Get smart with your money
Today’s top story: Managing your 401(k) in uncertain times. Also in the news: How the Alternative Minimum Tax works, how owning or selling a home affects your taxes, and the 10 biggest tax havens on earth. How To Manage Your 401(k) in Uncertain Times Protecting your retirement. How Does the Alternative Minimum Tax Work? What […]
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Cash can help you survive an emergency, but saving as much as financial planners typically recommend — three to six months’ worth of expenses — can take years. You can build an edible emergency fund a lot quicker. A well-stocked pantry can help you survive a natural disaster or extended blackout, get through a stretch […]
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Today’s top story: 5 essential investing moves for Millennials. Also in the news: Why your tax refund is ideal for paying credit card debt, how to make sure retirement isn’t a drag, and why you need to do your homework before meeting with a financial advisor. 5 Essential Investing Moves for Millennials Planning for the […]
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Dear Liz: If you have never written about the new reverse mortgages, please consider it. I’m nearly 90 and this Home Equity Conversion Mortgage sounds too good to be true. Is it? I’ve talked to a broker and a direct lender and attended a two-hour seminar on the subject. Answer: Reverse mortgages once deserved their […]
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Dear Liz: I’m wondering why, in your answer about whether to use a will or a living trust, you didn’t mention that probate can be avoided by using beneficiaries for assets such as mutual funds and brokerage accounts and now, in many states, homes. This seems quite relevant to the question and the gist of […]
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Dear Liz: Here’s another advantage to a living trust. If the person owns real estate in more than one jurisdiction and just uses a will, there will be a probate in the resident jurisdiction and ancillary probates the other location or locations, with the attendant time, costs and delays — all of which could be […]
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Today’s top story: Know your rights if the IRS breaks the rules. Also in the news: How to avoid an early withdrawal penalty on a CD, could Amazon Go change the way we shop, and how much community college students save by state. Know Your Rights if the IRS Breaks the Rules You can fight […]
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Today’s top story: 5 ways to boost your chances of a mortgage preapproval. Also in the news: How to get free tax help from a human being, introducing Mom and Dad to mobile banking, and the most expensive mistakes we made for love. 5 Ways to Boost Your Chances of a Mortgage Preapproval Increasing your […]
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Today’s top story: The student loan tip that saves you money year after year. Also in the news: Overlooked small business tax deductions, when you need a cashier’s check and how to get one, and why Americans are drastically under-saved for retirement. This Student Loan Tip Saves You Money Year After Year It’s all about […]
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The American working class lost a shocking amount of wealth in recent decades as wages stagnated. Despite campaign promises, making up that lost ground will be no easy feat. Creating more well-paying jobs would help, but that could take years. Tax cuts could mean bigger paychecks for higher earners but won’t immediately help the many […]
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