How much should an average funeral cost?

By Jim Miller
Posted on January 24, 2023

Dear Savvy Senior, How much does a typical funeral and body burial cost today? My wife and I are interested in prearranging our funerals but would like to have a cost idea before going in so we can plan and budget appropriately. —Planning Ahead Dear Planning, It definitely pays to know what charges to expect when pre-planning a funeral. Most people don’t have a clue, and can... READ MORE

Use the right credit card for every need

By Jae Bratton
Posted on January 19, 2023

There’s no such thing as a universal best credit card. The right card for you depends on your lifestyle, your goals and your credit history. For instance, if you’re looking for travel rewards but your friend is building credit, the best card for each of you will differ greatly. And while there may not be one best card for you — the average American has about three cards, according... READ MORE

How to complain and get what you want

By Liz Weston
Posted on January 09, 2023

If you feel you have more to complain about these days, you may be right. The products we use are increasingly complex, which often means they have more ways to malfunction. Companies are still struggling to hire and retain workers, so the customer service representatives who are supposed to help you may not know how. And that’s if you can even get through to a human being after... READ MORE

How to find a good daily money manager

By Jim Miller
Posted on December 14, 2022

Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any services that can help my mother with her financial chores? My dad always used to handle the bill paying and paperwork, but he passed away last year, and mom struggles to keep on top of things. And I don’t live close enough to help her on a regular basis. —Concerned Daughter Dear Concerned, It sounds like your mom could use a good daily... READ MORE

Beware of buying a flood-damaged used car

By The Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection
Posted on December 12, 2022

After hurricanes with large-scale floods — such as happened in Florida recently with Hurricane Ian — flood-damaged vehicles often end up at salvage auctions and are bought by rebuilders. The vehicles should be marked as “salvage” or “total-loss” on the title, but every year, thousands of severely water-damaged vehicles are resold to unsuspecting consumers — often in... READ MORE

Few stores’ sale prices are really deals

By Kevin Brasler and Andrea Densmore
Posted on December 06, 2022

“SALE! 60% OFF!” “This weekend only: Save an extra 40%!” “List: $299 Our price: $199” Consumers’ Checkbook’s researchers spent 33 weeks tracking sale prices at 25 major retailers and found that most stores’ discount claims aren’t really discounts at all, but rather are attempts to mislead. And the shady sales practice is worse than ever before. Checkbook... READ MORE

What to know about working after age 65

By Kate Ashford
Posted on December 01, 2022

Continuing to work past the traditional retirement age gives many the opportunity to add more money to their nest egg — and to delay Social Security, which will bump up their eventual benefits check. In May, 21.9% of Americans ages 65 and older were working, compared with 19.5% in May 2020, according to a study released in June by MagnifyMoney, which analyzed U.S. Census Bureau... READ MORE

Situations where you might need a trust

By Roxanne Alexander
Posted on November 22, 2022

Some simple estate planning techniques that you can use to avoid probate include adding beneficiaries to your retirement accounts and adding transfer-on-death (TOD) designations to after-tax accounts. When you pass away, these assets will avoid probate and can be transferred directly to the listed beneficiary. Once the beneficiary receives the proceeds, they can do whatever they like... READ MORE

Goodwill is moving some thrifting online

By Anne D’Innocenzio
Posted on November 14, 2022

Goodwill is expanding its online presence, promising high-tech features from digitized receipts to personalized alerts. Last month, the 120-year-old Maryland-based nonprofit organization launched GoodwillFinds.com — a shopping venture that is making roughly 100,000 donated items available for purchase online. It’s expanding Goodwill’s internet presence that, until now, had been... READ MORE

Best ways to invest in the current market

By Elliot Raphaelson
Posted on November 03, 2022

Investors in both the stock and the bond markets are understandably nervous. The Federal Reserve has indicated that, until inflation is under control, it will continue to increase interest rates. As long as that happens, it is likely that both bond prices and stock prices will remain under pressure and may continue to fall in value. Most investors are not sure what action, if any, is... READ MORE