Dear Liz: I have a high-deductible insurance plan from my employer and I contribute to a Health Savings Account. I understand people on Medicare can’t contribute to an HSA. If I’m still working at full retirement age, can I start my Social Security benefit but avoid enrolling in Medicare? Answer: No. Once you start Social Security, […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: In a divorce, are Social Security benefits on the table?
Dear Liz: Twenty years ago, after 14 years of marriage, a friend divorced her husband. She says that as part of her divorce settlement, she signed a document agreeing not to collect divorced spousal benefits from Social Security. Is that even legal? She’s in her 60s and fears she can never retire because her own Social […]
Q&A: Trust in the flexibility of living trusts
Dear Liz: Is naming a beneficiary for a nonretirement, “payable on death” account as effective as putting the account in a living trust? It seems easier than doing all the paperwork each time I open an account, but is it a good idea? Answer: Both living trusts and payable on death accounts avoid probate, the court process […]
This week’s money news
This week’s top story: Harris v. Trump on student loans. In other news: What the Fed’s rate cutting plans mean for the housing market, what small-business owners need to know about digital security, and how to watch football without cable. Harris v. Trump on Student Loans: Where the Candidates Stand As president, Harris would likely champion […]
Q&A: More about health savings accounts and the ‘deathbed drawdown’
Dear Liz: I just read your column on HSA accounts. I was with you right up until “deathbed drawdown.” I sincerely hope that I am not thinking about my HSA when I am nearing death. I’d just rather pay the tax. Answer: That’s certainly your prerogative, but financial planners note that good record keeping can allow those with […]
Q&A: Spreading the wealth in health savings accounts
Dear Liz: I have a family health savings account with a qualifying high-deductible health insurance plan. The HSA will become my individual account when my youngest turns 26 and no longer qualifies for our insurance plan. My husband can’t contribute to an HSA because he’s on Medicare. I have read that if I die before him, […]