Dear Liz: I have a will, properly done by an attorney, in my home state of Texas. I’m thinking of moving to California. Will the state of California recognize and accept my will? Answer: The short answer is yes, but you should consult a California attorney anyway. California generally recognizes a will that was valid under the […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: Do you need a new will when you move to another state?
Q&A: When your adult child blames you for their money problems
Dear Liz: My daughter (51) blames me (74) almost daily for her financial problems. She says I didn’t teach her about money matters. I say she didn’t pay attention and made her own bad choices. She moved out more than 30 years ago and has had ample opportunities to learn. Answer: You didn’t ask a question, but […]
Q&A: Another way to get help with a stubborn IRS problem
Dear Liz: I read your advice about what to do when a refund is delayed. We overpaid our 2025 federal taxes by $16,200. It was the first year my husband was retired and we wanted to make sure enough tax was withheld from his pension. Our professionally prepared, e-filed return should have been very simple. Yet, […]
Q&A: How a congressional inquiry can help with an IRS problem
Dear Liz: I agree with the writer who suggested contacting elected officials for help with IRS issues. I worked for the IRS as a criminal investigator for 25 years and dealt with the majority of divisions. An inquiry forwarded by a member of Congress on behalf of a constituent is known as a “congressional.” When a […]
Q&A: How to protect QCD checks from mail theft
Dear Liz: In response to a reader whose check to the IRS was stolen from the post office, you (again) warned readers that mail theft and check fraud have soared and that electronic payments are now the safest way to send money. I’ve been making my charitable donations using qualified charitable distributions from my IRA. My […]
Q&A: Why a fireproof safe may not protect your estate documents
Dear Liz: I’d like to add to the conversation about where to store estate documents. Having lost my home, studio, office, and all the contents in the Eaton fire of January 2025, I can tell you that the temperature of our urban fire was high enough to incinerate the contents of many “fireproof” home safes in […]
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!