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This is the time of year when I typically offer financial planning advice to those who have the flexibility to make charitable gifts or plan ahead for taxes. But this year, more than ever, I am acutely aware of the millions of people to whom that advice doesn’t apply.

They are hard-working Americans struggling to make ends meet — to feed and clothe their children, to keep paying the rent or the mortgage, and to provide health insurance for themselves and their families. Or they are seniors whose budgets are strained by rising out-of-pocket medical expenses.

For them, my advice about staying out of debt is gratuitous. First, they’re probably not reading a personal finance column. And second, they may not have much choice to heed my warnings ab

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