Q&A: Sorting out the ex’s benefits

Dear Liz: I am 68 and plan to delay starting Social Security until I’m 70. I was married for 15 years prior to an amicable divorce 15 years ago. My ex just turned 60 and remains unmarried but may possibly marry at some future time. Does she qualify for survivor benefits? If so, what can […]

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Thursday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: Is your wealth dripping away? Also in the news: How to navigate the Equifax data breach settlement, getting real about checking your finances, and looking for “relationship pricing” when you need a loan. Is Your Wealth Dripping Away? Draining your wallet, one drop at a time. How to Navigate the Equifax Data […]

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Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: Keeping Solo Agers happier and safer. Also in the news: A simple recipe for managing your credit score, how to choose between using your savings or getting a loan when hit with an unexpected expense, and how a few minutes on the phone could save you hundreds on auto insurance. Keeping ‘Solo […]

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Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: Will a summer job burn your financial aid for college? Also in the news: 4 cool-down summer escapes you can book with points, new tools that can help turn your retirement savings into a steady paycheck, and how how to find out if you’re eligible for a $20,000 payment from Equifax data […]

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Is your wealth dripping away?

As a spokesperson for the insurance industry, Loretta Worters often gives tips to homeowners on preventing water damage. Some of her knowledge comes from personal experience. Worters says she had owned a home in Bellmore, New York, for only a month when she noticed the clothes washer in the basement was taking an awfully long […]

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Monday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: What you might get from the Equifax data breach settlement. Also in the news: 5 logical credit moves that can lead to trouble, 8 money mistakes newlyweds make, and how to decide if you should get a cash-back credit card. What You Might Get From the Equifax Data Breach Settlement 150 million […]

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Q&A: This 529 college savings plan has a problem: no kids

Dear Liz: When I found out I could save for my future children by enrolling in a 529 college savings plan and not pay taxes on the growth, I started doing that three years ago. Since then I got married, and my wife decided to get an MBA. I have $41,000 saved away for my […]

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Q&A: Adding a child as a credit card user

Dear Liz: I’ve read that adding a child as an authorized user on your credit card could help build his or her credit history. But I was specifically told that this was not the case, as the child’s Social Security number was not primary. Answer: Whoever told you may not have understood how authorized user […]

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Q&A: Rules about a dead ex’s pension

Dear Liz: My ex-spouse passed away recently. She had a pension, and I got 25% of the monthly amount (we had a Qualified Domestic Relations Order to divide the pension). I am now the survivor, but I still get the same amount every month. Shouldn’t I be getting what she received? Answer: Pensions for survivors […]

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