Michelle Singletary
@michellesingletary.bsky.social
Washington Post personal finance columnist https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/michelle-singletary/ 2022 Lifetime Achievement Loeb Awards winner | Author, What to Do with Your Money When Crisis Hits and 21 Day Financial Fast
To lease or not to lease? Wise advice for car shoppers from @michellesingletary.bsky.social about how to avoid getting trapped in a cycle of debt. @consumerfed.bsky.social @nclc4consumers.bsky.social @seiu1021.bsky.social @nationalnurses.bsky.social #cars #loans #leasing #scams wapo.st/4pEsDmF
Column | I tell people never to lease cars — except in this scenario
If you’re determined to lease, it might be a better option than being upside-down on a car loan.
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✨️IT'S HAPPENING✨️ I am so excited to announce that I'll be hosting my own podcast! FINALLY! This has been a long time coming for myself and for many of you who have asked me to do this throughout the years. Tell everyone to follow me now so no one misses the premiere. Will you be listening?
"The much-touted 'Trump accounts' are supposed to give the next generation a huge financial head start in life. But by age 18, the reality looks less like a fortune and more like a down payment on a new car." via @michellesingletary.bsky.social 🎁🔗 wapo.st/4phmAnV
Column | The new Trump accounts for kids aren’t the financial boon the president claims
Grab the free money, but don’t expect legacy wealth.
wapo.st
GREAT reporting by @michellesingletary.bsky.social about the pitfalls of falling into car buying traps set by greedy car dealers & predatory auto lenders. Among other harms -- over-paying for a car can cost you the ability to afford a home. @consumerfed.bsky.social wapo.st/3TCbDl5
Column | More people have a $1,000 car payment. Here’s how it traps you.
The average financed new-vehicle purchase rose to an all-time high of $44,156 in the second quarter, and payments are sapping people’s ability to build wealth.
wapo.st
TODAY is your last chance to file for your right to any potential refund from the IRS. youtube.com/shorts/193hB...
Last chance to sign up for a potential pandemic-era tax refund
YouTube video by Michelle Singletary
youtube.com
Michelle Singletary@michellesingletary.bsky.social · 4w agoURGENT ‼️ You could be owed a refund from the IRS. (No, this isn't a scam!) A little-known decision — Kwong v. United States — centered on how the IRS handles tax filing and payment deadlines during a national disaster. Here's how to file for yours. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Here's a FREE LINK to help spread the word wapo.st/4eRYwoc
Column | Missing this July 10 deadline could cost you an IRS tax refund
If you paid IRS penalties or interest between 2020 and 2023, this deadline applies to you.
wapo.st
Michelle Singletary@michellesingletary.bsky.social · 4w agoURGENT ‼️ You could be owed a refund from the IRS. (No, this isn't a scam!) A little-known decision — Kwong v. United States — centered on how the IRS handles tax filing and payment deadlines during a national disaster. Here's how to file for yours. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
URGENT ‼️ You could be owed a refund from the IRS. (No, this isn't a scam!) A little-known decision — Kwong v. United States — centered on how the IRS handles tax filing and payment deadlines during a national disaster. Here's how to file for yours. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Column | Missing this July 10 deadline could cost you an IRS tax refund
If you paid IRS penalties or interest between 2020 and 2023, this deadline applies to you.
washingtonpost.com
Trump Accounts, a new federal savings plan for children, went live over the weekend. Is an account right for your family? Thank you for having me on a busy weekend @cnn.com and Fredricka Whitfield!
"According to a joint warning from the FBI and the U.S. Postal Service, check fraud is skyrocketing. Federal data shows that reports of check fraud nearly doubled from 350,000 in 2021 to 680,000 in 2022" @michellesingletary.bsky.social wapo.st/4vjQFpk
Column | Why mailing a paper check has become so risky
Criminals use chemicals to “wash” away the recipent's name and dollar amount, and then rewrite the check to themselves.
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Has the importance of thank you cards been lost on younger generations?
Received a lot of graduation announcements this year? Here's my official etiquette guide for when to give a gift to the grad and when not to 🎓 🧵
‘Boomerang kids’ are the new normal. 44% of U.S. parents with adult children ages 18 to 35 say a child has moved back home at some point, according to a recent poll by Thrivent. Here's how to cohabitate without resentment. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Column | ‘Boomerang kids’ are the new normal. Here are the financial ground rules.
How to set expectations around paying rent and more for adult children newly living at home.
washingtonpost.com
Michelle Singletary @michellesingletary.bsky.social at WaPo writes a personal finance column and also tries to connect the dots to macro issues Example: nationalpress.org/topic/coveri...
Covering Inflation's Crushing Impact on Women's Retirement Security - National Press Foundation
A panel of experts explore AARP survey data highlighting how the gender gap and caregiving woes are crushing older women's retirement security. But will it impact the outcome of mid-term elections?
nationalpress.org
The bank shut down an 83-year-old widow's credit card and told her to reapply. Then they rejected her application. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Column | The bank shut down this widow’s credit card. Here’s the advice I gave her.
Establishing a credit history is doable, in just a few steps.
washingtonpost.com
Trump is obsessed with his image and pageantry while seeming to ignore the financial struggles of a growing swath of Americans. That's bridezilla behavior. via @michellesingletary.bsky.social 🎁 wapo.st/3PKLsqX
Column | Trump’s bridezilla approach to Americans’ financial struggles
Trump is the ultimate bridezilla, who doesn’t care how the celebration impacts guests.
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“My Mother’s Money” is this month’s Color of Money book Club selection from @michellesingletary.bsky.social I’m so honored! www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Column | Managing a parent’s money is the hardest job you never applied for
This book can help you prepare for and manage a role that many of us will be asked to fill at some point in our lives.
washingtonpost.com
My loyal readers have heard me talk about my Big mama for years. I hope you enjoy this deeply personal look at just how influential she truly was to me. Happy Mother's Day! www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Column | Why being abandoned by my father was my best Mother’s Day inheritance
I’ve been reflecting on the last conversation I had with my biological father before he died of cancer.
washingtonpost.com
When you leave a job, your employer doesn’t have to keep your 401(k) savings in its plan if it’s below a certain amount. No surprise that many people take the cash. This leakage amounts to significant dollars left on the floor. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Column | You could be losing thousands every time you change jobs
The hassle of shifting money from one retirement account to another often results in people undermining their savings efforts and goals.
washingtonpost.com
Always a good weekend when I'm on @cnn.com. Today's message: Don't beat yourself up if you haven't started saving for retirement. But start doing the work now. Your future self will thank you.
Do the high gas prices make you want to buy a new car? Before you trade-up, consider all of the costs of having an EV or hybrid. That includes how much you owe on your current car. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Column | Even with $4 gas, upgrading to a more efficient car might not save you money
Don’t turn high gas prices into a “nearly $50,000 problem,” one expert warns.
washingtonpost.com
Have you filed your taxes yet? For most taxpayers, the federal tax deadline to file returns or request an extension is April 15. Do you have any lingering questions about your taxes? Reply, DM, or email ColorOfMoney@washpost.com. Look for my Q&A session with a tax expert coming very soon!
Okay, okay. I asked for your unhinged penny-pinching techniques so it's only right if I share mine. My husband was not happy when I did this. (But we laugh about it now!) www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Column | The day I ran out of gas chasing a deal, and other extreme saving hacks
As gas prices compound affordability issues, many people are going to want to reassess their budgets. But some hilarious frugal habits may take things too far.
washingtonpost.com
Rising costs may have you considering new ways to save money. But can you be too cheap? I’ve heard some pretty extreme stories over the years, like the reader who would reuse tea bags three time! Tell me your wackiest money-saving story. You may be featured in my next column or on my social media.
Personal finance columnist @michellesingletary.bsky.social joins the panel on women over 50, money matters & their midterm vote. Sign up for this free webinar April 9, 1-2 p.m. ET https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/3117725521102/WN_QfWAUhyTTHO6ZnT_gX4xkQ#/
Good reminder that Tupac was right then and he's still right today. "He cited Donald Trump... as emblematic of a “gimme, gimme, gimme” culture ..." The enduring truth of Tupac’s 'money for wars, but can’t feed the poor' by @michellesingletary.bsky.social www.msn.com/en-us/news/p...
MSN
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Unregulated tax preparers are costing the federal government billions of dollars in improper claims and leaving YOU on the hook for their fraud. Here are some signs that your tax preparer may be up to something shady 🚩
Did you know that two-thirds of Gen Xers are living paycheck to paycheck? They also have the highest average credit card debt ($9,600) and student loan balance ($44,240). For Gen Xers worried about ever being able to retire, read "Retirement Bites." www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Column | Gen Xers are facing a new era of economic instability
Global conflict and a shaky economy are fueling financial anxiety. This month’s Color of Money Book Club pick offers Gen Xers a map to secure their retirement.
washingtonpost.com
FREE LINK to my Sunday column on war-proofing your budget
Penelope Wang@pennywriter.bsky.social · 5mo agoRising gas and utility prices disproportionately affect those with the least amount of financial cushion. These budgeting and debt management moves may help. via @michellesingletary.bsky.social (gift link) wapo.st/3OU6jY6
