Dear Liz: I’m 72 and still employed with a salary of $80,000. My wife and I have a home with about $1.6 million in equity. We have almost $4 million in real estate investments, $200,000 in stocks, IRAs worth about $250,000 and about $175,000 in cash. Although it may seem like we have a lot, I […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: Giving a gift without strings
Dear Liz: My brother and his wife are living modestly on Social Security and delivering for a food service. Occasionally, I send him some money when I can. I have some money put aside and am able to send him about $5,000 now instead of leaving it to him in my will. (He is six years […]
Q&A: Social Security survivor benefits can be confusing. Here’s how they work
Dear Liz: My husband passed away, and I am 59 years old and no longer working. Social Security’s site says that once I turn 60, I can get 71.5% to 99% of what he would have received at his full retirement age. What determines whether I get 71.5% or 99% or something in between? Answer: The range […]
How your ex could boost your Social Security
Katja Rivera, 64, is a massage therapist and theater director in Berkeley, California, who says she’s never earned more than about $30,000 a year. When her two daughters were small, she sometimes earned much less. But Rivera was married for 10 years to a man who has consistently earned much more than she has. When […]
Q&A: Delaying Social Security benefits
Dear Liz: I get conflicting answers on whether my wife, who turns 62 in April, should take her Social Security now. I am 68 and am holding off taking my benefits until 70. Will her survivor benefits include the 8% annual increase I will receive when I start benefits in September 2024? And should she take […]
This week’s money news
This week’s top story: Smart Money podcast on how to leverage inflation for your benefit. In other news: Justice department sues to block JetBlue, Spirit merger, 3 tax credits not to miss when you file this year, and 3 ways to get your income and other money faster. Smart Money Podcast: How to Leverage Inflation for […]