Category: Advice

Retirement Benefit Calculation—the Advanced Course

There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who just want to know the time and those who want to take the clock apart to see how it works. I’m sure most of us fall into the first category. I sure do. But of course, there are always those who need to disassemble…


Starting a New Career at 50

I hear from so many people who are nervous or scared to make a career change in their fifties, even if they’re miserable at their current job. I get it. There are a lot of fears and insecurities that can creep up when you’re thinking about making any big change later in life. Don’t let…


3 Ways to Stop Spending and Start Saving

Did you know nearly 40 percent of Americans can’t cover a $400 expense from their savings? People give many different reasons for not being able to save money, and I’ve heard them all. Some people do have it harder than others, but I’ve also seen enough single moms work three jobs to change their family…


Limit the Potential for Damage

Dear Dave, My husband started working at a new company about a year ago. As part of his sign on, they gave him $5,000 in company stock. The stock has nearly doubled in value since then, and we were wondering if we should buy more, considering how well it has done. Cathi   Dear Cathi,…


‘Life to the Hilt’: Some Advice for the Younger Set

In a few days, I will turn threescore years and 10, or in modern parlance: I’ll be 70 years old. Man, that age sounds rickety to me. After poking around online yesterday, I discovered a site featuring a “life expectancy calculator” that estimates how much longer I’ll still be drinking coffee every morning. One of…


Should I Take the Lump Sum Option From My Pension?

Dear Carrie: I’m about to retire, and I have to decide between taking a lump sum or lifetime income payments for my pension. I’m leaning toward the lump sum. Is this a good idea?—A Reader Dear Readers: My first thought is to say congratulations! A pension in any form—whether taken as a lump sum, as…


Decline in Social Security Staff Equals Decline in Social Security Service

Imagine that you owned a successful business that was gaining 10,000 new customers every single day. And all the market projections said that trend would continue for many more years. Would you be hiring new staff and opening new outlets to keep up with the demand? Or would you be cutting back on employees, reducing…


Four Ways 2020 Might Impact Your Tax Return

Last year, we dealt with a lot of unknowns because of the coronavirus situation. Taxes were no exception. From the federal tax deadline being moved up to new legislation being passed, there were loopholes coming at us left and right. Now that the dust is starting to settle, let’s get some clarity about what we…


Mortgages and Baby Steps

Dear Dave, We’d like to own a home someday, but we know we’re not ready for that kind of financial commitment yet. Where does buying a house fit in your Baby Steps plan? Heather   Dear Heather, Buying a home when you’re broke is the easiest way I know to become a foreclosure statistic. I’m…


How to Have Meaningful Conversations About Money With Your Spouse

My dad, Dave Ramsey, filed for bankruptcy the year I was born. My older sister was about three. So, with a brand-new baby, a toddler, and as dad says all the time, “a marriage hanging by a thread,” things hit rock bottom. Hard. It took them a good five years to climb out of that hole—right around…