Dear Liz: I have about $16,000 in student loans at 6.8% interest. At the current monthly payment it would take me about 7.5 years to pay them off. I contribute 10% of my income to my company’s Roth 401(k) plan (my employer matches the first 6% contributed). I also contribute 3% to the stock purchasing […]
Recent Blog Posts
Uncle Sam can help with education costs
Dear Liz: I have rental property, own my home outright, am contributing to a 401(k) and have a pension, so finances are not a big issue. I do have an adult son in law school and would like to know the most fiscally prudent way to pay for it. Are there limits on gifts, and […]
Monday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: What a poor credit score can cost you. Also in the news: The worst money moves for the new year, how to cut next year’s expenses, and tips to get tax season started off on the right foot. What a poor credit rating is costing you Your job prospects could be at […]
Column: Five ways do-gooders can erase student-loan debt
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – When P.K. Drago graduated from George Washington University in 2009 at the peak of the Great Recession with $40,000 in student loan debt, she decided to do volunteer work. “It was not a good time” to get a job, the 26-year-old now says, and so she joined AmeriCorps, a volunteer organization […]
Five ways do-gooders can erase student-loan debt
LOS ANGELES, Dec 30 (Reuters) – When P.K. Drago graduated from George Washington University in 2009 at the peak of the Great Recession with $40,000 in student loan debt, she decided to do volunteer work. “It was not a good time” to get a job, the 26-year-old now says, and so she joined AmeriCorps, a […]
Can you be too cautious about spending money?
Dear Liz: I think I have a phobia about spending money. I’m a young professional who has devoted a lot of time to building up my savings account. I also contribute sizable amounts to my 401(k) and IRA each month. I pay off my credit cards each month, and I am making larger-than-necessary payments on […]