Benefits make up more than 30% of the typical job’s compensation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . But figuring out what your benefits are worth isn’t always easy. You may need to do a little digging to find how much your employer contributes toward health insurance, retirement plans and other perks. Some […]
Recent Blog Posts
This week’s money news
This week’s top story: Smart Money podcast on financial fears, and if you need life insurance or not. In other news: What makes a good store credit card, and how to avoid bad ones, tackling financial insecurity, and why stocks and bonds are both falling. Smart Money Podcast: Financial Fears, and Do You Need Life Insurance? […]
Q&A: Filling a survivor benefit gap
Dear Liz: I am a 57-year-old widow. My children are 23, 22, 20 and 17. When my youngest graduates next June, I will lose the last of our Social Security survivor benefits. Our benefits used to be over $5,000 per month but her check is currently $2,084 per month. I am barely making it monthly now […]
Q&A: Got an old credit card that you no longer use? What to do instead of canceling it
Dear Liz: I have been keeping a credit card that I no longer use because I’m afraid that canceling it may reduce my credit score. I have had the card since 1983, and it shows on my credit report as my longest credit relationship. I have other credit cards that I use regularly. I no longer […]
This week’s money news
This week’s top story: Smart Money podcast on Black Friday, and how to get holiday travel deals. In other news: 4 ways investors can make the most of inflation, if closing a bank account affect your credit or not, and 3 inflation-savvy moves to make now. Smart Money Podcast: Black Friday Is Canceled, and How to […]
Q&A: A spouse’s debt, your credit score
Dear Liz: My spouse and I have added each other as authorized users on our credit cards. My spouse has more debt than I do. Does this impact my credit scores? Answer: Possibly. Credit scoring formulas look at how much available credit is being used on each account. If your spouse has higher balances than you but also higher […]