Reverse mortgages: Frozen in place

By Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA Nonprofit Charitable Managing Director As Managing Director of the self-funded nonprofit charitable mortgage company, Helping Hands Community Partners, our...
Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA

Reverse mortgage answers

By Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA, Nonprofit Charitable Managing Director, Helping Hands Community Partners, Inc. Information you can trust As Managing Director of the nonprofit...

Social Security announces 1.6 percent benefit increase for 2020

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 69 million Americans will increase 1.6 percent in 2020, the Social Security Administration recently...
Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA

Senior housing options education

By Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA, Nonprofit Charitable Managing Director Should I stay, or should I go? To move or age in place? If you...
While I bonds are not a total answer to inflation, they can play a role in at least reducing it or helping to solve it.

I bonds are an investment that benefits from inflation

By David Wilkening, Contributing Writer REGION - Inflation news is almost always grim. But I bonds, a low-risk investment that flies under the radar for...
Mike Festa

Thrifty Thursdays – AARP’s fall financial series

By Mike Festa, State Director AARP Massachusetts AARP is working to ensure you have a brighter and more secure financial future. We provide free tools...
Dog Photo by Andreas-CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0.jpg

Estate planning for pets ensures your wishes are honored

By R. R. Fletcher, Contributing Writer Most people just want peace of mind―to know that the family pet will be loved and cared for after...
Boston-based attorney Marcia Wagner says apart from changing federal estate tax laws, the most important factor in estate planning may be a last will and testament.

How to avoid mistakes in estate planning

By David Wilkening, Contributing Writer REGION - If you’re considering estate planning, you might be putting it off until you’re older. Keep it simple, you...
The IRS has announced an ambitious plan for improving its customer service, which gets poor reviews from many taxpayers.

IRS launches ambitious plan to improve customer service

By Debbie Spingarn, Contributing Writer REGION - When Teresa Fern, 52, of Norfolk had her social security number stolen, the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) was...
DCU (Digital Federal Credit Union), is a well-known Massachusetts-based credit union, headquartered in Marlborough. Pictured is the Solomon Pond branch in that city. Photo/Submitted

Credit unions offer an alternative to big banks for consumers

By Debbie Spingarn, Contributing Writer REGION - If you’re tired of high banking fees, long telephone hold times and poor customer service, maybe your current...