Many U.S. households retire without enough money to maintain their pre-retirement standard of living. Once retired, though, people often reduce their spending enough to make their money last, according to a recent study by David Blanchett, head of retirement research at Morningstar, and Warren Cormier, executive director of the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association’s Retirement […]
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Monday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: Making a plan to get your money resolution back on track. Also in the news: A new episode of the Smart Money podcast on redlining and auto loans, the 6 biggest life insurance myths about COVID, and how to know if there’s too much cash in your savings account. Make a Plan […]
Q&A: Social Security and spousal benefits
Dear Liz: My wife and I are both 66 and have not yet filed for Social Security. I don’t plan on filing until I am 70. Is my wife able to file for her own retirement benefit now, which is much lower than mine? And then when I file at 70 years, can she switch […]
Q&A: IRAs and tax considerations
Dear Liz: I’ve been researching the backdoor Roth IRA and I am finding some conflicting information regarding taxes owed on the conversions. I have two sizable rollover IRAs and one small ($1,600) traditional IRA. Can I make an after-tax contribution to the traditional IRA and convert that to a Roth and pay tax only on […]
Q&A: Seller financing and credit reporting
Dear Liz: I bought a home and the seller financed the sale. I have made all payments on time, but that’s not reflected on my reports at the three credit bureaus. What can I do to get my mortgage payments acknowledged on my credit reports? Answer: One of the advantages of seller financing — where […]
Here’s why emergency savings funds never go out of style
Dear Liz: I was a fortunate individual and able to save enough money to cover my expenses for at least six months in case I became unemployed. Now I am retired with a fair amount of guaranteed monthly income through my Social Security and pension benefits. Any suggestion on what to do with that savings […]