As you may know by now, I won’t be writing for MSN after Sept. 30, when the site pulls the plug on original content. (Translated: instead of paying writers, MSN will be getting its articles for free from other sites.) I don’t know what’s next, but I’m kind of excited by the possibilities that are […]
Recent Blog Posts
Friday’s need-to-know money news
Why Generation X needs to accept the inevitable, coping with a layoff, and how the key to financial prosperity could be inside a funeral home. Survey: Gen X seriously short on life insurance Note to Gen Xers: You’re not getting any younger. 3 Ways You May Be Throwing Money Away Without Realizing It Hands off […]
Are prepaid cards good for an allowance?
Dear Liz: My son is 12 and receives a regular monthly allowance that I’ve been giving to him in cash. I think it might be time for a checking account. I would like to teach him about using a debit card and not overdrawing his account. All the banks that I have called will not […]
No spouse, no kids. Time to cancel life insurance?
Dear Liz: I am 43 and divorced. I have a mortgage and an auto payment. I fully fund my 401(k) each year and am funding a Roth IRA. I also have emergency savings of $30,000 and a term life insurance policy for $350,000. What I don’t have is children or a spouse. I am thinking […]
Does charged-off debt disappear?
Dear Liz: I understand that creditors eventually write off unpaid debts and receive a federal tax deduction for the loss. Then they sell that “debt” to a collection agency. However, isn’t the debt rendered void by the fact the original creditor charged it off and got the deduction? So how can collection agencies attempt to […]
Thursday’s need-to-know money news
Why joint accounts aren’t always a good thing, how to raise financially savvy kids, and the psychology behind overspending. 4 Ways Joint Accounts Can Ruin Your Credit Sharing isn’t always a good thing. 7 Personal Finance Tools Every Kid Should Have Starting your kids off on the right financial foot. ABCs of Obamacare: a glossary […]