Author: Elizabeth Blessing
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Children who lose a parent generally collect 75% of that parent’s Social Security benefit
A flat percentage, not a sliding scale, decides what a child receives after a working parent dies. A surviving spouse’s Social Security payment climbs in age-based steps, but a surviving child’s share holds at one number across the board. The Social Security Administration puts that number at 75% of the deceased parent’s benefit, before any…
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Widows who wait until 65 collect over 90% of a late spouse’s Social Security
Survivor benefits do not pay a single fixed share of a late spouse’s Social Security; the percentage moves with the age of the person filing for it. At 60, the earliest a widow or widower can claim, SSA pays 71.5% of the deceased spouse’s benefit. By 65, that share has climbed past 90%, and it…
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Food stamp purchase limits start November 1 in Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia, USDA’s updated waiver table shows
Five states will stop letting SNAP benefits buy candy, soda or other high-sugar items starting November 1, 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s own tracking table. Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia all carry that same date in USDA’s Food and Nutrition Administration list of approved purchase-restriction waivers, updated September 25,…
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Social Security takes back SSI overpayments at 10% of the monthly payment by default, a fifth of the 50% it withholds from regular benefits
A Social Security overpayment notice removes money from a monthly check automatically once its response window closes, and how much disappears depends on which benefit pays it. The Social Security Administration withholds 10% of the monthly payment by default when the debt sits on a Supplemental Security Income record. Regular Social Security retirement, survivor and…
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Hayward will repair for free, in owners’ homes, 4,600 pool heaters that sold for about $5,600
Hayward will send a technician to inspect and repair, in the owner’s home and at no cost, about 4,600 Universal pool heaters that sold for about $5,600, after identifying a defect that poses a carbon monoxide poisoning hazard. The recall, dated Sept. 17, covers heaters sold between March and July 2026. Carbon monoxide has no…
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Target and Nordstrom shoppers get full refunds on 4,000 recalled Love To Dream sleep machines that sold for about $60
Love To Dream will give a full refund to owners of about 4,000 portable sleep machines sold at Target and Nordstrom for about $60, after finding the battery can overheat when paired with an incompatible charger. The recall, announced Sept. 24, covers units sold between February 2025 and September 2026. No injuries have been reported.…
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Char-Broil will send free repair kits for 10,605 Bistro Pro electric grills sold at Lowe’s and Walmart for up to $250
Char-Broil will send a free repair kit to owners of about 10,605 Bistro Pro electric grills sold at Lowe’s, Walmart and other retailers for $150 to $250, after the company found a wiring defect that can cause an electric shock. No injuries have been reported. Owners who complete the repair and submit photo proof can…
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Costco-sold Sauna360 infrared saunas that cost up to $13,000 get free in-home repairs after 67 overheating reports
Sauna360 will send a technician to make a free in-home repair on about 41,580 infrared and hybrid infrared saunas sold at Costco for $6,000 to $13,000, after 67 reports of the units overheating, melting, charring or burning. The recall covers saunas and infrared kits sold under several brand names between May 2013 and July 2026.…
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Car dealers must advertise a price that includes every mandatory fee, the FTC told the industry
The Federal Trade Commission told the auto industry on Sept. 15 that an advertised vehicle price has to be the actual price a customer can walk in and pay, with no mandatory fee left off the sticker. The only charges a dealer can still leave out of that number are ones the government itself requires…
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California used-car buyers who cancel within three days can be charged a restocking fee of $200 to $600
Starting Oct. 1, 2026, a California used-car dealer can charge a buyer a restocking fee of $200 to $600 for canceling a purchase within three days. The fee only applies if the buyer paid for an optional cancellation agreement at the time of sale, since California has no automatic right to return a used car.…