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Liz Weston

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

August 26, 2021 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: How to bounce back from an income drop. Also in the news: 5 tips for fostering a successful hybrid workplace, is the Fed to blame for high home prices, and why right now might be the best time to sell your car.

When Your Income Drops, Here’s How to Bounce Back
Recovering from an income drop depends on quickly cutting back expenses while also tackling the emotional stress.

5 Tips for Fostering a Successful Hybrid Workplace
Breaking old office habits and seeking employee input early and often can help create a successful hybrid workplace.

The Property Line: Blame the Fed for High Home Prices?
House prices are skyrocketing for multiple reasons. The Federal Reserve is just one piece of the puzzle.

Why Now Might Be the Best Time to Sell Your Car
Used cars have never been hotter.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: Fed, high home prices, hybrid workplace, income drop, the property line, tips, used cars

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

August 25, 2021 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: 5 ways to prepare and pack for COVID-Era travel. Also in the news: 8 safety tips for solo female travel, how doing a subscription detox could plug monthly budget leaks, and how to take advantage of (and keep) a high credit score.

5 Ways to Prepare and Pack for COVID-Era Travel
A lot has changed in the travel world since the pre-pandemic days of 2019.

8 Safety Tips for Solo Female Travel
Traveling solo as a woman has its challenges, but these tips can help you avoid unwanted situations.

Doing a Subscription Detox Could Plug Monthly Budget Leaks
Take a look at auto-renewing subscriptions — should you go cold turkey or use a more targeted approach?

How to Take Advantage of (and Keep) a High Credit Score
Reaping the rewards.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: budget, COVID-era travel, Credit Scores, high credit score, safety tips, solo female travel, subscription detox

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

August 24, 2021 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: 4 common debt consolidation mistakes and how to avoid them. Also in the news: Inflation could be sapping your pandemic savings, how your driving habits can lower your insurance bills, and how lifestyle creep can erode your savings one raise at a time.

4 Common Debt Consolidation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Before you consolidate, build your credit, assess your budget and compare consolidating to other debt payoff strategies.

As Pandemic Saving Settles, Inflation Could Sap Your Surplus
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, many Americans have been able to tuck away more cash than ever before.

How Your Driving Habits Can Lower Your Insurance Bill
Telematics insurance can help you lower your car insurance rates, as long as you’re a safe driver.

Lifestyle Creep: Eroding Your Savings, One Raise at a Time
Lifestyle creep may put your retirement savings at risk more than anything else.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: auto insurance, debt condolidation, driving habits, lifestyle creep, pandemic surplus, Savings

Monday’s need-to-know money news

August 23, 2021 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: 3 things to do before you buy crypto. Also in the news: A new episode of the Smart Money podcast on back to school shopping and breaking bad money habits, student debt is canceled for borrowers with disability, and 6 ways to make your business more agile.

3 Things to Do Before You Buy Crypto
All your friends are doing it. Should you invest in crypto, too? Take it slow and meet other money goals first.

Smart Money Podcast: School Supply Shopping and Breaking Bad Money Habits
How to save money when back-to-school shopping this year.

Student Debt Canceled for Borrowers With Disability; $10K Forgiveness Stalled

6 Ways to Make Your Business More Agile
Small businesses with agility can quickly pivot to survive disruptions and take advantage of opportunities.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: back-to-school shopping, bad money habits, business tips, crypto, cryptocurrency, Smart Money podcast, student loan debt

Q&A: Medicare and Social Security

August 23, 2021 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: If my wife and I wait until we are 70 to collect Social Security but retired at our full retirement age of 66 and 2 months, would we still be able to get Medicare for those 3 years and 10 months before we reach 70?

Answer: You’re eligible for Medicare at age 65, which is typically when you should sign up. Delaying can incur penalties you’d have to pay for the rest of your life.

People receiving Social Security benefits at 65 are signed up automatically for Part A (hospital coverage) and Part B (which pays for doctor visits), with the Part B premiums deducted from their benefits. If you’re not already receiving Social Security, you’ll need to contact the Social Security office, which manages Medicare enrollment, to sign up and pay the Part B premiums.

Filed Under: Medicare, Q&A, Social Security Tagged With: Medicare, q&a, Social Security

Q&A: Saving after retirement

August 23, 2021 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: I’m retired, age 67. I have a SEP that requires me to pay taxes on any withdrawals. I also have standard savings and checking accounts. The SEP has been earning 13% to 14% annually, and of course the savings account earns very little. Where does it make sense for me to place savings each month — in the bank or the SEP?

Answer:
Well, not the SEP. A SEP is a simplified employee pension plan that only allowed contributions as long as you were employed by the company that offered it.

Besides, the reason for the difference in returns is what’s in the account, not the account itself. The SEP probably is invested in stocks, while the savings account is just cash earning the current low interest rates. On the other hand, the money in your savings account is FDIC insured so that you won’t lose your principal.

Money in the stock market is at risk because stocks don’t always rise in value. (Over time, a diversified mix of stocks typically will earn better returns than other types of investments, but you can’t count on the money being there if you need it in a hurry.)

If you’re retired and don’t have earned income, you can’t put money into other retirement accounts such as IRAs or Roth IRAs. You can, however, open a brokerage account and invest money through that. You’ll still pay taxes on any withdrawals, but if you hold the investments for at least a year you can benefit from lower capital gains tax rates.

Filed Under: Q&A, Retirement Savings, Saving Money Tagged With: q&a, saving after retirement

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