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Liz Weston

Monday’s need-to-know money news

May 13, 2019 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: 8 ways to keep your travel credit cards working for you. Also in the news: Baby steps can get your credit life rolling, how one-way flights could be just the ticket when booking with miles, and 6 things to know about student loans before you start school.

8 Ways to Keep Your Travel Credit Card Working for You

Baby Steps Can Get Your Credit Life Rolling

Booking With Miles? One-Way Flights Could Be Just the Ticket

6 Things to Know About Student Loans Before You Start School

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: credit life, reward miles, Student Loans, tips, travel credit cards

Q&A: Inflation and Social Security

May 13, 2019 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: Every time someone asks a question about when to start taking Social Security, all you financial advisers make your calculations based on the 7% to 8% annual increase you get by delaying between ages 62 and 70. What you never mention is that once you start getting Social Security, you also start getting the cost of living annual adjustments. I started at 63 and my monthly check has already gone up 5% and it’s compounded. In this era of higher inflation, that pushes out the break-even point into an age in the late eighties. You need to add that into your advice.

Answer: Surveys have shown that most people are happy with their decision to start Social Security, even when they started it early. Perhaps they don’t know what they’re missing.

The researchers who have studied Social Security claiming strategies have factored inflation into the mix, as well as longevity, investment returns and taxes (there’s something known as the “tax torpedo,” which can jack up marginal tax rates for middle-income Social Security recipients). The assumptions can differ, but the results don’t: The majority of people benefit from delaying. In today’s low-interest-rate environment, many researchers say the vast majority are better off.

Another factor the researchers consider — and that many early starters don’t — is what happens to the surviving spouse. When one member of a married couple dies, one of their two Social Security checks goes away and the survivor has to get by on a single check, which will be the larger of the two. That’s why it’s so important that the higher earner in a couple try to delay as long as possible, because it will boost the check for the person left behind.

That doesn’t mean single people should start early, however. Single people tend to have less savings and wealth than married people; they’re more likely to be poor than married couples, and single women have a higher poverty rate than single men. If you wind up getting most if not all your income from Social Security, you’ll want that check to be as large as possible.

As for your phrase, “this era of higher inflation” — yes, the 2.8% cost-of-living boost was higher than the 2% increase of the prior year. The year before that, the inflation adjustment was close to zero, and it was actually zero in 2010, 2011 and 2016. Annual adjustments over the last 20 years have averaged just a little over 2%. That’s not a lot to get excited about.

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

Selling mom’s house may require an appraisal first

May 13, 2019 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: My mother recently passed away. The title to her home was held in the family trust. My siblings and I are in the process of clearing out the house in preparation for a sale. Do we need to obtain a “step-up” basis appraisal before the sale to use in determining capital gain on the home? We do not know the original price paid for the home in the late 1960s. Alternatively, could we use an appraisal made in November 2016 as a basis and apply the one-time $250,000 capital gain exclusion?

Answer: You definitely need to establish a property’s value for income tax purposes soon after the owner’s death. If you sell within a year, you could use the fair market value as the home’s new basis, said estate planning attorney Burton Mitchell.

“There is no law about this one-year period,” Mitchell said. “It is just what is often used by both IRS and practitioners.”

You may want more certainty or think the sale may not happen within a year. Estate planning attorney Jennifer Sawday of Long Beach recommends you immediately reach out to a real estate agent to get a broker opinion value letter or hire a certified real estate appraiser to determine the exact value of the home at the date of your mother’s death.

“If you are able to sell the home close to or not much higher than the date of death valuation, the trust will not have any capital gains,” she said. “Plus real estate expenses and other trust administration fees will be computed against the home selling price to minimize any capital gains as well.”

A tax pro can help you figure this all out. The costs of hiring tax and legal help can be charged to the estate.

All the gain in value from the past five decades won’t be taxed. In some parts of the country where home prices are high, such as California, that step-up in basis is far more valuable than the $250,000 home sale exclusion, which you wouldn’t be able to use anyway unless you lived in and owned the home for at least two of the previous five years.

Filed Under: Q&A, Real Estate, Taxes Tagged With: appraisal, q&a, real estate, Taxes

Friday’s need-to-know money news

May 10, 2019 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: 8 ways to keep your travel credit card working for you. Also in the news: How being neighborly can save you money, why new federal student loans are getting cheaper, and to save more for retirement, add this to your budget.

8 Ways to Keep Your Travel Credit Card Working for You
Making sure your card is pulling its weight.

How Being Neighborly Can Save You Money
Borrowing tools and beyond.

New Federal Student Loans Are Getting Cheaper
Interest rates are dropping.

To Save More for Retirement, Add This to Your Budget
Making savings a line item.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: federal student loans, interest rates, neighbors, Retirement, retirement savings, travel credit cards

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

May 9, 2019 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: Is better credit worth exposing your banking data? Also in the news: The average 401(k) balance by age, 8 common and costly homebuying myths, and why debt collectors may soon be able to text you.

Is Better Credit Worth Exposing Your Bank Data?
Other ways to build credit.

The average 401(k) balance by age
Balances typically increase as you age.

8 Common and Costly Homebuying Myths
Don’t get trapped.

Why Debt Collectors May Soon Be Able to Text You
And email you.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: 401(k), banking data, credit boost, Credit Score, debt collectors, homebuying myths, real estate, retirement savings

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

May 8, 2019 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: When can I retire? Also in the news: How to get your own royal family photos at commoner prices, how to make the most of your HSA, and how living in one of these cities means you could pay your student debt off sooner.

When Can I Retire?
How to determine the right time.

Get Your Own ‘Royal’ Family Photos at Commoner Prices
You don’t need a castle.

How to make the most of your HSA — for now, and the future
Protecting your health costs.

Living in one of these cities means you could pay your student debt off quicker, study says
Cost of living can make a big difference.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: family photos, health savings account, HSA, Retirement, royal family, student debt, Student Loans

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