My mother excluded me from her will — before she died, my sibling cashed out her annuity policy, on which I was a beneficiary. Should I sue my family?
Dear Quentin, My mother recently passed away and I was written out of the will, except for a small amount. She and I had several disagreements over the past two years. This change of will occurred 15 months prior to her death, with her executors present. The remainder of her estate is being divided between […]
I’m still working at 75: Do I need to take RMDs from my 401(k)?
Dear Fix My Portfolio, I retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 2004 and have a yearly pension from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). I also work part time at a big hardware chain and have a portion of my salary placed in the company’s 401(k). I have been working there for four years […]
Google execs to get lower bonuses in cost-cutting move following layoffs
Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said top executives would take pay cuts following the largest round of layoffs in the company’s history. Speaking at a companywide meeting on Monday, Pichai said employees at the senior-vice president level and above would get lower bonuses as part of cost-cutting measures, according to people who heard the remarks. The comments came after […]
Last year, one woman told MarketWatch she was on hold for 7 hours, but the IRS says customer service will improve this tax season. And now? A big test lies ahead.
Last year, tax preparer Kathy Brown called the Internal Revenue Service, and took her daughter to a gymnastics class while her husband stayed on hold, ready to patch in Brown once an employee picked up.Seven hours later, after sitting through the gymnastics class and returning home, the Warsaw, Ky.-based enrolled agent found her husband still […]
Ending AmazonSmile donations ‘could not come at a worse time’ for nonprofits
The end of Amazon’s charity donation program will be another blow to small nonprofits that are already struggling to make ends meet in an uncertain economy, nonprofit leaders told MarketWatch.Amazon AMZN, -0.11% is scrapping AmazonSmile, the program that lets Amazon customers direct donations to nonprofits while shopping on the online retail giant. Customers who sign […]
Spotify reportedly planning layoffs as soon as this week
After slowing its pace of hiring last year, Spotify Technology SA is planning layoffs as soon as this week, according to a new report, adding to the wave of jobs cuts sweeping across the tech industry. Citing people familiar with the plans, Bloomberg News reported late Sunday that the streaming music service faces imminent job […]
High medical costs made more Americans delay care last year
We want to hear from readers who have stories to share about the effects of increasing costs and a changing economy. If you’d like to share your experience, write to readerstories@marketwatch.com. Please include your name and the best way to reach you. A reporter may be in touch. A record share of U.S. adults said they […]
Opinion: I took Social Security at 62 and now regret it. Is there a way to increase my Social Security benefit?
Recently I had a conversation with Sue, an acquaintance who started receiving her Social Security benefit at age 62. Sue’s now 63, and she told me that she thinks she might have made a mistake. The problem is that she has realized that starting Social Security early reduced the benefit significantly, and she’d been wondering if it was possible to […]
I’ll be 65 soon, have $320,000 in retirement savings and a paid-off home but I’m $46,000 in debt – should I take more money out of my investments?
I’ll be 65 in a couple months. I retired at 63 and am currently receiving survivor Social Security payments (from my late husband). I plan on switching over to my Social Security at 70. I receive about $31,000 yearly in Social Security. I also take $600 each month out of my retirement account. I calculated […]
Afraid of a recession and not ready to retire? Do this.
With talks of company layoffs and a possible recession, it’s prudent for older Americans who aren’t quite ready to retire to have a backup plan. Retirement Tip of the Week: Look over your resume, go through your list of contacts, brush up on any skills you need for your job and pretend you’re applying for […]