Get smart with your money
Some people are much better savers than spenders. That can become a problem. Certified financial planner DeDe Jones recalls clients, retired schoolteachers, who loved to travel but kept putting off the trip to China and Southeast Asia they’d always wanted to take. “The husband started having health issues, and they missed the opportunity,” says Jones, […]
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Today’s top story: How to avoid ‘Subscription Creep.’ Also in the news: cost-cutting travel tips to bring together faraway friends, 5 ways bad credit can you keep you from being a functional adult, and how to know when index funds aren’t a good deal. How to Stem ‘Subscription Creep’ Subscriptions are adding up. Cost-Cutting Travel […]
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Dear Liz: If someone owns an asset, such as a home or stocks, and passes away, the heirs can get a stepped-up cost basis. What if that same person also owned a second home, vacation property and rentals? Do those properties also get a stepped-up cost basis for the heirs? Answer: Typically, yes. A step-up […]
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Dear Liz: I’m wondering whether I should use part of my emergency fund to pay off student loans. I currently have $15,000 in an emergency fund to cover three to six months of my living expenses and owe $18,000 in federal student loans. I’ve been feeling the itch to pay off a chunk of my […]
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Today’s top story: How to give money advice that sticks. Also in the news: 3 steps to spring clean your credit card debt, how to research 401(k) funds on Morningstar, and using a loan to pay your tax bill. How to Give Money Advice That Sticks Focus on what you say and how you say […]
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Today’s top story: 5 tips for finding the best mortgage lenders. Also in the news: 8 warning signs you won’t finish college, the best financial advice at every age, and how to make your finances more flexible before the next recession. 5 Tips for Finding the Best Mortgage Lenders 8 warning signs you won’t finish […]
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Today’s top story: 3 steps to spring clean your credit card debt. Also in the news: Trading privacy for car insurance discounts, how to improve your 401(k), and 4 ways to get a low-interest credit card. 3 Steps to Spring-Clean Your Credit Card Debt Spring is finally here. Should You Give Up Privacy for Car […]
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Today’s top story: How to reclaim tax breaks you may have missed in recent years. Also in the news: Why college students take on loans they can’t repay, 6 surefire ways to delay your tax refund, and 7 red flags that could trigger an IRS audit. Reclaim Tax Breaks You May Have Missed in Recent […]
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Unsolicited money advice is like stale fruitcake: Most people wish the givers would just keep it to themselves. Still, those who are “good with money” often want to help friends and family who struggle. Many of us remember the timely money tip that made all the difference: when a co-worker suggested we contribute to the […]
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Today’s top story: The best financial advice at any age. Also in the news: What you can do about gender-based hikes for car insurance, trading privacy for car insurance discounts, and how to decide what to splurge on. The Best Financial Advice at Every Age The best financial moves to make by decade. What You […]
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