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Liz Weston

Monday’s need-to-know money news

January 29, 2018 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: Before doing your taxes, gather these documents. Also in the news: 3 things to do when buying a house as an unmarried couple, how credit cards can help you save on buses and trains, and 4 money lessons every teenager needs to know.

Before Doing Your Taxes, Gather These Documents
Putting your paperwork together.

Buying a Home as an Unmarried Couple? Do These 3 Things
Buyer beware.

Credit Cards Can Help You Save on Buses and Trains, Too
Discounts everywhere.

4 money lessons every teenager needs to know
The sooner the better.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: Credit Cards, documents. real estate, money lessons, Savings, Taxes, teens and money, transportation, unmarried couples

Q&A: How to get a higher credit limit after the card company turns you down

January 29, 2018 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: I asked for a credit limit increase on my Visa card from $5,000 to $20,000. I was turned down because of not enough income. I was very disappointed and wonder what if anything I can do to reverse the situation.

I am a 77-year-old retired widow who owns my home with no mortgage. My annual income is around $50,000 from Social Security and my required minimum distributions from IRAs. I have no debt. My investments and savings obviously don’t count. I was about to charge $12,000 in airline tickets and wanted to take advantage of the cash back on the credit card. I always pay my credit card bill in full every month. I feel discriminated against.

Answer: Imagine you’re a lender and one of your customers suddenly demands that you quadruple the amount you’ve agreed to lend her, with the resulting credit line equal to 40% of her income. That might give you pause.

Or perhaps not. Credit card issuers have different policies about when to grant or deny credit, and those policies can change over time as they try to manage the risks of their lending portfolios. Also, issuers may be less generous to their longtime customers than they are to the new customers they’re trying to attract.

Understanding all that can help you formulate a game plan to get what you want. One option is to call the issuer, explain your situation and ask for a temporary credit line increase so you can book those tickets.

Another (and certainly more lucrative) option would be to apply for a new credit card with a fat sign-up bonus from a different issuer. Several cash-back cards offer rewards of $150 to $200 once you spend a certain amount within the first few months, and you would meet that requirement easily with your ticket purchases.

If you’re willing to consider something other than a cash-back card, you can check out travel rewards cards that offer points or miles. Several have bonuses that can translate into $400 or more of free travel.

Applying for a new card might temporarily drop your credit scores a few points, but that shouldn’t be a concern if you’re not planning to apply for a major loan in the next few months.

Filed Under: Credit Cards, Q&A Tagged With: Credit, Credit Cards, credit limit, Credit Score, q&a

Q&A: Don’t rush when setting up your living trust

January 29, 2018 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: Your column recently answered a question about whether a living trust was the right move, and I thought you mentioned a free online form or worksheet that one could download and fill out. Where can I find that?

Answer: Many sites offering free software or forms are actually subscription services. You typically use a credit card to sign up and are charged a monthly fee after the free trial period ends. If you can wrap up your estate planning in short order and cancel before the fee kicks in, your trust may be free — but given what’s at stake, it’s not a good idea to rush.

After all, if you make a mistake with your estate planning that’s revealed after your death, you can’t come back and fix it. That means your desire to save a few bucks could cost your heirs dearly.

At a minimum, you should consider consulting with an attorney to ensure you’re not making obvious errors. Some of the do-it-yourself sites, including LegalZoom and RocketLawyer, offer the option to consult with a lawyer. RocketLawyer, a $40-a-month subscription service, has a seven-day free trial. LegalZoom sells a $269 living trust package that includes a 30-day free trial of its subscription advice service. After the free trial, the subscription costs $15 a month. Legal self-help site Nolo has an online living trust form for $60 that doesn’t include advice, but you can use Nolo’s attorney directory to find an expert you can hire for a review.

If your situation is at all complicated — blended families, special needs children, contentious heirs, family businesses, foreign assets and large estates all count — then it’s best to seek out an experienced estate planning attorney to draft your paperwork.

Filed Under: Estate planning, Q&A Tagged With: Estate Planning, living trust, q&a

Friday’s need-to-know money news

January 26, 2018 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: Why free life insurance at work might not be enough. Also in the news: 5 personal finance books to read this year, picking a career you’ll actually like, and why your debt to income ration matters.

Why Free Life Insurance at Work Might Not Be Enough
Making sure you’re fully covered.

5 Personal Finance Books to Read This Year
Help from the experts.

Ask Brianna: How Do I Pick a Career I’ll Actually Like?
One of life’s biggest decisions.

Why Your Debt to Income Ratio Matters, and How to Find It
Measuring your financial health.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: career advice, Credit, Credit Score, debt-to-income ratio, life insurance, personal finance books

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

January 25, 2018 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: 3 ways debt settlement may not be the fix you expect. Also in the news: NFL great Eric Dickerson shares money and life lessons, where to find low-cost checking and the reason why most people get rejected for a personal loan.

3 Ways Debt Settlement May Not Be the Fix You Expect
What debt settlement companies won’t tell you.

NFL Great Eric Dickerson Shares Money and Life Lessons
Tips from the Hall of Famer.

Consumers Can Find Low-Cost Checking, Despite Bank of America Move
Alternatives to BoA.

The reason why most people get rejected for a personal loan
Know the score.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: bank of america, Credit Score, debt, debt settlement, Eric Dickerson, life lessons, low-cost checking, NFL, Personal Loans

Should we pay people to save?

January 24, 2018 By Liz Weston

Long ago, people were rewarded for saving. Banks contributed something known as “interest” to the amounts deposited in savings accounts.

OK, technically they still do, but you’d be forgiven for not noticing the tiny amounts added in a low-rate environment. The current average interest rate on savings accounts is 0.06 percent.

Anemic rates may not be a major reason why Americans don’t save enough, but there’s some evidence that better rewards could induce more people to save. Two approaches that seem to work: matching funds and prize-linked accounts.

In my latest for the Associated Press, could rewarding people for saving get them to save more?

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: banking, incentives, rewards, Savings

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