We're currently experiencing one of the strongest economic recoveries in generations. Despite some reasons to feel concerned about the future -- be they political, humanitarian, other otherwise -- you probably have even more reasons to feel optimistic about your finances right now.
Which makes right now an excellent time to make some smart money moves that either help you take advantage of the healthy economy or prepare you for the point in the future when the tides inevitably change.
Read MoreWhen planning for your future, there is always some confusion about balancing savings for multiple goals simultaneously. The major dilemma falls on parents when contemplating whether they should allocate their savings dollars towards future retirement dreams or start socking away funds to pay for their child’s college tuition bills. While sorting out these two competing priorities can feel overwhelming at first, we’ve laid out 5 rules to follow when faced with this tough decision.
Read MoreThe rising costs of college is a topic that most parents grind their teeth thinking about when it comes up. CNBC reported that the value of student loans parents are taking on for their kids has skyrocketed in recent years. In financial planning discussions with parents, I find we spend most of their time discussing their children's education over just about any other topic. The reasons are clear parents want to give their kids every opportunity at success.
Read MoreLearn how to tell your money where to go instead of wondering where it went – the difference between budgeting and cash flow mapping.
Read MoreOffering restricted stock units (RSUs) is a common way for employers to extend stock-based compensation to their employees. More employees are starting to see RSUs as part of their overall compensation arrangement. Receiving RSUs or stock-linked compensation is a sign that things are going well in your career!
Read MoreEmployee stock purchase plans (ESPP) give plan participants the ability to purchase shares in their company stock at discounted rates. ESPPs, sometimes called Associate Stock Purchase Plans or other branded names, are overlooked but are a smart way to invest. You could be leaving thousands of dollars in free money on the table by not taking advantage of your company’s plan.
Read MoreIt’s probably no surprise that the number one cause of stress for any marriage is money. To prevent unneeded financial stress, you and your partner must focus on practical ways to manage your family finances. Luckily, we’ve outlined 5 simple money habits that can lead couples towards a harmonious financial partnership.
Read MoreYou do the absolute best you can for your kids. You work hard to support them, and a significant chunk of the household budget is dedicated not just to their needs but countless other things that may give them a boost in life. And yet, there are times when your kids tell you that somehow, it's not enough. That they're missing out (and it's your fault). They don't have as much as their friends; they don't get to do as much as the neighbors.
Read MorePeople often think they have terrible luck. If you search on Google for the unluckiest person in the world, you can find a lot of very bizarre stories. One that I found interesting is from a town in Spain. Each year there is a Christmas time lottery run by the Spanish government called “El Gordo,” where the jackpots now reach over a billion dollars.
Read MoreOne of the trickiest biases to navigate when it comes to managing your finances is known as complexity bias, or the human tendency to “give undue credence to complex concepts.” In other words, we’re more attracted to complicated products and solutions…even when the simpler approach would serve us better.
Read More2020 ended the year with a bang. This was likely from two things; strong returns from the financial markets and most of us slamming the door on 2020! Stocks ended the year on an upbeat note despite the economic headlines and persistence of COVID 19.
Read MoreIt’s not just the money you make that determines how wealthy you are. Your mindset around the money you earn, use, and keep plays a huge role in how successful you are at using that money well, and feeling satisfied both with your finances and your life as a whole.
Read MoreWhether you are reading this article in 2020, or sometime down the road, how you are using your credit card reward points probably has changed in the last couple of years. It is always a good idea to periodically take a look at what you've got going on in your wallet when it comes to credit card reward points.
Read MoreAs the end of the year approaches it’s a good reminder to take a second to reflect on all the things that have happened this year. It’s also a fantastic time to check some of those financial to-dos off of your list. Today we are going to give you a few items that should definitely make it onto your end of year financial checklist. These year-end topics will cover a number of financial planning issues and while there are certainly a lot of things that could be added to this list, I believe these are the top 10 that apply to everyone.
Read MoreI’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way and some were real gems. Fortunately, most of the mistakes were in my 20s and seemed bigger at the time but have proven to be pretty lost cost life lessons. Here are a few of the financial mistakes that I’ve made along the way.
Read MoreThere are a lot of financial advisors out there and all of those are just a little bit different. So now that you've made the decision that it's time to hire a financial advisor, how do you make sure you're choosing the right one for you?
Read MoreWe find for many divorcees the decision about what to do with the house tends to be made for more emotional reasons, without a lot of consideration for the financial ramifications. It's really important to try to put the emotions aside when you're trying to make this decision. My name is Brandy Branstetter and I'm the co-founder and wealth advisor at Beyond Wealth, where our goal is to empower you to live your best life. And today we're going to help you do just that. We’re going to be tackling an important topic, and that is what are your housing options available to you after you go through a divorce? So keep in mind that this is really just for general information, and if you would like some guidance on your unique situation, please don't hesitate to reach out. So let's go ahead and dive in.
Read MoreWhen you get a big raise or a significant promotion, you naturally want to celebrate. This may include treating you and your spouse to dinner out or a vacation you have been talking about for years. It might also mean you are going to increase your spending to coincide with your new income growth. Lifestyle creep is something that impacts people in different stages of life. It is particularly important to recognize and avoid before it affects your financial goals.
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