Dear Liz: You recently answered a question from a couple who wanted to move into their rental property, make it their primary residence and use the $500,000 home sale exclusion if they sold the property after living there for two years. You should have made it clearer that not all of the gains on the property would qualify […]
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This week’s money news
This week’s top story: How to get cheap car insurance. In other news: 5 things to ponder before you pack, August mortgage rates could continue long decline, and Americans spending less time, more money on shopping. How to Get Cheap Car Insurance Insurance rates may be going up, but considering some simple steps could help you […]
Q&A: I need new wheels. What’s the best way to pay for them?
Dear Liz: Is it better to buy a car with saved money or finance the $25,000 needed? In my case I will have to sell stocks. Maybe this is a good time to do that since things look like they are taking a turn in the stock market. Answer: Borrowing money can make sense when the asset […]
Q&A: Shake, rattle and … roll the dice without earthquake insurance?
Dear Liz: I live in Southern California and my homeowners insurance renews at the end of August. Should I consider buying earthquake insurance? Answer: Insurance is meant to protect against catastrophic losses that we couldn’t easily pay out of pocket. If you don’t have much equity in your home, or you’re willing to walk away from the […]
Q&A: Is one credit card better than two?
Dear Liz: I have a long-standing credit card with a national bank. As I travel a lot, I just opened a travel rewards card with the same issuer. I would prefer to keep the new card and close the old one, rather than keep two cards active with the same issuer. I understand from reading your […]
Q&A: Speaking of credit cards, what if a spouse has a balance when they die?
Dear Liz: When a spouse dies, is the surviving spouse responsible for outstanding credit card debt from a card issued only in the deceased’s name? Answer: In community property states — including Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin — debts incurred during marriage are usually considered owed by both spouses, even if […]