Ask Liz Weston

Get smart with your money

Liz Weston

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

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currencyToday’s top story: Why you’ll always need cash. Also in the news: Must-know tips for selling your home, nontraditional ways to fund your retirement, and why people with low checking account balances pay high fees.

Why You’ll Always Need Cash
We’re not going all-digital just yet.

5 Must-Know Tips for Selling Your Home
How to get your asking price.

10 Nontraditional Ways to Fund Your Retirement
Thinking outside the box.

People with low checking account balances pay over $500 a year in fees
Overdraft fees can pile up quickly.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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Student-LoansToday’s top story: Avoiding a costly student loan mistake. Also in the news: How a marijuana DUI could raise your insurance rates, why the new “good” payday loans are still awful, and how to resell a canceled event or trip.

Don’t Make This Student Loan Mistake
It could be quite costly.

A Few Hundred Good Reasons to Avoid a Marijuana DUI
You could see a big insurance hike.

‘Good’ Payday Loans Still Very, Very Expensive
Don’t fall the “kinder and gentler” approach.

How to Resell a Canceled Event or Trip
Your money may not be a lost cause.

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

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imagesToday’s top story: Simple ways to teach your kids about money. Also in the news: Investing tips for those in their 20s, the best things about buying a house in the fall, and why you should look at frugality as a method instead of a lifestyle.

Simple Ways to Teach Your Children About Money
It’s never too early to start.

5 Investing Tips for Your 20s
Taking the longview.

The 7 Best Things About Buying a House in the Fall
Timely tax deductions.

Think of frugality as a method, not a lifestyle, to avoid wasting your time
It’s not just about saving money.

How the Wrong Choice Could Ruin Your Spouse’s Retirement

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1403399192000-retire-workThree key decisions about retirement benefits can help couples make their money last — or dramatically increase the chances the survivor will end up old and broke.

Widowed women are twice as likely as their male counterparts to live in poverty during retirement, according to a March study by the National Institute on Retirement Security. But anyone who outlives a mate can be vulnerable to a big drop in income and lifestyle because of shortsighted decisions about claiming benefits.

In my latest for the Associated Press, how to make the right choices for your retirement.

Monday’s need-to-know money news

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homebuyerToday’s top story: How to get the most for your old phone. Also in the news: Why starter homes are becoming a thing of the past, five surprising things that could leave you poor, and how to invest your way to a million dollars.

How to Sell Your Old Phone
Because a newer version is always right around the corner.

Why ‘Starter Homes’ Aren’t What They Used to Be
Starter homes are becoming a relic of the past.

5 Surprising Things That Could Leave You Poor
Start with the company you keep.

How to Invest Your Way to $1 Million
The tiny things add up quickly.

Q&A: Factors to consider for refinancing into a 15-year mortgage

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Dear Liz: I am considering refinancing my home from a 30-year mortgage to a 15-year loan and wondered if it would be a wise decision. I am 57, divorced and make a little over $100,000 a year as a high school teacher (and I plan to keep working until at least age 65). Other than a car loan, I have no debts and an excellent credit rating. I will receive a pretty decent teacher’s pension and I have about $150,000 in mutual funds in retirement accounts. I can afford the larger payment on a shorter loan. Do you think this would be a good move for me?

Answer: For most people, a 30-year mortgage is a good option. People can always make extra principal payments to pay down the loan faster, but the lower monthly payment is easier to handle if they face financial setbacks such as a job loss.

Your employment situation seems pretty stable, though, and you’re in good shape with a pension plus savings. If you can swing the payments, you’d be building equity much faster and while paying less interest. You’ll still have home debt into your 70s, which isn’t ideal, but it’s certainly better than having a mortgage in your 80s.