Financial Planning

A recent survey found that 85% of Americans said their personal finances were causing them stress. One of the most common concerns was having enough saved for retirement. There’s no better time than now to review your current situation and make resolutions. If you’re feeling anxious, angry, or fatigued due to your money-related stresses, then consider these three tips for financial health in the new year. #1 Establish a List of Goals As the year goes by, significant events can impact your outlook on life and retirement. Unfortunately, these events sometimes force you to lose [...]

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for many things – eating too much, seeing friends and family, and giving and receiving gifts. The end of the year is also a good time to review your finances from 2021 and get ready for 2022 and beyond. Here are three reasons why it’s the most wonderful time of year to plan for your future. It’s Time to Review Your 2021 Finances  The end of the year is a good time to review where 2021 has left you, prepare for tax season, and make a budget [...]

A new year can bring about a new mindset and optimism, but it’s also important to have a plan to deal with the challenges we could face. We could see high inflation, a volatile market, and higher taxes, and it’s important to have a plan in place to address these concerns. Here are some ways to be prepared for 2022. How Will You Deal with Inflation? Inflation can eat away at your retirement savings and could negatively affect the market. The last time the inflation rate was over 5%, the U.S. was in the Great [...]

Do you have a to-do checklist for December? It might include buying gifts, ordering a turkey, and sending out cards. In the midst of the busyness of the holidays, it can be easy to forget about your end-of-year financial checklist. However, December 31st is the deadline to make several important tax moves that could affect you come filing season next year. Don't forget these important end-of-year deadlines! Review Your Retirement Account Contributions It’s not too late to max out your 401(k), IRA, or another retirement account for 2021. At age 50, workers can make annual [...]

Alexander Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury: He created the first national bank, consolidated the new country's war debts, and established federal credit. You could say he was America's first Chief Financial Officer. He was also a self-taught immigrant who started with no wealth but ended up on the $10 bill. Hamilton never reached retirement, but we can learn important financial lessons from him. Know Your Finances Hamilton grew up poor and was concerned with his own financial wellbeing and the country’s wellbeing in the long term. He wanted America to have a [...]

In retirement, you have to transition from saving to spending. You've worked hard to amass wealth, and now you must protect it from market downturns and make it last for the rest of your life. We have seen record highs in the stock market recently, but the state of the market at the time of your retirement isn’t within your control. Here are three crucial questions to ask yourself when preparing for and in retirement. When Will You Retire? The decision to retire isn't always based on money. Sometimes the desire for freedom, health problems, [...]