Today’s top story: How COVID-19 payment accommodations may affect your credit. Also in the news: Mortgage “relief” and “refinance” searches spike during outbreak, why retailers host sales during the outbreak, and how to get Coronavirus relief payments for kids if you don’t files taxes. How COVID-19 Payment Accommodations May Affect Your Credit How the CARES […]
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Tuesday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: Cashing out 401(k) due to COVID-19? Consider these things first. Also in the news: How one man paid off almost $37,000 of debt, what you need to know about COVID-19 and life insurance, and removing late payments from your credit report with a goodwill letter. Cashing Out a 401(k) Due to COVID-19? […]
What to do when you can’t pay your bills
The economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic could be profound. Many people are already losing jobs, with unemployment jumping at a record pace. Even those who stay employed may face reduced hours or uncertainty about how long their paychecks will continue. If you’re in a situation where you can’t pay all your bills, or likely […]
Monday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: 7 kinds of COVID-19 relief for college students. Also in the news: Why rich students get more financial aid than poor ones, a new episode of the SmartMoney podcast on Student Loans and the stimulus package, and what it means to be furloughed. 7 Kinds of COVID-19 Relief for College Students From […]
Q&A: Volatile markets and retirement
Dear Liz: With the tumult in the stock market, I’ve been thinking of a strategy which may be safe but not prudent. I have about $315,000 in a trust account which pays me about $9,000 a year in dividends. I’m 81. If I sell all the stocks in my trust account, I could draw the […]
Q&A: Giving away your relief funds
Dear Liz: My wife and I are retired. We are comfortable financially, with a generous pension, maximum Social Security benefits due to start in a few months, and three years’ worth of ready cash in the bank. We don’t anticipate touching our investments until mandatory distributions from our IRAs kick in. Now we’re apparently going […]