Dear Liz: Are you allowed to stop your Social Security payments if you choose to make over the $23,000 limit? Answer: When you start Social Security before your full retirement age, you’ll face the earnings test that reduces your benefit by $1 for every $2 you make over a certain limit, which in 2026 is $24,480. You […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: You can pause Social Security payments
Q&A: How to help grandchildren pay for college
Dear Liz: What is the best way for us to contribute to our grandchild’s college expenses? I believe federal financial aid formulas no longer count grandparents’ cash or 529 contributions. Would direct cash to the student (who is responsible) or a 529 be the most beneficial to the student or us? Answer: If the grandchild is already […]
Q&A: Credit union loan helps son pay off debt
Dear Liz: My son ran up a lot of credit card debt and it got to the point where he could barely pay even the interest, which was exorbitant. He asked me for a loan, but I wanted something to formalize the process. I tried cosigning on a loan with him, but found that, as a […]
Q&A: How do you set up a savings account for a grandchild who lives overseas?
Dear Liz: My son lives overseas. He just became a father. He plans to apply for U.S. citizenship for his dependent as an American born abroad. We would like to help save for our new granddaughter’s future. There are 529 accounts here. Can he set up an account like that if he gets a Social Security […]
Q&A: Should you add beneficiaries to all your accounts?
Dear Liz: In response to a reader who asked about creating a will, you suggested options for low-cost online resources. That is great! But, I would encourage you to remind readers to designate beneficiaries on accounts and assets where that option is available. While they should still have a will, many readers may not know that […]
Q&A: Is free advanced directive site really free?
Dear Liz: Your recent column about advanced directives said that people could get a free version at PrepareForYourCare.org. I found there is a charge. Is this for all online directives? Answer: Prepare is a free site supported by donations, grants and licensing agreements. If you were asked to pay, you either clicked the donate button or weren’t […]
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!