Today’s top story: Life insurance questions you’re too embarrassed to ask. Also in the news: what to do with an IRA when you leave a job, when a debt collector calls to collect money you don’t owe, and the profitable business of lending to subprime borrowers. 5 Life Insurance Questions You’re Too Embarrassed to Ask […]
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Monday’s need-to- know money news
Today’s top story: What happens to your mortgage when you die? Also in the news: 3 things more important than a bank’s savings rate, 5 times when you shouldn’t use a credit card, and how to curb your impulse spending. What Happens to Your Mortgage When You Die? Who will continue the payments? 3 Things […]
Secrets of next-door millionaires
The way most Americans build wealth is no secret: Save, invest, repeat. How average people keep their wealth, though, gets a lot less attention. It boils down to how they handle risk. It’s hard to accumulate wealth without taking some risks, but there are perils that “next-door millionaires” seem to avoid. Next-door millionaires weren’t born […]
Q&A: Getting a new mortgage after a foreclosure
Dear Liz: Is it true that we can’t refinance our home until seven years after a foreclosure? We lost a rental property six years ago. Our credit scores now are in the 740 range, and we are anxious to take advantage of lower rates since our mortgage rate is 5.75%. Other than the foreclosure, our […]
Q&A: Could new job affect credit rating?
Dear Liz: I have been employed at a small business, a sole proprietorship, for 34 years. My boss is going to just shut down the business, with no plan for succession. I have a job offer from a rival firm, so I don’t plan on being out of work for very long. How will this […]
Q&A: Survivor benefits for divorcees
Dear Liz: I am 76 and widowed. I’ve been collecting half of my ex-husband’s Social Security payment for the last nine years. We were married for 20 years. He remarried in 1987 and his wife is still living. He is now terminally ill with cancer. Am I eligible for survivor benefits? Answer: You will be. […]