Ask Liz Weston

Get smart with your money

Liz Weston

Friday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Don’t believe the hype about Millennials and money. Also in the news: 3 low-stress ways to invest for retirement, 4 quick financial wins in under an hour, and 10 unexpected debt traps – and how to avoid them.

Don’t Believe the Hype About Millennials and Money
Forget the avocado toast cliche.

3 Low-Stress Ways to Invest for Retirement
It doesn’t have to be stressful.

Got an Hour? Chalk Up 4 Quick Financial Wins
60 minutes well spent.

10 Unexpected Debt Traps – and How to Avoid Them
Don’t get caught in these traps.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: How women who retire with their husbands ofter lose out. Also in the news: Why the cashless trend doesn’t have all shoppers sold, what rising DTI limits mean for your next mortgage, and how to protect your frequent flyer miles from hackers.

How Women Who Retire With Their Husbands Often Lose Out
Losing years of income.

Why the Cashless Trend Doesn’t Have All Shoppers Sold
Cash still matters.

What Rising DTI Limits Mean for Your Next Mortgage
Your debt-to-income ratio is key to mortgage approval.

Protect Your Frequent Flyer Miles from Hackers
Miles have become a hot commodity.

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Text a retailer and you could get back money and time. Also in the news: Shoppers cash in on the Golden Age of branded credit cards, how to spend money guilt-free even if you owe student loans, and the do’s and don’ts of using store credit cards for holiday shopping.

Text a Retailer and You Could Get Back Money and Time
No more waiting on hold.

In ‘Golden Age’ of Branded Credit Cards, Shoppers Cash In
Rewards and incentives are everywhere.

Spend Money Guilt-Free — Even With Student Loans
Don’t ignore your own needs.

Do’s and Don’ts of Using Store Credit Cards for Holiday Shopping
The holiday shopping season is right around the corner.

How women who retire with their husbands often lose out

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Women who retire when their husbands do may be giving up more wealth than they realize.

Married women overall are still in their peak earning years in their 50s and early 60s, while married men’s earnings are on the decline, says economist Nicole Maestas, an associate professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School and the author of a recent study about couples’ income and retirement patterns.

As a result, married women typically sacrifice more Social Security wealth than married men when they retire early, says Maestas, who analyzed the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Survey of more than 20,000 people 50 and older.

In my latest for the Associated Press, why women should consider staying employed longer than their husbands.

Monday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: What really matters with your first credit card. Also in the news: Having more than one life insurance policy, getting a safe mortgage using these post-crisis tips, and questions to ask yourself to live a better financial life.

What Really Matters With Your First Credit Card
The new foundation of your credit history.

Can You Have More Than One Life Insurance Policy?
The short answer is yes.

Get a Safer Mortgage Using These Post-Crisis Tips
Lessons learned from 2008.

Questions to Ask Yourself to Live a Better Financial Life
31 questions that need answers.

Q&A: Rebalancing your portfolio can trigger tax bills

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Dear Liz: Is there a tax aspect to rebalancing your portfolio? You’ve mentioned the importance of rebalancing regularly to reduce risk.

Answer: Rebalancing is basically the process of adjusting your portfolio back to a target asset allocation, or mix of stocks, bonds and cash. When stocks have been climbing, you can wind up with too high an exposure to the stock market, which means any downturn can hurt you disproportionately.

There definitely can be tax consequences to rebalancing, depending on whether the money is invested in retirement plans.

Rebalancing inside an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-deferred account won’t trigger a tax bill. Rebalancing in a regular account could. Investments held longer than a year may qualify for lower capital gains tax rates, but those held less than a year are typically taxed at regular income tax rates when they’re sold.

Tax experts often recommend selling some losers to offset winners’ gains, and “robo advisor” services that invest according to computer algorithms may offer automated “tax loss harvesting” to reduce tax bills.