Chris Farrell
Columnist | Your Money
E-mail: cfarrell@mpr.org
Chris Farrell is economics editor for American Public Media's weekly "Marketplace Money" show. Send questions to cfarrell@mpr.org and put "Your Money" in the subject line.
Recent content from Chris Farrell
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Chris Farrell: For savers, the question has become when to spend
Q My husband and I are 41 years old. We have $65,000 in cash assets, $9,000 in money market, the rest in stocks and bonds with Fidelity.
Nov 22, 2009 -
Social Security checks not rising
Q Can you explain why people on Social Security are not getting (for the first time) a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2010? Things clearly cost more -- including Medicare -- and raises, new jobs, etc. are hard to come by. So why isn't there a COLA?
Nov 15, 2009 -
Holidays bring out clash in money-handling styles
We're entering the holiday season. It's a wonderful time of year. But the holidays can also put stress on a relationship because the season often highlights the different approaches people have to handling money.
Nov 7, 2009 -
Short on credit, business traveler should try 'secured' card
Q I need to secure more credit for business travel and I have poor credit. My company policy is that we pay for trips and then submit the receipts. A brief overview: My outstanding debt is my home; Bank America credit card with balance of $3,500 (this account was closed by the bank), and Spire credit card with $3,000 balance. My car is paid for and my daughter is paying for her own college. My dilemma is the difficulty in getting credit while being required to travel about weekly for my position. Any creative suggestions would be wonderful.
Oct 31, 2009 -
In retirement, protect portfolio against the downside
Q Dear Ms. McGuire: Your portfolio is up 30 percent. Well, so is mine (in my IRA) but it is still way below what it was last year -- in fact, it is closer to what it was about four years ago. Is that a good time to sell? (I'm retired).
Oct 24, 2009 -
Getting credit card as a new college grad can be tough
Q When my daughter was in college she decided to not get a credit card. Instead, she used a debit card throughout college, in part to help assure that she did not overspend. Now she has graduated from college with no credit card debt but also with no credit record. It seems students get card offers but graduates do not. How does she get a credit card so she can build a credit score?
Oct 18, 2009 -
Visa hike has jobless seeking lower-rate card
I recently left my job, and my VISA credit card increased the interest rate on me. I wonder if any company would give me a [lower-rate] card if I'm unemployed?
Oct 10, 2009 -
When it comes to managing your money, simple is a good thing
It looks like the Obama administration's regulatory initiative to require financial institutions to offer consumers simple low-cost mortgages, plain-vanilla credit cards and other simple financial products is dead. Opponents argued that the rule -- as well as the proposed Consumer Financial Product Agency -- would cut back on the availability of credit and discourage innovation.
Oct 3, 2009 -
Real estate parcel can skew couple's asset allocation
Q We have inherited some vacant land here in Minnesota and know we should consider it within our asset allocation calculations but wonder exactly how.
Sep 26, 2009 -
Chris Farrell: Doomsters need to remember the creativity of retirees
Last week I participated in a panel discussion in New York on baby boomers and retirement. The panel was tied to the launch of the second season of Twin Cities Public Television's series "Life: Part 2,'' which deals with the practical aspects of an aging boomer generation, from caregiving to finances to dating.
Sep 19, 2009
