Dear Liz: I recently inherited a Roth IRA. If I understand correctly, I can leave the money in the IRA for 10 years. If I die before then and my adult son inherits the account, does he then get an additional 10 years to do something with the money? Answer: That depends on the circumstances. If you […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: Does an inherited Roth IRA get a new 10-year deadline?
Q&A: Make sure your estate planning documents can be found
Dear Liz: Your response about finding trust documents was very helpful. It reinforces that people need to provide copies to their loved ones in case they become incapacitated and the originals are lost or can’t be found. People seem to complete these documents and assume they will never get dementia or become physically unable to care […]
Q&A: What to do when your IRS refund is delayed
Dear Liz: I e-filed my 2025 taxes in early February. About three weeks later, I received a letter from the IRS asking me to verify my identity, which I did. I am due a $38,142 refund for the 2025 tax year. I’ve been checking my refund status through the IRS’ Where’s My Refund tool as well […]
Q&A: Another place to search for a lost living trust
Dear Liz: In a recent column, you quoted an estate planning attorney who suggested ways to find a copy of a living trust after a parent’s death. I have no quarrel with her advice, but suggest a simpler option to consider: See if there is a bank safe deposit box in which such a trust might […]
Q&A: Can a bank help find a missing trust document?
Dear Liz: Concerning the missing trust document, they should also check with existing banks and brokerages that the trust has accounts with to see if they have a copy of the trust. Odds are very low, but it may be worth the effort. Answer: Banks and brokerages aren’t required to keep such copies, but it doesn’t hurt […]
Q&A: Who can help older adults pay bills and manage money?
Dear Liz: Who can I hire to do my bill-paying when (or if) I get into very old age? If I die first, no problem. My wife has sons to turn to. But if she goes first, I may need help managing my money. I’m sure many folks are in my situation, with no family to […]
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!