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My husband switched 7 years ago to a job for which he does not contribute to Social Security. ... Does the age at which he retires affect the amount of Social Security he will receive? He no longer contributes to it and cannot build it up any longer. Thank you! DeDe, Cincinnati, OH

I max out contributions to my workplace 401K and a traditional IRA (I no longer qualify for a Roth). Should I be doing more to save for retirement? Are there other retirement vehicles available to me or should I continue investing in non-retirement accounts (e.g., direct purchase of mutual funds and/or stocks through my brokerage account)? Sandra, Silver Spring, MD

Our primary aim is to have a deposit for a house in 3 years. We have saved a reasonable sum of money but did not want it to linger in a current or savings account for 0.75%. We are deciding either investing at low risk or paying off mortgage. We have to sell our current house to buy a new house. My mortgage rate is 4.99%, so after tax rebate it is about 3.99%. Most investing opportunities are giving us about 2% at low risk and 3-5% at medium risk. After tax one would have to take another 1.25% off the return. We would like some advice. Thanks, Tom and Anne, Boston, MA

Marketplace Money host Tess Vigeland and David Lazarus, consumer columnist for The Los Angeles Times answer listener questions.

I have a student loan that is on an extended payment plan with a variable rate that is tied to prime. Currently, the rate is 2.11%. I have money available that I could put toward the loan, but at this interest rate, it seems advisable to invest the money. However, at some point down the road when the rates go back up, I may wish that I had paid off the loan early. Do you have any advice as to the best approach for paying off such a variable rate loan? Wendell, Rochester, NY

I have some money that I would like to place in a certificate of deposit to improve my return. Most of the U.S. banks I've looked at are offering 1.00% or less. However, some international banks -- most notably, Indian banks -- are offering around 9.00%. Is there a reason not to invest my money in an overseas institution when the payback looks so much better? Mark, Portland, OR

A question about mortgage refinancing.

A question about when to pay off your mortgage.

Question: Where can I find information about managing my own retirement IRA: I believe I can do no worse than the "expert" who manages mine and...

Question: I have a question that's more philosophical than practical, but it's something I've never received a satisfactory answer to. Assuming...