Dear Liz: I just read your column about cardholders being fearful of canceling a card. Here’s my story. I made an online purchase with a credit card I’ve had since 1981. The purchase turned out to be a scam. I spent hours trying to resolve this. When I finally got a human, she was extremely hard […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: IRS tax payment problem can be frustrating to fix
Dear Liz: In a recent column, you advised people to pay IRS tax bills online. Have you done this yourself? The wording of the choices to click on can be confusing. I tried to help my son pay online last year. We evidently chose the wrong type of tax and it went to “la la land.” […]
Q&A: How “deeming” works for Social Security spousal benefits
Dear Liz: I will be turning 64 next year and my wife will be turning 62. I plan to wait as long as I can to file for my Social Security, hopefully till 70. My benefit at full retirement age (age 67) is around $3,400 monthly and my wife’s is about $1,100. Half of my benefit […]
Q&A: How should I receive Social Security survivor benefits?
Dear Liz: I am 68 and still working. I plan to wait until age 70 to maximize my benefit before taking Social Security. My spouse (born in 1956) passed away in 2018 after just beginning to draw her Social Security benefits at age 62. Even though I was the higher earner, I believe that I can […]
Q&A: Spreadsheets won’t tell you the truth about claiming Social Security
Dear Liz: The standard advice is to delay taking Social Security as long as you can. But if I plug my expected benefits into an Excel spreadsheet, I find that my total benefit if I retire at 67 doesn’t pass my total benefits if I retire at 62 until I turn 77. Retiring at 70 seems […]
Q&A: Can I simplify my finances without hurting my credit score?
Dear Liz: I’m 75 and getting forgetful and disorganized. My prior excellent credit rating has suffered due to late payments because of this. I’d like to simplify my finances by getting rid of extra credit cards, but this will negatively affect my rating even more. Why isn’t there some means for elders to simplify their finances […]