Dear Liz: I just finished paying off my last credit card and checked my credit report as I am now separated from my wife. I found we had one joint account that she had not been paying. There are two stretches of five months each of no payment. I immediately called up the creditor and […]
Recent Blog Posts
Social Security curtails “do over”
Dear Liz: In a recent column, you answered a question from someone who had started receiving Social Security benefits at 62. You mentioned the many advantages of delaying the start of Social Security checks until full retirement age but then said, “In your case, it’s too late for second thoughts anyway.” Why didn’t you mention […]
Opt out of credit card offers
Dear Liz: I am receiving many unsolicited credit card offers in the mail and am worried about identity theft. Do you know of a phone number or Web address whereby I can opt out of these offers? Answer: You can call 1-888-5OPTOUT or visit www.optoutprescreen.com to remove your name from marketing lists that the three […]
Smarter travel planning this summer
It’s time to plan some summer fun, and yesterday’s “Smarter Travel” Tweetchat with Ally Bank featured some great tips. (You can check out the conversation using #allymoneychat on Twitter.) Here are some ideas to cut your costs: Travel outside the box. Your options aren’t just “fly or drive”? Donna Freedman recommends checking out the Megabus. […]
How much cash should you keep on hand?
Dear Liz: A few years ago I finished paying off my debt and now am in the very low-risk credit category. I have savings equal to about three months’ worth of bills and am working to get that to six months’ worth. I’m wondering, though, about an emergency that may require me to pay in […]
Why delaying Social Security can make sense
Dear Liz: Your comments about the benefits of delaying Social Security misled readers. While a cost-of-living increase was standard for many years, it no longer is. You might want to check back over the last 10 years to get details. In addition, a reader might interpret your points about the increased benefit at full retirement […]