If you’re struggling to make ends meet, your problem may not be too many lattes or dinners out. It may be sitting in your driveway. Your monthly car payment is the tip of the iceberg. Counting gas, registration and taxes, depreciation, tires, insurance and finance charges, Americans spend $8,700 a year on average — $725 […]
Recent Blog Posts
Book giveaway: “Juggling with Knives”
I’m giving away two copies of my friend Jim Jubak’s new book, “Juggling with Knives: Smart Investing in the Coming Age of Volatility.” This book arrives at the perfect time, as you can see from this description on Amazon: Stunning volatility is the new “fact of life” that defines our age. Financial markets fall off […]
Wednesday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: Investing your tax refund so it feels like splurging. Also in the news: IRS scams to avoid, financial mistakes to watch out for, and being frugal without wasting your time. How to Invest Your Tax Refund So It Feels Like Splurging Long term rewards. Don’t Fall for These IRS Scams With tax […]
Q&A: Purchase protection
Dear Liz: A few months ago, I purchased a large television from a nearby store. I was offered no interest for 12 months using the store’s credit card. The TV was stolen from the back of my pickup truck before I was able to bring it into my apartment. I called the police and filed […]
Q&A: Capital gains tax on mutual funds
Dear Liz: My mother, who is approaching 100 and in good health, has a significant mutual fund holding. It is mostly made up of capital gains. She does not need this fund for her daily living expenses. The question she has: Are the taxes on disposition the same before or after she dies? I am […]
Q&A: Fee-only financial planners
Dear Liz: When you recommend a “fee-only adviser,” do you mean an adviser that charges customers by the hour for advice or one that charges a percentage of the customer’s portfolio that the adviser manages? Answer: Fee-only planners charge their clients in a number of different ways. What distinguishes them is the fact that they […]