Liz Weston

Q&A: How to track down lost savings bonds

August 18, 2025 By Liz Weston Leave a Comment

Dear Liz: My mother passed away two years ago. She left a small mountain of paperwork which my brother, sister and I have finally started to sort through. Among the surprises that we have found is a receipt from a bank for the purchase of $4,500 of U.S. government savings bonds. The date of purchase is one month after the birth of her grandson in March 1992. We suspect that the bond was intended as a gift for the grandson. Is there a way to track down these bonds? Would a receipt from a bank be sufficient to satisfy the Treasury that the bond purchases were valid?

Answer: Savings bonds purchased in 1992 would have already matured and are no longer paying interest. If your mom didn’t cash in these bonds, you may be able to find them through the U.S. Treasury Department’s Treasury Hunt tool. You can find it at https://www.treasurydirect.gov/savings-bonds/treasury-hunt/.

Q&A: Bequests to household employees can trigger fights, taxes

August 18, 2025 By Liz Weston Leave a Comment

Dear Liz: Please consider mentioning employers who haven’t forgotten long-time employees in their estate planning. Caregivers and domestic workers may work for families, the elderly or seriously ill patients for decades. When there is a death, the estate or family members rarely remember these workers who feel their effort must have meant very little not to have been acknowledged in some small way. I did hear about an employer who put away $10,000 a year in a savings account for an hourly paid employee who retired after 30 years of service. By the way, the employee never asked for anything. She was just grateful to have been of service for so many years.

Answer: You’re right that a bequest could be a meaningful acknowledgment of a longtime domestic employee’s faithful service. Such bequests also can trigger huge family fights, accusations of undue influence and court challenges that drag on for years.

The size of the bequest, the size of the estate and the contentiousness of the family are all factors that need to be considered. Also keep in mind that while most bequests aren’t taxable, bequests from an employer often are since the IRS views such transfers as compensation. Anyone contemplating including an employee in their will would be wise to consult an estate planning attorney as well as a tax pro.

Q&A: Why each spouse should have a credit card in their own name

August 18, 2025 By Liz Weston Leave a Comment

Dear Liz: My husband was the primary account holder on our credit cards and I was the authorized user. When he recently passed away, I was told I had to close the cards. I have tried to open my own credit cards and have been declined by two banks because my debt is too high. I am the co-signer for my two daughters’ mortgages, making it look like I owe more than $1 million. My daughters have always made the monthly payments and have done so for six years. I also have almost $1 million in investments. I told the bankers I could bring in these documents as proof I’m credit card worthy and they said they don’t look at outside evidence, only the credit reports. So here I am, in my 60s without a credit card. Should I just settle and be an authorized user on my daughters’ cards? What can I do?

Answer: Thank you for providing another vivid example of why it’s important for each spouse to have one or two credit cards in their own names. Many people don’t realize that credit cards typically aren’t jointly held, and the death of the primary account holder can leave them cut off from credit.

Being added as an authorized user to your daughters’ cards is a good first step. You also might consider approaching a credit union, since these member-owned financial institutions are often more flexible about granting credit than the typical big bank.

Unfortunately, these mortgages will continue to affect your debt-to-income ratio until they’re paid off or your daughters refinance — and given the low rate they presumably got, refinancing is not likely to be an attractive solution.

Q&A: Couple worries about soaring ACA health care premiums

August 11, 2025 By Liz Weston Leave a Comment

Dear Liz: My wife and I have health insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchange. With the enhanced tax credit ending this year, our insurance bill could go up from $500 a month to about $2,000 a month. Are there any good options or plans you can recommend? Would filing taxes separately help if my wife’s income made her eligible for MediCal?

Answer: ACA premiums for next year have not been set, although the cost of coverage is expected to rise sharply after Congress ended enhanced premium tax credits that made coverage more affordable. The Peterson Center on Healthcare and KFF estimate that out-of-pocket premium payments will increase about 75% on average next year because of this change. In addition, insurers are asking for premium increases to cover rising healthcare costs and tariffs may further add to the cost of drugs, medical equipment and supplies.

Shop carefully during open enrollment, and consider a plan with a higher deductible to help control costs. You also could talk to a tax pro about ways to reduce your income in 2026, if it will help you qualify for a premium subsidy.

Just filing your taxes differently won’t get your wife qualified for MediCal, which is California’s Medicaid health insurance program for low-income people. MediCal looks at household income when determining eligibility. Actually being separated might work, but discuss this option with an attorney and a tax pro since it will have many legal and tax implications.

Q&A: Follow the rules for IRA donations

August 11, 2025 By Liz Weston 4 Comments

Dear Liz: Hello. I’d like to use my IRA for charitable donations when I’m required to make minimum distributions. The problem I’ve encountered is that I want to use a debit card for donations. I prefer to donate to small art organizations, which are set up for online donations and definitely not paper checks. I found one brokerage that offers an IRA with a debit card but when I spoke with them, they said it can’t be used for charitable donations. I’m at a loss. Do you know of any way to make charitable donations from my IRA with a debit card? It’s 2025! Surely someone has figured this out.

Answer: You’ve missed a key component of how this particular tax break works.

Qualified charitable distributions allow people 70½ and older to donate money from their IRAs directly to charity, without the money being taxed. The donations can count toward the required minimum distributions that must otherwise begin at age 73 (or 75 for those born in 1960 and later).

Note the word “directly.” The transfers must go straight from the IRA to the charity, without passing through your hands. The IRA custodian will be the one to send the money, either through electronic transfer or check.

Q&A: Friends don’t ask friends for condos

August 11, 2025 By Liz Weston Leave a Comment

Dear Liz: I have a younger friend who has asked me to leave them a condo I own. I would prefer the condo remain in my daughter’s name, and designate that the income from the condo go to my friend after my death. Is there a way to do this?

Answer: Your friend just handed you a massive red flag. Please heed this warning that they may not be trustworthy.

Generally speaking, people shouldn’t be asking for bequests for themselves. That’s especially true when the request is unsolicited — in other words, if you didn’t open the door by requesting what they might want from your estate.

Someone who feels comfortable enough to ask for a handout after your death may have no compunction about helping themselves to your money while you’re still alive. Financial elder abuse is a huge problem, and the perpetrators are often people the victim knows such as friends, family and caregivers.

Please tell your daughter about this request, and consider going together to an estate planning attorney. The attorney can make sure your estate plan is in order and discuss ways you can protect yourself from schemers and fraudsters.