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Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

November 29, 2016 By Liz Weston

shutterstock_102945899Today’s top story: With a new Education Secretary on the horizon, the outlook for student loan debt relief is unclear. Also in the news: The 5 best ways to invest $10,000, where people are banking off the grid, and 5 apps to make donating easier on this Giving Tuesday.

Outlook for Student Loan Debt Relief Unclear With Education Secretary Pick
What student loan holders need to know about Betsy DeVos.

The 5 Best Ways to Invest $10,000
What to do with your windfall.

Here’s Where People Are Off the Banking Grid
In 2015, 7% of American households were unbanked.

These 5 apps will make donating easy this Giving Tuesday
Help is just an app away.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: banking, Giving Tuesday, Investing, student loan relief, Student Loans, tips, unbanking

Q&A: How to avoid hiring a Madoff-like financial advisor

September 12, 2016 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: What is the best way to pick a financial advisor to make sure they don’t make off with all your retirement money? I don’t want Bernie Madoff handling my retirement savings.

Answer: Even if you turn over day-to-day investment decisions to an advisor, you should make sure your money is invested at an independent custodian such as a nationally known brokerage or mutual fund company. That won’t immunize you from fraud, but Ponzi schemes are a lot harder to pull off when there’s third-party oversight.

Returns that are too good to be true, investments that you don’t understand or pressure from an advisor to invest are other red flags for fraud.

Protecting yourself from fraud is important, but so is protecting yourself from bad or conflicted advice. You need to check out any advisor thoroughly. Ask about experience, credentials and other qualifications. Find out how they get paid. Fee-only advisors are compensated only by the fees their clients pay and don’t accept any commissions for recommending products. Fee-based advisors, by contrast, may accept fees and commissions.

Your advisor should be willing to sign a fiduciary oath to put your interests first. That’s not currently required. Advisors can put you in expensive or underperforming investments just because those options pay them higher commissions and there’s little legal recourse for investors unless they can prove that the investments were clearly unsuitable for their situation.

Starting next year, advisors will be held to a fiduciary standard when counseling clients about retirement funds. There’s no reason you should wait for that rule to kick in, though. You can download a copy of a fiduciary oath for your advisor to sign at www.thefiduciarystandard.org.

Filed Under: Investing, Q&A Tagged With: Investing, Madoff, q&a

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

September 6, 2016 By Liz Weston

Pile of Credit CardsToday’s top story: What yo look for in a credit card for bad credit. Also in the news: How to decide whether you should save, invest, or pay off student loans, how to spend less money in your 20s, and why next year’s tax refund might be late.

What to Look for in a Credit Card for Bad Credit
Pay close attention to fees.

Should I Save, Invest or Pay off Student Loans?
Using your money wisely.

10 Ways to Spend Less in Your 20s
The more you can save the better.

Adjust Your Withholding Now Because Next Year’s Tax Refund Might Be Late
Be prepared to wait.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: bad credit, Credit Cards, Investing, saving, Student Loans, tax refunds

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

August 16, 2016 By Liz Weston

imagesToday’s top story: Simple ways to teach your kids about money. Also in the news: Investing tips for those in their 20s, the best things about buying a house in the fall, and why you should look at frugality as a method instead of a lifestyle.

Simple Ways to Teach Your Children About Money
It’s never too early to start.

5 Investing Tips for Your 20s
Taking the longview.

The 7 Best Things About Buying a House in the Fall
Timely tax deductions.

Think of frugality as a method, not a lifestyle, to avoid wasting your time
It’s not just about saving money.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: frugality, Investing, kids and money, millennials, real estate, saving money, tips

Monday’s need-to-know money news

August 15, 2016 By Liz Weston

homebuyerToday’s top story: How to get the most for your old phone. Also in the news: Why starter homes are becoming a thing of the past, five surprising things that could leave you poor, and how to invest your way to a million dollars.

How to Sell Your Old Phone
Because a newer version is always right around the corner.

Why ‘Starter Homes’ Aren’t What They Used to Be
Starter homes are becoming a relic of the past.

5 Surprising Things That Could Leave You Poor
Start with the company you keep.

How to Invest Your Way to $1 Million
The tiny things add up quickly.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: cell phones, habits, Investing, starter homes, tips

Q&A: Dealing with a big lottery win

July 5, 2016 By Liz Weston

Dear Liz: My brother-in-law won a good chunk of money playing the lottery. He is waiting for the check to come any day now. He is willing to give me $2 million. The question for you is how I can maximize that amount of money short term or long term?

Answer: If your brother-in-law has any sense at all, he’ll realize he shouldn’t have promised any gifts before he assembled a team of professional advisors. And they almost certainly will have a dim view of him giving you a seven-figure sum.

Handouts that large have gift tax consequences. Anything over the annual exemption amount, which this year is $14,000 per recipient, has to be reported on a gift tax return. Amounts over $14,000 count against his lifetime exemption limit, which is $5.45 million this year. Once that limit is exceeded, he’ll owe substantial tax on any gifts.

Also, the $5.45-million limit is for gift and estate taxes combined. Any part of the exemption he uses during his lifetime for gifts won’t be available to shield his estate from estate taxes when he dies. Although, given his apparent generosity, he may not have enough left at his death to trigger an estate tax.

It’s not uncommon for those who receive large windfalls to wind up broke, especially if the amount is much larger than they’re used to handling. More than a few professional athletes and lottery winners have wound up in bankruptcy court. They spend or give away money at a clip that simply isn’t sustainable.

Which may be the road down which your brother-in-law has started. You can take advantage of your relative’s ignorance by holding him to his pledge or you can do the right thing, which is to encourage him to hire fee-only advisors — including a CPA, an estate-planning attorney and a comprehensive financial planner who’s willing to sign a fiduciary oath — to help him deal with this windfall.

Filed Under: Investing, Q&A Tagged With: financial advisor, Investing, lottery, q&a

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