Get smart with your money
This week’s top story: Smart Money podcast on In other news: 5 ways to save money on holiday shopping this season, 6 ways to boost your credit card rewards this holiday season, and why booking travel on your phone is a bad idea. 5 Ways to Save Money on Holiday Shopping This Season Consumers face a […]
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Dear Liz: Here’s another option for the person whose tax return got amended and who was still waiting for a refund. Contact your member of Congress or U.S. senator. They have constituent service staff who might be able to prod the IRS. This worked for our family when we learned my late father was owed two […]
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Dear Liz: The hospital where I work was bought out by another hospital last summer. I was in a flexible savings account at that time with my workplace. I had to enroll in a second FSA through the new medical facility. Trying to keep these two separate FSA accounts was not easy. I thought by March […]
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Dear Liz: I use a credit card for most of my shopping and pay the balance in full every month. The card was opened years ago as a business card, but the business has since been closed. My credit scores are high but my card isn’t listed on my credit reports. I believe that is because […]
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If you’re planning a trip to Europe next year or two, consider adding some lesser known destinations to your itinerary. As I wrote in my recent column, “6 New Rules For Smarter European Travel,” increasing crowds and prices in Europe’s capitals mean that you could get a better experience in a country by visiting one […]
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This holiday shopping season is shaping up to be longer, pricier and in some ways more chaotic than in previous years, which makes it easy to overspend. But there are also opportunities for significant savings if you know where and how to search for them. “There are supply chain issues, inflation, major retailers reducing inventory […]
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This week’s top story: Smart Money podcast on when your bank stiffs you, and co-signing risks. In other news: Job growth despite slight rise in unemployment, a high cost to stop inflation, and when the Fed hikes interest rates, who gets hurt. Smart Money Podcast: When Your Bank Stiffs You, and Co-Signing Risks This week’s episode […]
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Dear Liz: My mother has two credit cards that have had no activity for a year and a half due to being in an assisted living facility. She is living with dementia and no longer able to make any decisions (personal or financial) on her own. Should I or am I even able to cancel these […]
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Dear Liz: We recently sold a house and have taxes to pay on the proceeds. I’m wondering if we can take some of the proceeds and put them into 401(k) accounts, and pay taxes on them later? Answer: You can’t do this directly, since 401(k) contributions are made through payroll deductions. If you haven’t already maxed out […]
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Dear Liz: My CPA left off some income when electronically filing my return at the end of March. The CPA filed a corrected return a few days later. I’m owed $10,895 and still haven’t received my refund. What happened to the 21-day refund period for e-filing? I can’t get through to the IRS on the phone. […]
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