Were you one of those fortunate enough to receive a large tax refund this year? Are you now wondering what to do with all that extra cash? It might be tempting to just go out and spend it all, but there are so many better ways to put that money to good use! Here are some smart ways to invest your tax refund this year. Down Payment – If you have been considering purchasing a home…
For many, 2020 has been hugely stressful, and the benefits of taking time off are often underestimated. When life gives us unexpected turns, one of the best things we can do is use the opportunity to take a step back and relax. Taking time off from our place of employment gives us the means to do precisely that. For those of us still able to do it safely, vacation and travel provide a tremendous benefit.…
What doctors are for your physical/mental health, advisors are for your financial health. What do you do before you visit a doctor? Understand your condition, prepare for all the questions that the doctor would ask, ensure all your test reports/medical history documents are in order, and so on. Preparation is a must even before you visit a financial doctor. Here’s a comprehensive checklist that will help you prepare for a meeting with your financial advisor.…
The coronavirus outbreak has affected humans in many ways. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it not only a health crisis but also a situation that impacts society, life, economy, and the future of the world. However, there is a bright side to everything, and people have a lot to learn from their current circumstances. These testing times are sure to make people immune, robust, and proactive in all the aspects mentioned above. Financial management…
Do insurance options seem overwhelming at times? It can be tricky to navigate the many different plan types and terminologies to find the right fit for your needs. Unfortunately, most people know very little about insurance, 90% of Americans aren’t even comfortable explaining basic terms1 like premium or deductible. Insurance needs change as we age and move through different stages of our lives. The same policy or plan that benefits you today could very well be…
An economic crisis is a situation where a country experiences a financial plunge. It affects the GDP value, as well as reduces liquidity in the system. It also causes drastic market fluctuations and can lead to inflation or deflation. What is more startling is the lack of preparedness to tackle such situations, causing further economic issues. At an individual level, it is important to ensure that you stay afloat during such demanding times. Here are…
Divorce wrecks a lot of things, and your finances are often one of the biggest. Even worse, the financial impact of divorce isn’t limited to those first few years where you’re trying to live on an individual’s salary after years of sharing expenses. Divorce can also seriously impact your retirement from a number of angles. Here’s a quick field guide to some of the most important to consider as you assemble your post-divorce financial plan. First Things First:…
Your child’s future success might encourage you to pull out all of the stops when it comes to funding their education, but you still need to take care of yourself. Saving for retirement or your child’s education is an ongoing debate many parents face throughout their lives, but it’s important to strike a balance between your own financial independence and funding your child’s near or long-term future. As children get older, the case for putting…
A Real Fiduciary is someone who is legally obligated to give you advice that is in your best interest. It doesn’t make sense to pay for financial advice when the advice doesn’t have to be in your best interest. Period. A Real Fiduciary is someone who is legally obligated to give you advice that is in your best interest. Yes, this means there are financial advisors (the majority of them, actually) who get paid by their clients…
According to the Employee Benefits Research Institute’s (EBRI) 2018 Retirement Confidence Survey, American workers have both a vital—and pressing—need to prepare better for retirement. Nearly 8-in-10 American workers have less than $250,000 set aside for retirement. And 60 percent of American workers have not crunched the numbers on how much they’ll need to live on in retirement. To help answer how much you need to retire and demystify this important—and urgent—topic, I’ve listed out four scenarios…
Stocks have been the focus over the past couple of months. When you hear about the “market,” they are referring to the stock market. When they discuss that the “futures are up” or the “futures are down,” they are talking about stocks. Everybody wants to talk about stocks, but there is another type of investment that is also very important and that makes up a large percentage of your portfolio that rarely gets a mention — bonds.…
Having a good financial advisor is a major part of organizing and maintaining your wealth, but all too often, people get frustrated with the advisor-client relationship because their advisors are only in the business for the money. In many cases, you won’t just meet with a financial advisor once and never see them again. You’re more likely to build a long-term relationship with your advisor and visit them routinely to discuss changes in your estate…
Retirement planning is crucial for everyone, whether you have thousands in the bank or millions. But affluent individuals looking to maintain long-term wealth may need to consider vehicles for retirement savings differently than most to ensure the strategic growth of their assets. Most people have heard of or use a traditional or Roth IRA account, which allows for pre- or post-tax contributions for investment, but have you considered a self-directed IRA? Managed correctly, self-directed IRAs…