When your kid is a financial train wreck
Financial planners and credit counselors see plenty of examples: The grown son who lost a job, moved home and stopped looking for work. The daughter who constantly mismanaged her checking account — and turned to payday lenders when parents stopped covering her overdrafts. The father working into his 70s to support spendthrift children in their 40s and 50s.Kristi Sullivan, a certified... READ MORE
County warns residents of utilities scam
As colder temperatures begin to blow in across the region, Howard County’s Office of Consumer Protection is warning residents to be on the lookout for calls from individuals posing as representatives of local utility companies demanding immediate payment for service.This warning follows an alert issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as part of the FCC’s new,... READ MORE
What you’ll pay for Medicare next year
Dear Savvy Senior, I know there won’t be much of a cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits next year, but what about Medicare? How will the 0.3 percent Social Security raise affect our Part B monthly premiums in 2017? ... READ MORE
Use price match to always get sale price
Kevin Brasler recalls barraging an obliging salesperson with questions about car seat safety when he was a concerned new parent.Before they checked out, Brasler and his wife found the seat they were considering for $50 less on Amazon. But they were so invested in their in-store experience that they bought from the salesperson anyway.However, they likely could have purchased the car seat at... READ MORE
Reducing the risk of outliving your assets
The markets may have recently hit a new all-time high, but if you retired in 2000, you may have already run out of money. Surprisingly, it’s a completely different story if you retired just a few years earlier or a few years later.The timing of when someone retires can have a profound effect on the performance of their accounts. Sequence risk, also known as sequence-of-returns risk,... READ MORE
Volatility in a mutual fund lowers gains
Mutual funds are the cornerstone of many investors’ portfolios. With thousands of mutual funds in the U.S. alone, choosing the right one for your retirement plan can be complicated.Consider this real-life example (names have been changed, of course, to protect confidentiality): Bob and Sally walked into my office looking for advice about mutual funds. They had narrowed their choices... READ MORE
To marry or not to marry. It’s a question
Some older couples who want social recognition for their love relationships are exchanging rings, throwing parties and holding wedding-type ceremonies. But they’re stopping short of getting legally married to avoid complications with retirement funds, property and grown children.“It was important for our friends to know we were committed to each other,” recalled Dixie... READ MORE
The five best times to buy a new car
That chill in the air signals not only the onset of autumn, but also cooling auto sales. For bargain hunters, this could be a great time to get a good deal on a new car.But sales downturns aren’t the only time to buy a new car. New model rollouts, carmakers’ redesign schedules, and other events can uncover bargains for those who know how to read the tea leaves of the auto... READ MORE
Websites help find the lowest drug prices
Most people don’t shop for lower prescription drug prices. But they should — especially now that there are easier ways to do so. More than a dozen websites and apps are vying to help U.S. consumers find the lowest prices for prescription drugs by comparing prices and searching for deals, similar to the way Expedia looks for cheap airfare or Bankrate.com looks for low... READ MORE
Preferred stocks yielding 6 percent plus
An aura of income is all it takes to lure investors to dividend-paying stocks these days. But if payouts on common stocks don’t hold much appeal to you, consider a company’s preferred shares.Even with their prices hitting 52-week highs, many high-quality preferreds still yield 5 percent or more. These stocks may not have much potential for gains after running up in price this... READ MORE
Money 2024
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