Americans on average spend more on health care than they do on groceries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Consumer Expenditure Survey. Saving money on medical care is a lot tougher than saving money on food, however. Two big culprits: opaque pricing and ever-changing insurance company rules about what’s covered and what’s not. […]
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Monday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: How today’s low taxes can nurture your nest egg. Also in the news: 4 questions to ask before you DIY, how a single mom masterminded a $700K swing from debt to savings, and how the new UltraFICO credit score will work. How Today’s Low Taxes Can Nurture Your Nest Egg New tax […]
Q&A: Small firms have special Medicare Part B rules
Dear Liz: You recently answered a question about whether someone 65 or older with employer-provided health insurance needs to sign up for Medicare Part B, which covers doctors’ visits and requires paying premiums. Your answer was correct for an employee of a large employer. If the employer has 20 or more employees on a typical […]
Q&A: A surviving spouse gets a pension surprise
Dear Liz: I have a question about my late husband’s pension. He was with a company for 25 years and retired early with a defined benefit pension of about $3,700 per month. When he died four years ago, the pension stopped. The company said it was a “single life” pension, but when I tried to […]
Q&A: The payments aren’t late, but the debt collectors are calling. What does it mean?
Dear Liz: In the last few months, I have received collection calls and emails for payment, sometimes before I even got the invoice and in every case before payment was due. For example, on Sept. 25 I was emailed for the second time for payment on an invoice with an Oct. 17 due date. Some […]
Friday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: 3 ways to pay for Airbnb with credit card rewards. Also in the news: A cheapskate’s guide to shopping for credit cards, Black Friday price matching, and how much you’ll actually take home if you win the billion dollar Mega Millions jackpot. 3 Ways to Pay for Airbnb With Credit Card Rewards […]