We cover the basics and more about personal finance, answering frequently asked questions about credit and debt, identity theft, saving for college, retirement, estate planning, insurance, taxes, job hunting, and raising money-savvy kids. Check out the articles, columns, blog posts, radio shows and videos for tons of personal finance advice.
Personal Finance Advice: Five Tricks and Treats for Your Finances
How do you feel about your finances—are you scared to death? Are you on track to meet your financial goals for this year? Has your financial life derailed instead? If your finances are more frightening than watching a scary movie alone at midnight on Halloween, treat yourself to these five money management tricks. It may [...]
Five Ways to Use a Blog to Promote Your Business
Marketing your small business doesn’t need to cost a fortune. While you may find success with traditional small business marketing tactics, such as direct mail and neighborhood flyers, establishing a comprehensive blog can help draw in new customers from around the world. Using a blog to attract traffic—and clients Your blog can be a powerful [...]
Sit on a Board of Directors? You May Need Additional Insurance
Sitting on the board of any organization, whether a non-profit or a for-profit, can be a very rewarding experience. Unfortunately, if the organization does not have the proper insurance policy in place, doing so can also put your own assets at risk. As a director or officer, you have a responsibility to properly run and [...]
Victims of Domestic Abuse Need to Have a Financial Strategy
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. As survivors of domestic abuse situations begin to take control of their lives, regaining financial stability, saving money and setting financial goals are tasks of the utmost importance. Financial abuse is a common tactic used by abusers to gain power and control in a relationship. It can be as [...]
Tax Tips: Do I Need to Adjust My Tax Withholding?
This year feels like it has zipped by quickly. Here we are, deep into September—the perfect time to review your finances, prepare for tax season, and figure out whether you’ll need to adjust your tax withholding. By this time, you’ve earned three-quarters of the year’s routine income. You likely have a pretty good idea of [...]
Retirement Savings: Four Tips to Catch Up
A recent study by the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) revealed that roughly 90 percent of Americans do not have enough retirement savings, even by conservative measures. When all households are included—not just households with retirement accounts—the median retirement account balance for near-retirement households is $12,000. To put that in perspective, consider this: In [...]
Why Now Might Be a Bad Time to Retire
Despite years of planning and building their retirement savings, baby boomers may be heading for retirement at the worst time in a generation or more, according to an analysis by Bankrate. Boomers face financial challenges that could pose significant issues during retirement, especially in their later years. Some of the most pressing concerns include a [...]
Saving Money When Caring for Sick Pets
If you have a furry or feathered family member, you’ve probably faced this conundrum: How much are you willing to budget for medications and medical care for Fluffy? It’s not always a simple question to answer. For example, our family paid less than $10 for a hamster, and we swore that we would never spend [...]
Ten Real-Life Steps for Teaching Money Management
Teaching your teens money management skills, such as how to stick to a budget and save money, is essential training for when they’re older. When your teens get older, giving them a weekly allowance may no longer make sense, as they want and need more control over what they buy. Often, their purchases are big-ticket [...]
Do I Need Disability Insurance?
Many of us think of the “big four” when it comes to insurance: home, life, health, and auto. These insurance policies are designed to protect you and your family from an expensive financial disaster, whether it’s a hospital stay or your house burning down. What many of us forget to consider, though, is whether or [...]