Donna LeValley
Donna joined Kiplinger as a personal finance writer in 2023. She spent more than a decade as the contributing editor of J.K.Lasser's Your Income Tax Guide and edited state specific legal treatises at ALM Media. She has shared her expertise as a guest on Bloomberg, CNN, Fox, NPR, CNBC and many other media outlets around the nation. She is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School and the University at Buffalo.
Latest articles by Donna LeValley
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International Travel with Medications: Know Before You Go
When you travel with medications abroad, good planning can help avoid getting your prescriptions confiscated — or worse. Here's how to stay on the right side of the law.
By Donna LeValley
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15 Estate Planning Terms You Need to Know
Sometimes industry jargon can turn otherwise understandable concepts into stumbling blocks. Here are simplified explanations, definitions and uses for some estate planning tools.
By Donna LeValley
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Is Music In Your Care Plan? I Learned How It Helps The Brain, Bones and More
Lincoln Center became a lab for the 2026 Heartbeat Summit. I met the experts proving art is medicine. Here is the new habit I’m taking home.
By Donna LeValley
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Spring Home Maintenance Checklist for 2025
real estate Use this 20-point checklist to get your home ready for spring.
By Patricia Mertz Esswein
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Quiz: Do You Know Essential Estate Planning Terms?
Quiz Take this quick quiz to test your knowledge of the essential legal and financial vocabulary required to protect your assets and your family.
By Donna LeValley
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Frustrated With Your Medicare Advantage Plan? You’re Not Alone
Medicare Advantage plans scored lower in overall satisfaction among members in 2025. Eroding trust and policy confusion drove the drop in customer satisfaction.
By Donna LeValley
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Medicare Premiums 2026: IRMAA Brackets and Surcharges for Parts B and D
Do you have to pay the monthly Medicare premium surcharge this year? It depends.
By Donna LeValley
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12 Things You Must Know About Claiming and Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits
Social Security Claiming Social Security benefits at the right time means more money for you. Here’s a guide to everything from knowing your retirement age to spousal benefits.
By Donna LeValley
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The Average Retirement Withdrawal Rate by Age
Clinging to "safe" income and hoarding your principal isn't protecting your wealth; it's shortchanging the retirement you earned.
By Donna LeValley
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What You Will Pay for Medicare in 2026
Medicare premiums for 2026, as well as the costs of Parts A, B, and D, have increased. Here's how much you'll pay in 2026.
By Donna LeValley
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The Social Security Test Every Wealthy Retiree Must Take
When you work and collect Social Security benefits before your FRA, you are subject to the Retirement Earning Test that could result in a temporary reduction of your benefits.
By Donna LeValley
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How Your HSA Can Reimburse You for Medicare Premiums and Expenses
Medicare Even if your Medicare premiums are automatically deducted from your Social Security check, you can take tax-free withdrawals from an Health Savings Account to reimburse yourself.
By Kimberly Lankford
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Need More Money for Retirement? You May Have Already Saved It. Here's How to Find Your Lost 401(k).
Over 29 million lost 401(k) accounts worth almost $1.65 trillion have been forgotten by their owners. Here are nine ways you can locate your account.
By Donna LeValley
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The Little-Known Tool to Protect Your Retirement Savings in a Divorce
Learn why a divorce decree isn't enough to protect your retirement assets. You need a QDRO to divide the accounts to avoid paying penalties or income tax.
By Donna LeValley
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12 Things You Need to Know About Medicare
Medicare There's Medicare Part A, Part B, Part D, Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage plans and so on. We sort out the confusion about signing up for Medicare — and much more.
By Catherine Siskos
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How Your Social Security Check Changes at Ages 62, 65, 66, 67 and 70
The longer you wait, the bigger your Social Security check. We break it down by the most common ages at which people claim their benefits.
By Donna LeValley
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Safe or Seizable?: The IRA & Bankruptcy Protection Quiz
Quiz Depending on the type of IRA you own and/or how you inherited it, your "safe" money might actually be on the table for creditors.
By Donna LeValley
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Social Security Payment Schedule for 2026
Find out when you can expect your 2026 Social Security payments and the date you get paid when your scheduled day falls on a holiday.
By Donna LeValley
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The Average Social Security Check by Age
Compare your average Social Security check with others of your age, and plan for the future.
By Donna LeValley
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The Average Social Security Check in Every State
Do you live in this New England state with the heftiest check? Your Social Security benefit can be affected by where you live.
By Donna LeValley
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The Average Monthly Social Security Check: January 2026
The average monthly Social Security check amount might surprise you. Here's a look at January's numbers and why they matter.
By Donna LeValley
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4 High-End Experiences Worth the Splurge After 50
These curated date ideas provide the perfect backdrop for couples ready to enjoy the very best that the world has to offer.
By Donna LeValley
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Quiz: Do You Know How to Maximize Your Social Security Check?
Quiz Test your knowledge of Social Security delayed retirement credits with our quick quiz.
By Donna LeValley
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The Minimum Savings You Need To Retire in All 50 States
Worried you haven't saved enough for retirement? Here are the average annual expenses and minimum savings amounts needed to get by in all 50 states.
By Donna LeValley
