Dear Eric: I got nothing from anyone. Not even an acknowledgement from the kids.
Asking Eric: No thank you for Christmas gifts
Category: Advice
Asking Eric: Mom has become mean
Dear Eric: Since my dad and brother have passed, my mom is increasingly mean, angry, rude and spreads rumors about me and my kids. To the point where she told several people, including my long-term boyfriend, that I cheated on my ex-husband (the father of my children). That is an out-and-out lie.
Terry Savage: Analyzing Medicare Advantage plans
Medicare Advantage plans now cover slightly more than half of American seniors in the Medicare program. The attraction is in both the low costs and the additional services they advertise. But there can be significant drawbacks to Advantage plans since they limit covered access to physicians and hospitals in their network.
Asking Eric: College student distraught at being away from boyfriend
Dear Eric: I love her boyfriend and support their relationship – he is kind and fun. However, I’m concerned about how quickly they have become emotionally dependent on each other.
Terry Savage: Understanding IRMAA
Meet IRMAA. This is not a senior’s dating site, but every senior on Medicare should be intimately familiar with IRMAA — the initials that stand for “income-related monthly adjustment amount.” It’s the amount by which your Medicare Part B and Part D premiums increase each year, based on your recent modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). […]
Asking Eric: Husband talks to me like a child
Dear Eric: At first, I cried about it and really tried my best to change and remember things but now when he confronts me, I get angry.
Terry Savage: Tax benefits can amplify your charitable giving
Giving to charity is all about money — and if a tax benefit comes along, the gift is much sweeter. But since the tax reforms of 2017 increased the standard deduction, 9 out of 10 Americans don’t itemize their tax returns — and thus don’t get a deduction for their contributions.
Asking Eric: I don’t want to be alone
Dear Eric: My father is in his late 80s and not in great health. I cannot stop worrying that when both my father and my partner leave this Earth, I will be all alone.
Terry Savage: Giving the gift of a college savings plan
Here’s a reminder of how easy it is to set up a 529 college savings plan for a child or grandchild, and why you should encourage gifts to the plan for birthdays and special events.
Ex-etiquette: Grandmother doesn’t want to welcome stepkids to Christmas
Q: We are expecting a lot of company for the upcoming holiday, and I have asked my son to bring my grandchild but leave his wife’s children at home. There’s just not enough room. Now he’s refusing to come, and I’m broken-hearted.