Dear Liz: Is there a specific website to research estate planning attorneys in Southern California? Our attorney has retired and I elected not to have my file transferred to her successor attorney. Our trust documents are only six years old and there have been no material changes to our financial situation or beneficiaries. Answer: The internet is […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: How to find an estate planning attorney
Q&A: How do I find out if an advisor is a fiduciary?
Dear Liz: You often emphasize the importance of using a financial planner or advisor who is a fiduciary. But how does one know whether a given planner or advisor is a fiduciary? Is it just the planner or advisor claiming to be one? Are there any licensing laws or professional organizations that grant such a designation? […]
Q&A: How do I avoid a Medicare surcharge?
Dear Liz: I will be applying for Medicare next year. Last year I received an inheritance, and also sold a second home which increased our taxable income for the year. I once read that there is a form that needs to be completed to let Medicare know that this is only a one-time occurrence. However, my […]
Q&A: Why tell the IRS if you sell gold coins?
Dear Liz: Regarding the inherited gold coins question, why would anybody tell the IRS they inherited coins and subject themselves to a 28% capital gains tax? That seems very illogical. Answer: To clarify, the original reader was asking about selling gold coins which had risen dramatically in value since she inherited them. Coins are considered collectibles so […]
Q&A: Is a spouse responsible for a cosigned loan?
Dear Liz: Before we were married, my spouse co-signed for two student loans for a relative. The loans have not been paid off. Occasionally the former student is late and my spouse is contacted. If I survive my spouse, who has end stage kidney disease, will I be responsible for the debts if the relative defaults? […]
Q&A: Should I get a home appraisal when my spouse dies?
Dear Liz: When one spouse dies, the couple’s primary residence gets a step-up value to the current market value (in California). So how is that value established for future reference? Is it necessary to get a formal appraisal or are current sales comparisons sufficient? Also, is that step-up value the basis for any future home sale […]
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!