Today’s top story: Money advice for new graduates – and some old-school wisdom. Also in the news: Should you fix or break up with your car, types of stocks to look at if you’re getting back into the market, and how to determine if you need life insurance in retirement. Money Advice for New Grads […]
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Tuesday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: What is synthetic identity theft? Also in the news: The top 5 places to invest in for new grads, why more credit cards are helping you speed through airport security, and what you don’t know about foreign transaction fees. What Is Synthetic Identity Theft? Imaginary applicants with very real data. New Grads: […]
How to build your ‘Oh, crap!’ fund
The emergency fund is a bust. Millions of Americans don’t have one, and some of those who do resist tapping what they’ve saved. I’d like to propose an alternative for both sets of people: The “oh, crap!” fund, a savings account for not-quite-emergency expenses. One of the reasons people don’t have emergency funds is misplaced […]
Q&A: If you’re putting money in a 401(k) and an IRA at the same time, be ready for the taxes
Dear Liz: I recently returned to a regular 9-to-5 job after freelancing for several years. I contributed the maximum amount to an IRA while self-employed and continued to do so after starting my new job. I was surprised to learn when doing my taxes this year that I could not deduct my IRA contributions because […]
Q&A: The idea here is not to cheat public servants
Dear Liz: Thanks for your column about Social Security claiming strategies. Here’s a further complication you didn’t address. If the surviving spouse is a teacher in many states, access to survivor’s Social Security benefits is further restricted (if not entirely blocked) by a misogynistic, anti-teacher ruling dubbed the windfall elimination provision, which perhaps was a […]
Friday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: If you sold fearing a market crash, here’s what to do now. Also in the news: Why you should look under the hood of your target-date fund, a home buyer’s guide to motivated sellers, and is Amazon Prime worth its new price? If You Sold Fearing a Market Crash, Here’s What to […]