• Skip to main content

Ask Liz Weston

Get smart with your money

  • About
  • Liz’s Books
  • Speaking
  • Disclosure
  • Contact

Recent Blog Posts

November 14, 2012 By Liz Weston

Student loans aren’t handouts

Dear Liz: I am increasingly annoyed by the entitlement attitude of today’s students. Why should the taxpayers (me) pay to educate somebody else’s children? I remember when there was no such thing as a student loan. If I wanted to go to college and didn’t have the money for tuition, I delayed starting college until […]

November 14, 2012 By Liz Weston

How Social Security calculates your check

Dear Liz: I have been told over the years that your Social Security monthly benefit amount is computed using years closest to retirement. I have now been told benefits are calculated from your highest earning year in your working life. Which is true? I am 61 and unable to work more than part time for […]

November 5, 2012 By Liz Weston

Public service may winnow student loan debt

Dear Liz: I am the single mother of four daughters, including one who has a serious heart condition that causes $10,000 to $30,000 in out-of-pocket medical expenses each year. These medical bills have caused me to file bankruptcy twice, but the bankruptcies have not wiped out my student loans. I have qualified for minimum payments […]

November 5, 2012 By Liz Weston

Selling home could ease student loan burden

Dear Liz: Your answer to the parents with $200,000 in student loans for their daughters’ educations was interesting — and cautionary. I wonder, since they mentioned refinancing their home, why not explore using their equity by selling the home and renting? Depending on the amount they have in the home, they might be able to […]

October 29, 2012 By Liz Weston

Parents trapped by huge student loan debt

Dear Liz: My husband and I took out more than $200,000 in federal parent PLUS loans to pay for our two daughters’ college educations. My husband earned over $300,000 when the loans were made. Since then, he lost his job and now makes $100,000. I went back to work and earn $35,000. We finally succeeded […]

October 29, 2012 By Liz Weston

Delaying Social Security increases your options

Dear Liz: I’m confused by your answer about the “file and suspend” strategy for boosting Social Security benefits. You wrote that the higher-earning, younger spouse in this case had to wait until her full retirement age if she wanted to use this strategy to let her husband claim a spousal benefit while her own benefit […]

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 761
  • Page 762
  • Page 763
  • Page 764
  • Page 765
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 782
  • Go to Next Page »

Copyright © 2025 · Ask Liz Weston 2.0 On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in