Scott Burns
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Paying off debt creates financial flexibilityMay 15, 2016 1:00 am - Q: My wife and I are in our early 30s, with an infant, and another child on the way. We each have separate Roth IRAs (both began before we met) with about $10,000 and $6...
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Life annuities aren't entire solution for retirement incomeMay 02, 2016 5:02 am - Q: How about an annuity as an alternative to the other choices? An annuity means zero chance of running out of money. My wife, age 69, recently purchased an annuity that...
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Required minimum distributions aren't a bad thingApr 25, 2016 11:34 am - Q: This is about required minimum distributions. I find it very strange and upsetting. We are taught to save and invest for our future and own good, and then we are forc...
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Reverse mortgage not a short-term solutionApr 18, 2016 10:20 am - Q: Is it worth it to get a reverse mortgage if you think you may move in five to eight years? Wouldn't the costs be too high? Seems like you are trapped unless you have ...
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Reverse mortgages must be done carefullyApr 10, 2016 6:00 am - Q: About reverse mortgages: Assuming the old and new homes are of similar value, why sell the current free-and-clear home and pay real estate sale fees, plus moving, plu...
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Taking benefits while working is often a bad ideaApr 05, 2016 7:49 am - Q: I will be 66 in July - that's full retirement age according to Social Security. I am thinking about starting to draw Social Security while I am still working. I will ...
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Annuity 'income' isn't magic: Most of it is your own moneyMar 27, 2016 4:10 am - Q: In a recent column you wrote, "You would need to invest $600,000 to have a life annuity of $40,000." I'm almost 67, mostly retired (due to physical ailments) and have...
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Health care and magicMar 21, 2016 4:10 am - The most common element of magic tricks is misdirection. The magician draws your attention to one thing so you won't see what he is doing with something else. As a perso...
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Paying more for a hybrid car still beats a CDMar 13, 2016 5:10 am - Q: In a recent column you extolled the virtues of buying a hybrid car. A quick fact check reveals that the top-rated conventionally powered Hyundai Elantra gets 33 mpg h...
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Young? Invest in yourself, tooMar 06, 2016 5:48 am - Q: My son turned 18 at the end of January. Last year he worked and received a W-2 for a little over $5,000. He wants to put $5,000 into a Roth IRA with the intention of ...