Maurie Backman
Maurie Backman is a freelance contributor to Kiplinger. She has over a decade of experience writing about financial topics, including retirement, investing, Social Security, and real estate. She has written for USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, and Bankrate. She studied creative writing and finance at Binghamton University and merged the two disciplines to help empower consumers to make smart financial planning decisions.
Latest articles by Maurie Backman
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Is the HSA Triple Tax Benefit Worth the Paperwork Hassle?Should we sign up for a Health Savings Account (HSA) and embrace even more healthcare paperwork? We'd rather plan vacations than track receipts.
By Maurie Backman
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My Husband's Dementia Puts Our Retirement Savings at RiskMy husband's new diagnosis has me reeling; how do I protect our $1.6 million savings?
By Maurie Backman
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I Want to Pay Off Our Grandson's $45K Student Loan DebtWe're 73, with $2.1 million and $4k a month in Social Security. My husband says we can't afford to help our grandson. Who's right?
By Maurie Backman
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What's the Best Way to Fund my Grandchild's 529 Plan for College?Is it better to make a lump-sum contribution up front or spread funds out through the years? We asked a college savings professional and a financial planner for their advice.
By Maurie Backman
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We Want to Give Our Daughter More Than Our Sons: Can It Be Fair?We paid for our daughter's $75K wedding. Now she is earning less than our sons and needs more help to buy a house. Are we being unfair, or even sexist?
By Maurie Backman
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We’re Planning to Retire in the South. Will We Regret It?We’re New Yorkers with $3.8M. We plan to retire in South Carolina. My wife worries we'll miss our family and old friends. Is she right?
By Maurie Backman
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Can We Help Just One of Two Adult Children Financially?We want all our grandkids to have a great childhood. How do we help their mother, our needier child, without creating resentment?
By Maurie Backman
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I'm 50 and My Home is Worth $5 Million. Can I Retire Now?It may be oh-so tempting to cash out your upscale home and leave work for good. But should you? We ask the experts.
By Maurie Backman
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Time to Stop Driving? When Older Drivers Need to Hang up the Car KeysDoes your older parent or spouse need to stop driving? It's one of the hardest transitions in aging, and there's no simple fix.
By Maurie Backman
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We Are 57 and Want to Take Two Years Off to TravelWe have saved $7 million, and our round-the-world trip will cost $800K. We both had parents who died in their 60s, so we want to travel while we are "young."
By Maurie Backman
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We're Retired and Wealthy. I Want to Splurge but My Wife Says 'No.'We're 67 with $5.8 million after years of scrimping. I want to spend $300K on much-needed home renovations and a new car. How can I get my wife to loosen up on spending?
By Maurie Backman
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My Husband Wants Me to Stop Giving Each of Our 'Kids' $1K/monthWe are 68 and retired with $6.8 million. I just want to help our adult kids pay for daycare and camp for our grandchildren. Should I stop?
By Maurie Backman
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Our Grandchild Wants Help Paying for a $90k-Per-Year College.We're 75 with $3.2 million. Our son is pressuring us to help pay for our granddaughter's college so she can avoid student loans. What should we do?
By Maurie Backman
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We're 59 With $5.3 Million. Can We Frontload Our Spending?We are retired and want to spend $250,000 a year, but once Medicare and Social Security start, we'll need less. Are we nuts?
By Maurie Backman
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We Will Inherit $3 Million: Can We Retire Now?We're 60 with $550K saved. We know we'll inherit when my elderly father passes away. Can we retire now, even though we can't technically afford it?
By Maurie Backman
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My Husband Wants Half Our Retirement Portfolio in StocksWe just retired at 67 with $4.1 million. My husband wants to keep 50% of our investments in stocks. I say it's not worth the risk. Who's right?
By Maurie Backman
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We Have $5.7 million. My Wife Wants Long-Term Care Insurance.Even with our solid nest egg, it's not clear if we should self-insure or buy long-term care insurance.
By Maurie Backman
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Our Son Can't Come on the Family Cruise. Should I Send Him a Check?I'm disappointed my son can't go to Greece with us, but we can't reschedule. I want him to feel we are treating him fairly.
By Maurie Backman
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Our children want us to take care of the grandkids this summer. How do we say no?We love our grandkids, but we're not a summer camp.
By Maurie Backman
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I’m Ready to Retire in Europe Now. My Wife Thinks It’s Too Risky.She thinks we should reconsider because of the political and economic situation. I want to go now. Who's right?
By Maurie Backman
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We've saved $3.1 million, but my husband still works. I want to travel!We retired last year at 67. My husband works two days a week, but it's interfering with the dream vacations I want to plan. Help!
By Maurie Backman
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I want to travel, my wife wants to donate 10% of our income.We asked wealth planners if "tithing" (donating 10%) makes sense in retirement.
By Maurie Backman
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We're 62 and Want to Sell our $1.2 Million Home, but Our Grandkids Live With Us.My wife wants our daughter and grandkids to stay, but I'm eager to sell the house and retire. We asked financial planners for advice.
By Maurie Backman
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Should we fund our grandchild's 529 or our retirement?We're 54 with $1.8 million saved. My wife wants to start a college fund for our grandchild, but I think we should keep funding our retirement. Who is right?
By Maurie Backman
