Scott Burns
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Social Security: A tale of two menusJan 29, 2017 12:00 am - Editor's note: This is Scott Burns' final column. He is retiring after 40 years of writing a personal finance column. Recent columns brought lots of reader mail. The col...
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Do what it takes to pay off high consumer debtJan 22, 2017 12:00 am - Q: I have a question about my pension. I got laid off at age 58 with a six-month severance package. My 401(k) is at $46,000 and I haven't rolled it over yet. I am lookin...
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Best defense against rising medical costs is learningJan 08, 2017 12:00 am - Q: What about medical expenses when you are retired? I have substantial assets, but I am worried about medical expenses eating up everything before I die. They can be qu...
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Retirement fudge factor: We spend less as we ageJan 02, 2017 12:00 am - Q: You often make note of longevity in your column. Let me offer a comment: The longer you live, the less money you need. For instance, if I need $1,000 a month and I am...
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Constancy, not timing, beats marketsDec 08, 2016 12:00 am - Q: I am a longtime index fund investor. My question is: If you are adding to a total bond fund position, is now a good time? Or should an investor wait until interest ra...
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If you're a homeowner, you're a real estate investorDec 04, 2016 12:00 am - Q: How do you feel about investing in real estate in addition to the stock market? I am fortunate to have a decent nest egg. I have a 401(k) account and a taxable accoun...
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Social Security: Some put more in the cup than take outNov 20, 2016 12:00 am - Q: You asked a good question in a recent column. It was about how many people really needed Social Security. But I'd like to ask the question differently. What if these ...
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Deferring Social Security is a good investmentNov 06, 2016 12:00 am - Q: I'm 66 years old. I'm considering the timing for taking Social Security. I am comfortable waiting until age 70. I understand my cash requirements going forward, and I...
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Who doesn't need Social Security? Maybe 3 percent of householdsOct 30, 2016 1:00 am - Q: In a recent column you described Social Security as "the big Kahuna." You declared that "even the affluent need Social Security." Further in the column, you qualify t...
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Why it makes sense to defer Social Security benefitsOct 23, 2016 1:00 am - Q: One of your columns using death-risk adjustments hit close to something I have been considering as my wife and I get closer to Social Security age. The common wisdom ...
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