What the experts say

Money mistakes to avoid; Cleaning up your credit report; Tax refunds for retirement

Money mistakes to avoid

There are a few boneheaded financial moves that should be avoided at all costs, said Brett Arends in The Wall Street Journal. Do not dip into your retirement savings to send your kids to college, for instance. “Admittedly, a degree has become a protection racket—you can’t get a job without one.” But consider a public university instead of a “country-club college.” And loyalty to your employer should never extend to owning a lot of stock in the company. If it goes under, “you can lose your job and your savings—all in one fell swoop.” Finally, don’t take Social Security too early. An employee earning $50,000 a year who starts claiming Social Security at age 62 typically receives about $1,000 a month. Just by holding on until the age of 70, “that amount would double.”

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