Dear Liz: I pay off each of my credit card purchases online, usually within a few days. My monthly statement balance is usually $0 even though I use the card frequently. The card is my only open credit account. I saw my credit score recently and it has dipped below 650. It used to be over […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: Living trust setup costs
Dear Liz: A friend of mine contacted an estate planning attorney to do a living trust. The attorney gave her an estimate of $5,900 for this job. My friend is single, never married, no children, does not own property or a business. She has no complex financial situations. She does have a financial planner, who she […]
How to fight the ‘pink tax’ amid inflation
Trae Bodge, a shopping expert who lives in the New York City area, sees higher prices for products and services marketed to women everywhere: Socks, razors, shampoo and apparel are a few of the product types aimed at women that tend to cost more. “I don’t know why brands think this is acceptable,” Bodge says. […]
This week’s money news
This week’s top story: Smart Money podcast on how COVID-19 changed our finances — and our advice. In other news: Ride out fed rate hikes at a credit union, tax tips for crowdfunding, and credit or debit card for kids. Smart Money Podcast: How COVID-19 Changed Our Finances — and Our Advice This week’s episode features […]
Q&A: How to get started managing your retirement assets
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 […]
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 […]