gone beyond the safety zone. If you've ever worried about debt, you'll find the new edition of Deal with Your Debt absolutely indispensable.
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There Are No Dumb Questions About Money: Answers and Advice to Help You Make the Most of Your Finances
There’s a myth in our society that some people are just naturally “good” with money. So naturally, everybody else must be “bad”--or at least, dumb--if they’re not sure what to do.
The reality is, no one is born a money expert. Those who are “good” with money had to learn: by reading, asking questions, and consulting people who know more than they do. No one knows everything, and the only dumb questions are the ones you don’t ask.
This collection of money questions and answers can help you solve your most pressing concerns about your finances. You can buy this ebook on iTunes or on Amazon.
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The 10 Commandments of Money: Survive and Thrive in the New Economy
From the #1 personal finance columnist on the Internet (Nielsen/NetRatings)-a clear prescription for financial health in the 2010s and beyond.
For previous generations, living within your means was a simple formula. Now, with the staggering rise in education, health care, and housing costs, millions of people find themselves skating from paycheck to paycheck with no idea how to move forward.
As the most-read personal finance columnist on the Internet, Liz Weston has heard the questions and has the answers. Her 10 Commandments of Money will help readers avoid critical mistakes, survive the bad times, and thrive in the good ones.
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Easy Money: How to Simplify Your Finances and Get What You Want Out of Life
Common sense. Easy solutions. Plain English.
Best selling author, Liz Weston, takes on the problem everyone has, and nobody talks about: the sheer hassle of managing your money! Weston offers practical guidance and easy checklists for every decision: investments, credit cards, insurance, mortgages, retirement, college savings, and more! Discover how to consolidate, delegate, and automate your finances…save time and money…and live a more rewarding, secure life!