COVID-19 Pandemic: how can you enforce a quarantine? This reader wants to know how travel quarantines can be enforced in a 55+ condo development. Q: We live in Florida in a 55+ condominium development in Florida. Our question is whether residents who visit out-of-state folks need to quarantine themselves upon return. And, what about residents [...]
What do you do if you can’t afford a new septic system? These homeowners want to know their options if the town requires a replacement they can’t afford. Sign up for Ilyce Glink's free newsletter, Love, Money + Real Estate. Q: We found out a couple of months ago that the leach field of our [...]
How do you make a consumer complaint? How to file a complaint against a company and the top 10 most common consumer complaints. Who do you complain to when the used car you bought breaks down as soon as you drive it off the lot? Or when the handyman you hired to work on your [...]
What does homeowners insurance cover? What typical policies cover and how to adjust premiums and deductibles to get the right coverage for you. Homeowners insurance can shield families from devastating losses if they have the right amount of coverage but it turns out many are unclear what that looks like for their home. Nearly half [...]
How can I build my credit if I have no credit? This reader wants to know how to go about buying a car and a home with no credit history. Q: I'm in the process of buying my first car (researching, calculating finances) and I wanted to ask what your advice would be as I [...]
How do you know if it’s worth it to refinance your mortgage? These homeowners want to know if they’re getting a good deal with their best offer. Q: When we bought our house, I read several of Ilyce's books and it not only empowered me to stand up to mortgage agents, it saved us tens [...]
In a 5-part series, Credit 101, Ilyce Glink, an award-winning personal finance columnist and CEO of the financial wellness platform Best Money Moves, details important information you need to know about your credit reports and scores. Create a myEquifax account (at www.myEquifax.com) to receive six free Equifax credit reports every 12 months. Watch [...]
Can you break a lease during COVID-19? This reader’s grandson rented an apartment near campus but fall classes are being held online. Q: In January, my grandson and three of his friends agreed to rent a 4-bedroom apartment near the campus starting in August, when school was supposed to resume. They signed the lease in [...]
COVID-19: unemployment and the mounting financial crisis. Understanding how people live paycheck-to-paycheck and the implications of extended unemployment. Q: In your recent column in the Washington Post, it was stated that “nearly 80 percent of Americans were living paycheck to paycheck before the pandemic…” I want to know how do you define living paycheck-to-paycheck when [...]
How can you help better protect yourself against identity theft? The Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic has presented new opportunities for identity thieves and other bad actors to use the stress of the current environment to their advantage. With no concern for your financial well-being, thieves can use stolen information to run up balances on credit cards or [...]
