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Jewish World Review March 13, 2000 / 6 Adar II, 5760

Bruce Williams

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Buying treasury instruments


http://www.jewishworldreview.com -- DEAR BRUCE: Would you let me know how, as an individual, I can buy treasury instruments directly from the treasury? -- W.S., Gresham, Neb.

DEAR W.S.: You can buy treasuries at the auction dates from any Federal Reserve bank. The closest Federal Reserve Bank to you in Nebraska is located in Kansas City, and you can contact their public affairs office at (816) 881-2683, or you can write to them at 925 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64198.

DEAR BRUCE: My 74-year-old widowed sister just sold her home. The cash from the house was approximately $300,000, and it's her only asset. She just turned all of this over to her only child and is going into a nursing home on welfare.

Is this legal, and can she get into trouble? -- Reader

DEAR READER: You bet your life she can. Your sister and her child are both doing their best to evade their responsibility.

In order for such a gift to be made and for the person receiving it to be exempt from responsibility for your sister's care, it would have had to have been done three years ago, which is called a "look back" period. She can't just give her assets away and decide to go on the "public wheel."

DEAR BRUCE: My wife is a foreign-born American and has no marketable skills. I am 50 and want to be certain that she is taken care of and never has to do work outside our home.

I bought a good deal of life insurance from one of the bigger companies and was told it would be paid through age 95. Now I have come to find out that the policy has not done well and will not have substantial value even then.

When I pass away, my wife will get 75 percent of my V.A. check, which is currently $2,800 a month, and after she reaches 60, she will receive 70 percent of my Social Security, which is paying me $1,200 a month. Our house should be paid off.

Do you think this will be enough? -- T.G. (e-mail)

DEAR T.G.: It seems to me that you have things well in hand. You didn't indicate how much of a budget it would take to support your wife, but given the numbers that you provided, even if it takes some adjustments on her part, she should be able to handle things quite nicely without any other investment income.



Send your questions to JWR contributor Bruce Williams by clicking here. (Questions of general interest will be answered in future columns. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.) Interested in buying or selling a house? Let Bruce Williams' "House Smart" be your guide. (Sales of the book help fund JWR).

Up

03/09/00: Subcontractors must pay S.S.
03/08/00: Real-estate lawyers are essential
03/07/00: Don't expect compensation for ideas
03/06/00: Too rich for a Roth IRA?
03/01/00: Is time-sharing a scam?
02/29/00: Paying for nursing-home care
02/28/00: Rely on a real-estate lawyer
02/23/00: Keeping child's money safe from divorce
02/16/00: Just how important is a 401(k)?
02/14/00: Shaky partnership buying house
02/11/00: Protection by residential zoning
02/09/00: Benefiting from a reverse mortgage
02/07/00: Ensure your insurability
02/04/00: Absurd community zoning laws
02/02/00: Money or securities?
02/01/00: Can we KO a custodian?
01/31/00: Why sell a home you love?
01/26/00: Everyone needs a will
01/25/00: Will splitting stocks affect rollover?
01/24/00: Should early retirees contribute to SEP?
01/21/00: Strategies for paying off debt
01/20/00: Is 15-percent growth achievable?
01/19/00: Selling a second home
01/18/00: Running from a time-share
01/14/00: Don't be a spendthrift!
01/13/00: Who gets the house?
01/11/00: It all depends on size of estate
01/06/00: Check references before hiring an advisor
01/04/00: Savings bonds a bad investment
12/31/99: Out of state ain't that great
12/29/99: Warranty rip-offs
12/27/99: Checking up on investment handlers
12/23/99: Options good only when company's strong
12/20/99: Capital gains tax sometimes best
12/17/99: Don't give up your nest egg
12/15/99: Small-claims court no panacea
12/13/99: Termite company not liable for termites?
12/10/99: Services provided must be paid for
12/06/99: How do we minimize house-sale gain?
12/06/99: Maximize your tax shelter!
12/02/99: My neighbor won't maintain even a modicum of civility
12/01/99: Long-distance rentals a bad idea
11/29/99: Mortgage strategy A-OK
11/18/99: Students can work and learn
11/16/99: Value is what will sell
11/11/99: Y2K: No big deal for real estate
11/08/99: Real life is tough luck
11/03/99: The right time to cash a savings bond
11/01/99: Slow road for savings accounts
10/29/99: What do you want from insurance?
10/27/99: You have a right to see your tax forms!
10/25/99: Why own a house at 65?
10/22/99: Online fine, but CDs?
10/20/99: Love, honor -- and separate credit
10/18/99: Find the value of your stocks
10/15/99: Property lien prevents trade
10/13/99: Clear up debt, only then tie the knot
10/11/99: If it ain't broke...
10/04/99: Should I stick with the company IRA?
10/04/99: Get a financial education!
10/01/99: Insurance: Not much one person can do
09/30/99: Lost tickets are lost cash
09/29/99: Trusting only one financial planner
09/27/99: Adult children should help out
09/24/99: Tips for first-time home buyers
09/21/99: Use the rule of 72s!
09/17/99: Legal strategy can be a pain
09/15/99: Teen drivers drive up insurance
09/13/99: Always use an attorney!
09/10/99: Whose taxes are they, anyway?
09/08/99: How do I roll over my 401(k)?
09/03/99: How can I work out my IRS payments?
09/01/99: When your company can't pay you
08/30/99: Beware of shady viatical investments
08/26/99: Landlords vary on security deposits
08/25/99: Educational IRAs must be spent on education
08/23/99: Finding out the value of old stocks
08/20/99: How to get an FHA refund
08/19/99: 100 percent financing is a scam
08/16/99: Will I have to pay a capital gains tax?
08/16/99: Thinking about PMI
08/13/99: Short-term mutual funds a-OK
08/11/99: It's your job to shop around
08/10/99: Sometimes, roots need to be uprooted
08/09/99: 'Pre-approved' doesn't mean a thing
08/06/99: Only you can determine your investments
08/04/99: Bank IRA the lowest-risk option
08/03/99: Reverse mortgages good for the elderly
08/02/99: Get the survey BEFORE you buy the house!
07/28/99: Get a lawyer -- it's worth it!
07/27/99: If it ain't broke...

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