Scott Burns
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How to make your future go up in smokeFeb 29, 2016 5:06 am - The affluent are better off today, relative to others, than they were 20 years ago. They also live longer than people who are less affluent. So, who can we blame? Surely...
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Debt and age don't mix wellFeb 22, 2016 5:39 am - Q: For reasons I won't go into here, we recently purchased a second home by taking out a 30-year, $250,000 home equity loan on our primary residence. My instinct was to ...
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Credit card debt can make part of savings an illusionFeb 15, 2016 5:20 am - Q: I am often astounded and frustrated by the wealth that others have. My husband and I are both 61. Our combined income is $58,000. Our $225,000 house is paid for. Our ...
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Planning for your estate? Use stocks, not bondsFeb 01, 2016 9:24 am - Q: What is your opinion about investing for income in 20-year bonds with a 3.5 percent coupon, priced at par? Because I view individual long-term bonds as really a purch...
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What readers say about increasing social securityJan 24, 2016 5:15 am - How about increasing Social Security rather than shrinking it? Many readers greeted the proposal, in a recent column, with cheers. Other readers worried. The folks who a...
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Small errors are big dangers to early retirementJan 17, 2016 5:15 am - Q: I am 52 years old, single, with no debt and no kids. The same company has employed me for 27 years. My current salary is $130,000 a year. I am very conservative with ...
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A better life in five not-so-easy piecesJan 10, 2016 5:15 am - Reading entrails is popular at this time of year. Most stink already. Others stink in the future. There are pronouncements about China, the Middle East, Europe and Russi...
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How to be an index fund investor at FidelityDec 27, 2015 4:10 am - Q: I can't complain - I have investments, retirement funds, a pension, etc. I'm comfortable with how they are all being managed. My wife, however, would be more comforta...
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Another big win for reverse mortgagesDec 21, 2015 5:26 am - In the vast universe of consumer borrowing, reverse mortgages get little respect. They cause the same kind of eyebrow lift as pawn tickets, car title loans, rent-to-own ...
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When everything is 'go,' it's time to pay off the mortgageDec 13, 2015 4:15 am - Q: My wife and I are considering paying off our mortgage and would like your opinion. Here are the stats: I am 54. My wife is 57. Our combined income is $330,000. My wif...