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Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Smart ways to establish credit in 2020. Also in the news: 3 strategies to recover from holiday overshopping, the pros and cons of merging money when married, and how to downgrade your Chase card without losing your points.

Smart Ways to Establish Credit in 2020
Sorting through the options.

Overshopped in December? Try These 3 Strategies to Recover
Beating the holiday shopping hangover.

Does Marriage Have to Mean Merging Money?
A look at the pros and cons.

How to Downgrade Your Chase Credit Card Without Losing Your Points
A change in annual fee has customers thinking twice.

How to have a ‘no regrets’ retirement

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Most retirees regret not saving more. A 2018 study by Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies found 73% wish they’d put aside more money on a consistent basis, and half felt they waited too long to get serious about retirement saving.

But retirement is about more than the balance in your 401(k). Even people with sizable nest eggs can wish they handled certain aspects of retirement differently.

Hoping to learn from others’ mistakes, I asked advisers with the Financial Planning Association and the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners to share their clients’ biggest regrets about retirement. In my latest for the Associated Press, the common themes in their responses.

Monday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: 8 million student loan borrowers must do this in 2020. Also in the news: 5 ways to get credit-healthy in the New Year, how to take charge of your credit this year, and where to file state and federal taxes for free.

8 Million Student Loan Borrowers Must Do This in 2020
Time to renew your income-driven repayment plan.

5 Ways to Get Credit-Healthy in the New Year
No better time to get started.

How to Take Charge of Your Credit This Year
How to make your credit shine.

Where to File State and Federal Taxes for Free
Filling begins January 27th.

Friday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: How to take charge of your credit this year. Also in the news: Several Chase cards will earn more rewards of Lyft rides, 6 inspired ideas for traveling smarter this year, and how much you need to save every month to earn $50K a year in interest for retirement.

How to Take Charge of Your Credit This Year
Take a crash course in credit.

Several Chase Cards Will Earn More Rewards on Lyft Rides
A boost for rideshare customers.

6 inspired ideas for traveling smarter this year
Rethinking old travel habits.

How much you need to save every month to earn $50,000 a year in interest alone for retirement
Crunching the numbers.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Here’s what bad financial advice can cost you. Also in the news: VA home loan limits disappear, fees rise, FAFSA and the military draft, and key questions to ask before buying that annuity.

Here’s What Bad Financial Advice Costs You
Don’t make someone else rich at your expense.

VA Home Loan Limits Disappear, Fees Rise
Changes to the program.

Will the FAFSA Get Me Drafted Into the Military?
Separating truth from fiction.

These are the key questions to ask before buying that annuity
What you need to know before signing on the dotted line.