Archives

Dear Helaine: My girlfriend and I moved in together about six months ago, right after she took a new job with a 30 percent pay raise. We immediately sat down and agreed on a budget that would allow us... more

Dear Helaine: I'm 54 and divorced. I've been with the same company since 2004, and I also receive a small military pension. After taxes, I earn $4,900 a month, including the pension. I contribute to m... more

Dear Helaine: My husband's job requires he attend a number of conferences and workshops in his field. It's usually two to four times a year. Not going to these meetings is not an option, as it would c... more

Dear Helaine: I need some advice on where to save for my retirement. I am 47 years old, and my wife and I own our home and have no debt. Over the years, my various employers have been on a downward tr... more

Dear Helaine: Personal finance has been very straightforward for my husband and me so far. We simply cut our expenditures (such as eating out) whenever possible and have that money available for thera... more

Dear Helaine: What sort of financial papers and documents do I need to save? I grew up with a parent who saves everything. I mean that literally. She has calendars and old Macy's bills going back 20-p... more

Dear Helaine: I am married with two young kids. Our only debts are our mortgage and $45,000 in student loans at 5.5 percent interest.... more

Dear Helaine: My mother-in-law struggled with addiction most of her adult life. She is sober now, but looks for instant gratification through non-chemical means.... more

Dear Helaine: My husband and I are in our early 30s. We're not financially hurting -- our only debt is a mortgage and car loan. I handle the savings and investment for our household. We're both contri... more

Dear Helaine: I'm in my late 20s and got a bit of a later start in my career than I would have liked. I finished college about a year and a half ago, and got my first salaried job at the age of 26.... more

Dear Helaine: My husband and I are recently married and have realized we are going to owe a significant chunk of money to the IRS this year, thanks to the fact that I make significantly more than he d... more

Dear Helaine: A few years ago, I began working with a financial adviser I initially liked, but whose judgment I am now questioning due to communication issues. When I email him to ask a question, I re... more

Dear Helaine: My boyfriend and I have lived together for three years. Since we aren't interested in having children, there's not a lot of distinction between how we live now and what living together w... more

Dear Helaine: I'm a single woman in my 50s with no children, significant other or close relatives. I've never had life insurance, but I do own a condo and car.... more

Dear Helaine: My husband's parents recently asked my husband if he and I would be able to take over their mortgage payments when my mother-in-law retires in just over a year. My father-in-law no longe... more

Dear Helaine: My husband refuses to make and stick to a family budget. He resents the idea of limiting himself, and his idea of budgeting every month is “we just need to spend less.” We both work full... more

Dear Helaine: I’m 33 years old. After years of earning a modest salary, I moved to a new company two years ago and got a substantial pay bump. I spent the first year saving for a down payment on a hou... more

Hi, Helaine: My husband has a daughter and two sons, all in their 30s, from his former marriage. At various times, they’ve all asked him for money for things like a car or medical bills. He’s given it... more

Dear Helaine: I went to look for Advil in a hookup's medicine cabinet and I found an unused bottle of Ativan from 2013. It was stressful. It's a serial hookup, and every time we get together, the guy ... more

Hi, Helaine: A decade ago, a close friend needed money fast. She was a single mom with two kids, her husband had left her and she needed $4,000 for her housing costs. I gave her $2,000 thinking I’d co... more

Dear Helaine: I am 30, married, and my husband and I jointly have $127,000 in investments. We both fund our 401(k)s to take advantage of the corporate match, and I am able to fully fund a Roth IRA as ... more

Hi, Helaine: My husband and I divorced five years ago. Because I had no money -- I had taken a big career hit by staying home for a decade to raise our children -- I accepted his suggestion that we go... more

Hi, Helaine: My husband and I have saved to afford a home in the San Francisco Bay area. We're now in our mid-30s, and we can cover the down payment with our savings and investments, and cover the mon... more