Dear Liz: You recently answered a question about the consequences of giving up a timeshare. What are the possible consequences if a timeshare is held until the owner’s death? What is the effect if it is included in a will or trust? If none of the potential heirs want it, what is the effect of not […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: What if my heirs don’t want my timeshare?
Q&A: How do I claim fire-damage losses on my taxes?
Dear Liz: My home in Pacific Palisades is still standing after January’s fire, but was damaged by smoke and ash. The remediators deemed hundreds of personal property items unsalvageable. Our insurance company is paying us a highly depreciated amount for these items, with the full amount to be received upon the actual purchase of each replacement. […]
Q&A: How spousal benefits work
Dear Liz: My best friend was able to get a 50% bump in his Social Security monthly benefit due to his wife having a higher monthly benefit. My wife didn’t work enough to qualify for Social Security, but I did. Can she get the spousal benefit from my record? Answer: Your wife can qualify for an amount […]
Q&A: How do I get out of my timeshare?
Dear Liz: We want to get rid of our timeshare after having it for more than 20 years. We gave the exit company $5,000 to help us, but all they did was tell us what to do, and it was going to cost more money. Renting it would probably be a nightmare, and we don’t want […]
Q&A: Relative’s oversharing puts family at risk
Dear Liz: Your recent column on identity theft touched a nerve. My husband and I are very cautious about online security and don’t post details on social media that could be used in identity theft. But his mother constantly overshares, has no privacy filters on her accounts and ignores our requests to avoid posting our children’s […]
Q&A: Coping when dementia causes reckless spending
Dear Liz: Our son-in-law has been diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s disease and sometimes makes reckless purchases. Our daughter has appealed to their bank to close their account or cancel his credit and debit cards. They refuse because the accounts are in his name. What can she do? Answer: What your daughter can do may depend on how […]
Books
Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.
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Your Credit Score: How to Improve the 3-Digit Number that Shapes Your Financial Future (5th edition)
Improve your credit score, for real, with the #1 best-selling guide you can trust! Today, a good credit score is essential for getting credit, getting a job, even getting car insurance or a cellphone. Now, best selling journalist Liz Pulliam Weston has thoroughly updated her top-selling guide to credit scores, with crucial new information for protecting (or rebuilding) yours.
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Deal with Your Debt: Free Yourself from What You Owe
Struggling with debt? Get realistic help that's actually useful.
In this extensively updated guide, you can discover how to control and manage debt effectively. You'll learn which debts can actually help build wealth over time, and which are simply toxic. You'll find up-to-date, real-world strategies for assessing and paying off debt, money-saving insights on which debts to tackle first, and crucial information about everything from debt consolidation loans to credit scores and credit counseling. Weston offers practical guidelines for assessing how much debt is safe -- and compassionate, realistic guidance if you've gone beyond the safety zone. If you've ever worried about debt, you'll find the new edition of Deal with Your Debt absolutely indispensable.
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There Are No Dumb Questions About Money: Answers and Advice to Help You Make the Most of Your Finances
There’s a myth in our society that some people are just naturally “good” with money. So naturally, everybody else must be “bad”--or at least, dumb--if they’re not sure what to do.
The reality is, no one is born a money expert. Those who are “good” with money had to learn: by reading, asking questions, and consulting people who know more than they do. No one knows everything, and the only dumb questions are the ones you don’t ask.
This collection of money questions and answers can help you solve your most pressing concerns about your finances. You can buy this ebook on iTunes or on Amazon.
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The 10 Commandments of Money: Survive and Thrive in the New Economy
From the #1 personal finance columnist on the Internet (Nielsen/NetRatings)-a clear prescription for financial health in the 2010s and beyond.
For previous generations, living within your means was a simple formula. Now, with the staggering rise in education, health care, and housing costs, millions of people find themselves skating from paycheck to paycheck with no idea how to move forward.
As the most-read personal finance columnist on the Internet, Liz Weston has heard the questions and has the answers. Her 10 Commandments of Money will help readers avoid critical mistakes, survive the bad times, and thrive in the good ones.
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Easy Money: How to Simplify Your Finances and Get What You Want Out of Life
Common sense. Easy solutions. Plain English.
Best selling author, Liz Weston, takes on the problem everyone has, and nobody talks about: the sheer hassle of managing your money! Weston offers practical guidance and easy checklists for every decision: investments, credit cards, insurance, mortgages, retirement, college savings, and more! Discover how to consolidate, delegate, and automate your finances…save time and money…and live a more rewarding, secure life!