I frequently hear from readers who tell me that they contacted the Social Security Administration with the intention of filing for Social Security benefits of one kind or another and then were either told they weren’t eligible for any benefits or were just otherwise talked out of filing. Of course, sometimes that is good advice….
The Frugal Lifestyle
I’ll admit I used to think frugality was a distasteful lifestyle forced upon the poor. I believed it was synonymous with never buying new clothes and dumpster diving under the cover of night. Boy, did I have a lot to learn. And learn I did—and I continue to learn—that it is the path to building…
Co-sign a Loan? Never, Ever
Dear Mary: About 10 years ago, my daughter co-signed on an automobile loan for a friend. The “friend” skipped out on payments and left town, so they came after my daughter for payment. All these years later, she still has not paid anything on the loan. Is there a time limit for how long they…
Smallest to Largest
Dear Dave, I’m on Baby Step 2, and I’m working hard to get out of debt. My last two debts are $6,000 on a credit card, and $10,000 on a car loan. I’ll be receiving a $6,000 bonus at work in a couple of weeks, and I was wondering what to do with the money….
Saving by Choice, Not by Chance
A question that I answered in a previous column brought a small avalanche of mail, mostly from readers who were aghast that I would suggest they save such a significant portion of their paychecks for retirement. It was money they insisted they could not afford to save. I can only imagine that for a person…
3 Ways to Boost Your Credit Score
Your 790 credit score might not be as great as you think it is. It all depends on which credit score you’re looking at. If you’re referring to a FICO score of 790 out of 850, that’s excellent, but 790 is only so-so on the VantageScore 2.0 model, which tops out at 990. So, you…
Why Is My House Not Selling?
“I’m totally stressed out because we’ve been on the market for eight weeks and we haven’t even had an offer.” Such were the words of a woman who called me to complain about her real estate agent, who led her to believe that she would have multiple offers after the first week. After she continued…
The 1 Indispensable Thing Nonprofits Need
“I started a nonprofit organization about three years ago. “In the beginning, we had three directors—we were told we needed at least three to get our federal tax exemption—but two of them quit shortly after we formed, and I have struggled to fill those two positions since. People sign up, probably out of personal friendship…
Create a Strategic Plan for a New Career
I’ve heard every excuse in the book for people not leaving jobs they hate. No matter the excuse, it always comes down to fear and doubt—fear of failing, fear that time has passed them by, fear of what others will say, and doubting they have what it takes to succeed in something different. But it’s time…
A Couple’s Guide to Common Money Myths
The wedding was beautiful and fulfilled your fondest dreams. But it’s over, and now it’s time to settle in and enjoy your new life together. Lucky for you, I’m here to warn you about some common money myths that newlyweds have been known to bring with them into their marriages. Myth: Double the Income, Half…
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