Today’s top story: The best credit cards for new homeowners. Also in the news: Determining the right time to retire, what items you should buy in large quantities to save money, and finding a bank that offers the best protection for its customers. 5 Credit Cards for New Homeowners How to save money on one […]
Recent Blog Posts
The magic of tidying up your money
For the uninitiated, it probably seems weird that a book with the unlikely title “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” can be a New York Times bestseller–or that the introverted Japanese author Marie Kondo is now so famous she can no longer ride the Tokyo subway for fear of being mobbed. Kondo contradicts a lot […]
Q&A: 529 plans vs. education tax breaks
Dear Liz: You recently mentioned in your column that you can’t use any of the three education tax breaks — the American Opportunity Credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit or the tuition and fees deduction — for expenses paid with 529 college savings plan money. This has me wondering if those 529 plans are really worth […]
Q&A: “File and suspend” Social Security
Dear Liz: You’ve been writing about the “file and suspend” option that allows you to delay taking Social Security while still reserving the ability to get a lump sum if you later change your mind. If I file and suspend but choose not to take a lump sum before my benefit maxes out at 70, […]
Q&A: Waiting on Social Security
Dear Liz: I started Social Security at 62 and did the spreadsheet myself showing the break-even point. I would have to be 80 before the graphs even cross. You, and others, have to stop that business about waiting on Social Security if you can. My own mother lived to 90 and it is about quality […]
Friday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: Big changes are coming to your credit report. Also in the news: Excuses for not saving for retirement, how your social life changes when you’re saving money, and what to do as you approach retirement. Big Changes to Credit Reports Are on the Way: What It Means for You A new way […]