Banking Safely, Online and In Person
Whether you bank at a branch, by phone, or online, a few habits keep your money and accounts secure. A practical, non-technical guide for cautious account holders.
Money Smarts Articles
The financial decisions that matter most in your sixties and seventies are high-stakes and hard to reverse — when to claim Social Security, how to handle required withdrawals from retirement accounts, whether and how to hire an advisor — and they sit inside an ecosystem of scams and sales pitches built specifically for people with savings.
These articles cover that ground in plain language: how Social Security is calculated and what claiming early or late really costs, how required minimum distributions work and how to avoid the penalty, how to tell an honest financial advisor from a salesperson, the investment scams that target retirees, and the harder-to-see problem of financial abuse by family and caregivers. Each one is sourced to government and reputable nonprofit references — the SSA, the IRS, the SEC, the CFPB, the FTC, FINRA, and AARP — so you can check the facts yourself.
Articles in this category
Budgeting on a Fixed Income Without Constant Worry
Living on a fixed income means making a set amount work month after month. A practical, judgment-free guide to building a budget that brings control and less stress.
Estate Planning Basics: The Documents Everyone Should Have
Estate planning isn't only for the wealthy — it's how you protect your wishes and spare your family difficulty. A plain-language guide to the core documents and why each matters.
Protecting Yourself From Identity Theft
Identity theft can drain accounts and damage your credit using your own information. Practical, manageable steps to protect yourself and what to do if it happens.
Reverse Mortgages: How They Work and the Questions to Ask
A reverse mortgage lets homeowners turn home equity into cash, but it's complex and easy to misunderstand. A balanced, plain-language guide to how they work and the cautions.
The Medicare Premium Surprise: Understanding IRMAA
A one-time jump in income can quietly raise your Medicare premiums two years later. Here is how the IRMAA surcharge works and what you can do about it.
Choosing a Financial Advisor: Questions That Reveal Honesty
Not all financial advisors are held to the same standard or paid the same way. Here are the questions, checks, and distinctions that separate honest help from a sales pitch.
Financial Elder Abuse: How to Recognize It in Yourself or a Loved One
Most financial abuse of older adults comes from family, not strangers, and it's badly under-reported. Here are the warning signs, how to talk about it, and what help exists.
Investment Scams Targeting Retirees: How the Tricks Work
Retirement savings attract a specific set of investment scams. Here's how affinity fraud, Ponzi schemes, and 'guaranteed return' pitches work — and how to verify anyone before you hand over money.
Required Minimum Distributions Explained Without the Jargon
Once you reach 73, the IRS requires you to withdraw from most retirement accounts. Here's what RMDs are, how to calculate them, the deadlines, and the charitable workaround.
Understanding Social Security: When to Claim and Why It Matters
How your Social Security benefit is calculated, what claiming early vs. late really costs, and how spousal and survivor benefits work — in plain language.
Test your Money Smarts knowledge
These articles pair with the Money Smarts trivia category on the main site, where you can earn tokens while sharpening the financial instincts that protect your retirement.