We recently lost my wonderful mother-in-law to complications from a stroke following a diagnosis of cancer. As we prepare for her memorial service, I’ve been thinking about what a blessing it’s been to be able to help care for parents in their final days—and to do so without having to worry excessively about expensive plane […]
Recent Blog Posts
Elderly mom isn’t the only one overdue for estate planning
Dear Liz: Could you advise us on how to protect our 93-year-old mother’s assets if she should become ill or die? She does not have a living will or a trust regarding her two properties. Answer: “If” she should become ill or die? Your mother has been fortunate to have had a long life, presumably […]
Should you roll an IRA into a 401(k)?
Dear Liz: I have one comment in response to the reader who wondered whether she had to take minimum distributions from an IRA at age 70 1/2 even though she was still working. As you pointed out, she can defer taking minimum distributions from a 401(k), but she must take them from her IRA. I […]
Will the new credit score change your life?
In case you missed them, here are some of the issues I’ve been writing about recently: A much-heralded new version of the VantageScore could offer big benefits to consumers, but only if lenders actually start to use it. Read all about it in “New credit score could change lives.” HSAs still aren’t a household acronym, […]
Downsizing: Be realistic about the value of your stuff
Dear Liz: We are in our 60s and looking to downsize. We’re living in an apartment now and don’t like it, so we want to buy a small house. Also, our finances took some serious hits in the recent economy and we’re trying to rebuild. But in trying to sell our possessions, we’re learning that […]
Student loans can pay off with nursing degree
Dear Liz: I am about to begin graduate school to get my master’s degree in nursing to eventually become an advanced registered nurse practitioner. I have Googled scholarships, grants, fellowships, and am coming up empty-handed. I am fearfully looking at student loans to finance my degree (it would be about $34,000). I am appalled at […]