What you’ll pay for Medicare next year
Dear Savvy Senior, If you fit into this category, here’s what you’ll pay for your Part B premium next year, based on your 2015 tax returns:• Individuals with incomes of $85,000 to $107,000, or married couples filing joint tax returns with incomes of $170,000 to $214,000, will pay $187.50 per month. • Individuals earning $107,000 to $160,000 (couples ... 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
Stocks with rising dividends for 50 years
There’s no question that dividends can be a powerful part of any long-term investor’s portfolio. There are very few things that are guaranteed in the investing world, but the best dividend stocks always come through for shareholders quarter after quarter.The biggest concern for investors searching for dividend stocks is that a company will cut its dividend at the first sign of... READ MORE
Protect yourself against scams, disputes
The Consumer Federation of America and the North America Consumer Protection Investigators issued a report in July detailing the leading complaints consumers registered with 33 agencies in 21 states. Prominent among them are fraud scams.Susan Grant, director of consumer protection and privacy at the Consumer Federation, stated that some of the newest fraud complaints were related to... READ MORE
