Jane O'Shea articles

Losing parents is difficult enough without having to make financial decisions immediately afterward. When a collection of antiques, artwork, coins, sports memorabilia, or other keepsakes is involved, family members often disagree about how quickly to sell. Taking a little extra time to understand what the collection is actually worth can prevent expensive mistakes.

Nobody talks about the perks of growing older. Sure, there are challenges, but some things actually get better. Tax season becomes less painful when you know what advantages come your way.

Finding out that a parent changed a will in favor of one sibling can feel like a personal betrayal. Anger often arrives before all the facts do, and that can make an already painful situation even worse. While emotions are completely understandable, your first goal should be to gather information instead of making accusations. That approach gives you a stronger position whether the dispute ends in conversation, mediation, or court.

My parents came home from what they thought would be a fun vacation presentation with contracts for expensive timeshares. They believed they were locking in affordable family vacations for years to come. Instead, they found themselves facing loan payments, annual maintenance fees, and growing regret. The big question became whether they were truly stuck forever.

Getting married later in life often means combining two people with decades of habits, expectations, and financial experiences. Many couples assume they share the same retirement vision until they finally sit down and compare notes. That conversation can reveal completely different ideas about when to retire, how much to spend, where to live, and what retirement should actually look like.

Financial experts consistently say there is no universal formula for married couples. Some fully combine everything, others keep separate accounts, and many choose a hybrid system with both joint and individual accounts. The best approach is the one that supports your shared goals while respecting each partner's comfort level.

Setting boundaries for lending to family members is important, but what it they resort to high-interest payday loans instead?

Medical debts typically expire after a few years, but that doesn't mean collections agencies won't try to track you down.