Dear Liz: My 30-year-old son lives in Southeast Asia. He has some U.S. bank accounts but no U.S. credit cards. If I add him to my credit card, will that help to establish credit? Or is there another way for him to start getting credit in the U.S.? At some point, he and his wife will […]
Recent Blog Posts
This week’s money news
This week’s top story: Smart Money podcast on neurodiverse money, and financial infidelity. In other news: Health care sharing mimics Medigap, but isn’t insurance, what to know to take Social Security early, and 12 words sum up a successful plan for a financial life without budgeting. Smart Money Podcast: Neurodiverse Money, and Financial Infidelity This week’s […]
How to bolster your financial confidence
Melinda Perez, a financial educator, still remembers the first time she felt financially confident. She had recently started investing money outside of her employer-sponsored retirement account because she was finally earning more than she spent. “It was exciting because for once, I had what felt like extra money,” recalls Perez, who lives in San Antonio, […]
Q&A: 401(k) payouts and Social Security
Dear Liz: I was laid off from my job in late 2021 and at 62 was unable to find employment. After six months of unemployment benefits, I filed for Social Security. My 401(k) account from my previous employer was rolled into a traditional IRA. I also took a distribution to carry me through the months without […]
Q&A: Here’s how to budget your money using the 50/30/20 rule
Dear Liz: What is the formula now for expenses? When growing up, we were told that one-third of net income should go to rent, but recently, I read that 50% is the standard with the remaining 50% divided between wants and savings. Answer: You may be referring to the 50/30/20 budget, which suggests limiting “must haves” to 50% […]
Retiring? If you need a home loan, get one first
Retired engineers Kelly and Derek Barkey assumed they would be approved when they applied for a $50,000 home equity line of credit two years ago to fix up their new house. The Barkeys, now 56 and 59, had just sold their longtime home in Southern California and paid cash for a house worth about $850,000 […]