October Is National Financial Planning Month

FIVE TIPS TO FINDING A FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL THAT FITS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY The financial professional you pick to manage your assets and advise you on key financial decisions may affect your retirement and other major financial goals more, maybe, than even you. Make the right choice. When trying to find a financial professional, you … Read more

Financial Planning Tips for Young Adults

Whether you’re still living at home, in school, or starting your career, your late teens and twenties present a prime opportunity to think about your financial future. Though you may not hit your peak earning years until your 40s or 50s, learning positive financial habits early might help support you when you need it later.1 Below, … Read more

Four Tips for Gaining Financial Independence

THE GOLDEN RULE OF FINANCIAL PLANNING: IF YOU CAN PLAN IT, YOU CAN PURSUE IT Over the past July 4th, we celebrated our country’s history of declaring independence and guaranteeing basic human freedoms. But true freedom includes financial independence, as well. Self-sufficiency isn’t guaranteed, but every one of us has the opportunity to achieve it. … Read more

Why Invest?

To accumulate wealth, people may choose to invest their money into various types of investments. Investing creates opportunities that otherwise would be difficult to manage due to the consistency of contributing to the investment. However, investing involves risks including possible loss of principal. No investment strategy or risk management technique can guarantee return or eliminate … Read more

Five Financial Mistakes You Should Avoid

We all make mistakes, and through them, we learn. But when it comes to finances, trial-and-error may not be the most suitable approach for you. Maybe you’re making some simple mistakes that can be fixed with a little bit of effort. Your financial professional can help. FIVE FINANCIAL MISTAKES TO AVOID Avoiding some of the … Read more

Changes to Student Loans and Payments in 2021

The student loan landscape has changed dramatically since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the suspension of interest payments on federal student loans to tax incentives for employers who pay their employees’ student loans, there are a number of new programs available to help make student loan repayment cheaper and simpler. Below, learn more … Read more

Budgeting for a Family

Starting a family is one of life’s most rewarding experiences. However, it will also profoundly impact your financial picture, with a list of expenses that grows by the year. (One estimate pegs the total expenses for a child’s first 18 years at $233,610.)[1] As you begin planning for your first child, consider these key areas … Read more

The Sandwich Generation: A Growing U.S. Concern

As the U.S. population continues to age, the “sandwich generation” is caught in the middle, supporting both their parents and their children, whether financially, physically, or emotionally. This generation is the middle-aged generation supporting the baby boomer generation—now the largest generation ever. By 2035, one in three heads of households will be someone age 65 and older. The American population will have … Read more

The Cost of College Is up 1,200% since 1980

Due to the shift to online classes over the past year, 2020 saw the lowest tuition increase in the last four decades. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest year-over-year change in college tuition and fees was recorded in June 1982 at 14.2%, while overall inflation was up 6.6% over that same time period. … Read more