NOTE TO EDITORS: This is the final release of “Life and Money.” If you have any questions, please contact salesdirector@amuniversal.com. Thank you for supporting this feature.... more
Hi, Helaine: The government deposited the $1,200 check we are getting to help us get through the coronavirus lockdowns and shutdowns in my checking account. No problem. My question is about what I sho... more
Hi, Helaine: I've got four middle-aged children, and I am well-off. My youngest daughter, age 45, is married to a man who is spiteful and possibly mentally ill. For more than a decade, he's done his b... more
Hi, Helaine: I own a home that’s divided into four apartments. I live in one and rent out the other three units. I like some tenants more than others but never experienced a difficult problem until no... more
Hi, Helaine: My partner and I are both in our mid-40s. He earns about half what I do. Almost all our monthly income goes toward paying down our debt: There's the mortgage, two newer cars, a $40,000 40... more
Hi, Helaine: I see the government is allowing people to postpone paying their 2019 taxes till July of this year because of the coronavirus epidemic. I owe several thousand dollars. My taxes are prepar... more
Hi, Helaine: I’ve been living with my elderly parent for two years. It wasn’t intentional. It’s a voluntary choice that became an entrapment. My sister wanted my dad to move into assisted living. It w... more
Hi, Helaine: I just read your article on medical expense etiquette. What do you suggest if you tell your doctor, following an exam covered by Medicare, that you can get new glasses for much less elsew... more
Hi, Helaine: My ophthalmologist sells contact lenses. Glasses, too. I used to buy my prescription lenses from his office, but about two years ago, I noticed they were significantly less money at an on... more
Hi, Helaine: My daughter and son-in-law gave me my first (adorable) grandchild last year. My son-in-law has tons of life insurance, but my daughter has none. He's in the military, so life insurance se... more
Dear Helaine: Recently, I looked around for car insurance and was told my "insurance score" is "average." I couldn't believe it, but I was told it had to do with my credit rating. I have no negative i... more
Hi, Helaine: I have a question. I put $15,000 in a CD last August for a year. The interest rate is 2.2 percent. I got a postcard in the mail from a bank the other day. It’s offering $600 to open a new... more
Hi, Helaine: I'm 59 years old and plan to retire from a federal government job at the end of the year. I've spoken with a couple of different financial advisers, and it seemed like they were intereste... more
Dear Helaine: My husband and I have been married for more than 30 years, and he's always handled our bills and finances. I feel terrible that I've allowed this to go on as long as it has. I have never... more
Hi, Helaine: The hubs and I are preparing to refinance our home. In 2005, he was in a near-fatal crash that decimated our finances down to foreclosure and bankruptcy. By 2014, I had our credit score b... more