Listen to local radio and you will hear commercial after commercial about the importance of having a trust to “protect your money from the nursing home.” If only it was that simple! Estate planning to “protect your money” is such a complicated subject that many, many people just decide to not think about it. Which […]
Massachusetts bankers recently heard about a scam that cost an individual in a nearby state $25,000. Unfortunately, this is a financial and emotional disaster that did not need to happen. Here’s how it started: One morning, a person got a call from “Google.” Right there, red alerts should have been ringing. The real Google isn’t […]
A few weeks ago, I was contacted by the American Police Officers Alliance. The gentleman sounded like he was reading a script. In fact, at first I wondered if it was one of those pre-recorded bot calls. When I could get a word in edgewise, I asked if this group was a charitable organization and […]
Some things that didn’t matter much (or at all!) while you were in college definitely become important after college graduation. While you are getting your arms around your new life and your post-college financial future, here are a few things you may want to consider: 1.) In many families, parents do most of the work […]
That eternally debatable question was the focus of a front-page “Yes or No” feature article in The Wall Street Journal’s Wealth Management section earlier this year. “Interest rates are still low,” the Journal wrote. “Then again, it’s a sellers’ market.” While their “Yes or No” experts obviously took different sides, both seemed to look at […]
Who hasn’t watched one of the multiple house-flipping shows on TV and wondered if that would be a good way to earn some extra money? The programs are fun and interesting. They definitely show you the possibilities. But, while many people have certainly made real estate into a part-time gig or a full-time career, it’s […]
A few weeks ago, the Good News Network told the story of a gentleman who immediately returned a wallet with $10,000 in it to its owner. “I never took seriously the notion of keeping the money,” he said. “It’s just simpler to do the right thing.” Of course he’s right. And many times in life […]
I recently heard about a woman who was planning to retire in the next year or two. A family member had asked if she would tap her retirement savings to help them pay some large credit card bills. At the other end of the spectrum, the “Millennial Money” column in a recent Kiplinger’s Personal Finance […]
“The phone scams keep on coming — here are tips on how to avoid them” was the headline of a recent Boston Globe consumer protection column. Tips to avoid scams? Nice in theory, but with so many scams coming from so many directions, your best bet is to be generally aware of the new twists […]
Over a few weeks earlier this year, the stock of a struggling gaming electronics company — GameStop — shot up from about $4 a share to almost $500. Quite a ride. Some thought it would go to $1,000 and borrowed money to buy more shares. Plenty of people wished they somehow had gotten in on […]
