Harry Gross

Harry Gross writes about personal finance for the Daily News.

Email Harry at HarryGrossDN@gmail.com

Where there's a will, there's a weigh

02/18/2013

DEAR HARRY: We are both in our late 70s, and we live in a retirement community in South Jersey. For the last six months, we have been considering making a will. We have a pretty substantial estate and no children. We do have nieces and nephews and two fav

Born to get a tax exemption

02/15/2013

DEAR HARRY: A friend who is a law student told us we might be in trouble for claiming our newborn as an exemption for 2012.

Insurer's ex-employee awaits pension benefits 02/13/2013: DEAR HARRY: I worked for a life-insurance company from 1985 until I was laid off after it was purchased in 1993. Shortly after that, I received a letter advising me that I was entitled to a "deferred monthly pension benefit of $295 a month" starting June 1, 2013.
Casino is taking all from 63-year-old 02/11/2013: DEAR HARRY: I want to complain about SugarHouse Casino. I know that no one forces me to go there, but I go because it's close to where I live. I am 63 years old, and I have lost virtually all my money. Sometimes, I can lose $1,100 or $1,200 in a month.
State says veteran's estate owes 421G 02/08/2013: DEAR HARRY: I received a letter from the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs that set me back on my heels. The letter included a check for $23,852 payable to my son's estate. He died earlier this year in the Delaware Valley Veterans'
Riding high on Berkshire Hathaway 02/06/2013: DEAR HARRY: My father always thought of you as the greatest invention since aspirin. He bought some Berkshire Hathaway stock all through the '80s at your suggestion.
He wonders what kind of insurance he needs 02/04/2013: DEAR HARRY: I'm in a terrible dilemma over insurance. I am 35 and have recently become a first-time father to a beautiful baby girl. Naturally, the question of life insurance came up. We got seven calls from agents selling life insurance in the month foll
Reader wants to pay tax in installments 02/01/2013: DEAR HARRY: I'm in a bind. I prepared my 1040 early, as I usually do to get a refund sooner, but found that I owe Uncle [Sam] a little more than $12,000. I don't have the money, and I want to hold the return until the last minute.
Wife has bright idea to pay off credit cards 01/30/2013: DEAR HARRY: I negotiated with my bank to let me pay the balance due on my mortgage for a $15,000 discount. My wife told me that she heard that I could use that same "paid in full" statement to pay off some credit-card debts.
Childless widow, 82, inherits a fortune 01/28/2013: DEAR HARRY: I am a childless widow, age 82. Back in December, I was notified that a 91-year-old uncle had just died and left me a $7 million fortune in three stocks that he apparently held for many years. After taxes and fees, it still comes to more than
How good is newsletter's money-back guarantee? 01/25/2013: DEAR HARRY: On April 26, I received a solicitation in the mail for a newsletter edited by a well-known investment adviser. It came with a 100 percent money-back guarantee at any time during the life of the subscription.
Code on back of credit card has a purpose 01/23/2013: DEAR HARRY: I had never used my computer to buy merchandise on the Internet, so I'm not sure I did the right thing. I went to a site that I know is legitimate and ordered about $150 worth of Christmas gifts.