Dear Liz: I have $40,000 in credit card debt due to home healthcare I had to provide for my mom, who lived with me for six years before she passed away in 2011. I filed a Veterans Affairs claim on her behalf but just got a VA check for $344 with no explanation about whether […]
Recent Blog Posts
Who owes taxes after death?
Dear Liz: My brother passed away, and for one of his bank accounts, he had named me as his beneficiary. Do I have to pay taxes on the $100,000 I received? Is it subject to a gift tax? Answer: Estate taxes are paid by estates, not by inheritors, said estate attorney Burton A. Mitchell of […]
Monday’s need-to-know money news
The best college savings plan, why credit card companies want to take back your reward points, and the money lessons hidden in your favorite TV shows. What’s best for college saving: ESA or 529? Choosing the right college savings plan. Five Ways Your Can Lose Your Credit Card Rewards Credit card companies would love nothing […]
Friday’s need-to-know money news
How your addiction to pop culture could put your identity at risk, saving on holiday travel, and when is the right time to kick your kid off of your health insurance? How Your Katy Perry Obsession Could Get You Hacked Hackers love the pop culture obsessed. Our Financial Future: How Banking and Money Will Change […]
Thursday’s need-to-know money news
How Boomers should prepare for Obamacare, the right time to purchase life insurance, and how to keep scammers away from your grandparents’ life savings. Six Things Boomers Need to Know About Obamacare Enrollment begins on October 1st. Knowing When You Need Life Insurance It’s likely sooner than you think. Your Kids And Money: Teaching The […]
Are retirements really longer these days?
One of the “givens” I often see in discussions about retirement is the idea that previous generations didn’t have much of one. Great-grandpa got to the end of his working life, got his gold watch and keeled over. Short or non-existent retirements certainly were the rule before the 20th century. People usually worked until they […]