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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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
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We're 65. Should we give our kids their inheritance now?We have $3.9 million saved. Our adult children are struggling to pay for daycare and buy a home. Should we give them an advance on their inheritance?
By Maurie Backman
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We're 64 with $4.3 million and can't agree on when to retire.I want to retire now and pay for health insurance until we get Medicare. My wife says we should work 10 more months. Who's right?
By Maurie Backman
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My grandkids want me to donate to their fundraisers, but I'm on a budget.When your heart says "yes" but your wallet says "no," there is still a way forward. Here's what financial pros say.
By Maurie Backman
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We've saved $5 million, but my husband still won't retire.We are 66 and have reached our retirement savings goal. Our plan is to travel, but my husband can't seem to let go of work.
By Maurie Backman
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My wife wants to use our $6.1 million for charity — I want a lake house.We are 62 and finally retired after decades of hard work. I see the lakehouse as an investment in our happiness.
By Maurie Backman
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We want our RMDs to fund a vacation with our kids and grandkids.An extended family vacation can be a fun and bonding experience if planned well. Here are tips from travel experts.
By Maurie Backman
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I'm 58 and dating again, but women just seem to care about the size of my bank account.Does size matter? We ask experts in dating, financial planning and law for advice.
By Maurie Backman
