Buying a Home
There's no doubt about it--owning a home is an exciting prospect. After all, you've always dreamed of having a place that you could truly call your own. But buying a home can be stressful, especially when you're buying one for…
How to Identify the 10 Most Common Scams
In the digital age, all of our personal information can be found through a simple internet search on google. Public records are made available at the federal, state, county and city levels through the census and online property searches. Your…
Getting Started: Establishing a Financial Safety Net
In times of crisis, you don't want to be shaking pennies out of a piggy bank. Having a financial safety net in place can ensure that you're protected when a financial emergency arises. One way to accomplish this is by…
Travel Insurance
Soon you'll be on your way, taking that trip you've looked forward to for ages--but suppose something happens. If you get sick, lose your suitcase, or have to cut your trip short, will any of your existing insurance policies cover…
Estate Planning: An Introduction
By definition, estate planning is a process designed to help you manage and preserve your assets while you are alive, and to conserve and control their distribution after your death according to your goals and objectives. But what estate planning…
Am I Having Enough Withheld?
If you fail to estimate your federal income tax withholding properly, it may cost you in a variety of ways. If you receive an income tax refund, it essentially means that you provided the IRS with an interest-free loan during…
2019 Q1 Market Commentary
The S&P 500 rose by 13.1% while the Dow increased 11.2% and the NASDAQ climbed higher by 16.5%. Now, raise your hand if you saw that coming. Just ninety days ago we were discussing a government shutdown, rising interest rates,…
Deciding When to Retire: When Timing Becomes Critical
Deciding when to retire may not be one decision but a series of decisions and calculations. For example, you'll need to estimate not only your anticipated expenses, but also what sources of retirement income you'll have and how long you'll…
Estimating Your Retirement Income Needs
You know how important it is to plan for your retirement, but where do you begin? One of your first steps should be to estimate how much income you'll need to fund your retirement. That's not as easy as it…
Understanding Risk
Few terms in personal finance are as important, or used as frequently, as "risk." Nevertheless, few terms are as imprecisely defined. Generally, when financial advisors or the media talk about investment risk, their focus is on the historical price volatility…