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Liz Weston

Q&A: Unloading a timeshare

September 3, 2019 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: How can a timeshare owner get rid of the timeshare and claim the loss on taxes?

Answer: Timeshares typically are considered a personal asset, like a boat or a car, so the losses aren’t deductible. The best way out of a timeshare is often to give it back to the developer, if the developer will take it. You also could try to sell it on sites such as RedWeek and Timeshare Users Group. Unless your timeshare is at a high-end property, you are unlikely to recoup much and may have to pay the buyer’s maintenance fees for a year or two as an incentive.

Filed Under: Q&A, Taxes Tagged With: q&a, Taxes, timeshare

Q&A: Strategies for overcoming a spouse’s bad investment decisions

September 3, 2019 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: I tell people we lost a huge chunk of money in the Great Recession, but it wasn’t the downturn that did us in. My husband made some incredibly poor choices. I’m embarrassed to admit that he absolutely refused to listen to me and stop the financial self-destruction until I grew a backbone. I told him I’d divorce him unless he stopped. He has mended his ways and we’re still together (which is really for the best; we’ve been married almost 47 years).

He’s now being very transparent and prudent about investing, but we’re still looking at an underfunded retirement and I’d like to maximize what we have. We’re both 71 and still working (we’re self employed). Our home is worth about $800,000 and we owe $160,000. We have a rental nearby with about $100,000 in equity that pays for itself, but there’s no extra income from it. We have $210,000 in investments and $25,000 in savings with no debt.

I think more real estate would be a good investment vehicle for us, but we’d have to cash out some of our limited portfolio in order to purchase more. So instead, I make an extra principal payment equal to half the regular mortgage payment on each of the properties each month. I’m not sure if that’s the wisest thing to do, but I figure it’s still investing in real estate and will help us when we finally retire, sell and downsize.

Answer: Right now, the vast majority of your wealth is tied up in two properties in the same geographic area. A financial planner would want you to diversify, not double down by putting even more money into real estate.

And a fee-only financial planner is what you need to help you map out your future while easing the investment reins out of your husband’s hands. As we get older, we’re more vulnerable to fraud, exploitation and just plain bad choices. Your husband may have been scared straight for now, but he easily could make future decisions that could again imperil your finances. That’s especially true if his prior behavior was related to a gambling addiction. Not all problem gamblers choose casinos or horse tracks; some are day traders.

Given all that, you may want to consider purchasing a single premium immediate annuity when you retire. These annuities offer a guaranteed stream of income for life, in exchange for a lump sum. This would be income that can’t be lost to stock market downturns, real estate recessions, bad investments or fraud.

That’s something to discuss with your planner, along with ways you can use your businesses to maximize your retirement savings. (The self employed have many options, including a basic Simplified Employee Pension or SEP, solo 401(k) plans and traditional defined benefit pension plans.)

You can get referrals to fee-only planners at the National Assn. of Personal Financial Advisors, the XY Planning Network, the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners and the Garrett Planning Network.

Filed Under: Investing, Q&A, Retirement Tagged With: Investments, q&a, Retirement

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

August 29, 2019 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: How to bypass ATM fees while you’re on the road. Also in the news: Protecting your digital privacy after you die, 4 smart ways to split bills with friends while traveling abroad, and as the school year begins, beware of hackers.

How to Bypass ATM Fees While You’re on the Road
A little research could save you some bucks.

Who Gets Your Digital Assets: Heirs or Hackers?
Protecting your privacy after you die.

4 Smart Ways to Split Bills With Friends While Traveling Abroad
No need to make it awkward.

As the school year begins, beware of hackers
Hackers are especially targeting college students.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: ATM fees, digital assets, digital privacy, friends and money, hackers, splitting the bill, traveling

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

August 28, 2019 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: Save more money for your next vacation with this simple trick. Also in the news: How LexisNexis identity mix-ups could be scrambling your finances, how to review your LexisNexis report and fix errors, and all the ways your credit card use reveals personal info.

Save More Money for Your Next Vacation With This Simple Trick
You won’t even miss the money.

LexisNexis Identity Mix-Ups Could Be Scrambling Your Finances
Your Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange could contain errors.

Check Yourself: How to Review Your LexisNexis Report and Fix Errors
Getting your information straight.

All The Ways Your Credit Card Use Reveals Personal Info
Privacy is a myth.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: CLUE report, Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, Credit Cards, personal info, Savings, travel savings. LexisNexis, vacation

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

August 27, 2019 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: What to buy (and skip) in September. Also in the news: Why streaming services are the new credit card rewards binge, hard-won tips from borrowers who got student loan forgiveness, and why podcasts can actually push people to start saving for retirement.

What to Buy (and Skip) in September
September is the month of big sales.

Why Streaming Services Are the New Credit Card Rewards Binge
Millennial-friendly reward categories.

Hard-Won Tips From Borrowers Who Got Student Loan Forgiveness
You’ll need lots of patience.

Why podcasts can actually push people to start saving for retirement
Catch up on your retirement planning while driving to work.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: credit card rewards, millennials, podcasts, Retirement, September shopping, streaming services, student loan forgiveness, tips

Who gets your digital assets – heirs or hackers?

August 27, 2019 By Liz Weston

A bank or brokerage can’t just take your money when you die. If you don’t have a will or other estate plan, the laws of your state determine who gets the value in those accounts.

Your digital assets are a different story. Your online photos and videos, frequent flyer miles, cryptocurrency and other digitally stored files may well disappear without a trace if you don’t make a plan to pass them along.

In my latest for the Associated Press, steps you can take to secure and protect your digital information.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: digital assets, digital estate plan, wills

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