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How to Use Emotional Intelligence to Work From Home
By: Laura BergerThe Coronavirus pandemic has dominated, well, everything. But a not-so-small consequence is many employees being asked or forced to work from home. While a dream for so many, so many now realize how daunting this shift truly is.Generally, the...
Retirement Contributions and College
by Ann GarciaPerhaps the most frequently asked question we get is how to balance saving for retirement and college. And I can’t answer that in a blog post because the right way to balance depends on your specific circumstances. We have told clients to pause retirement...
The Year of Living Uncomfortably
by Kristina LeonardiI recently read that “a person’s success in life can usually be measured by the amount of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.” Many people begin the year by starting a new exercise or other routine that can have them feeling...
Five Questions For College-Bound Students
by Ann Garcia1. Have you talked with your parents about how much they’re willing to pay for college?Most families finance college through a combination of savings, cash flow and borrowing. A short-cut to how much you can afford is to add ¼ of your college savings, the...
Financial Wellness Checkup: How Healthy Are You?
Adapted from an article by Stacy Francis Especially in this tumultuous time, it's important to not only check up on your physical health, but your financial health as well. Use this checklist to make sure your finances are healthy.Do You…Use a budget: Such benefits...
Financial Tips for Moving Out on Your Own
By: Ted James Moving out on your own for the first time can be exciting, scary, and confusing all at the same time. And when it comes to your finances, there are several things you should be prepared to handle. Saving money, raising your credit score, building credit,...
Financial Planning & Divorce
By: Michelle Petrowski, CFP®, CDFA I recently read an article that hit home for me as a single divorced Financial Planner and raises the question, “Why isn’t the divorce scenario tested when creating financial plans? “. The current landscape Americans are living...
How to Stay Focused and Achieve What You Want
By: Laura BergerThree techniques for making strides in your personal and professional life.Creating goals keeps you productive, but it is important to make sure you don’t overload yourself with too many or unrealistic ambitions.What’s more, wanting to...
How to Protect Your Personal Finances in Divorce
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA Divorces are very complicated and can take a huge emotional toll on you. The last thing you need is for your divorce to be a financial disaster, on top of that. One of the biggest questions divorcing couples have is “how are we going to...
Raiding Your 401(K) Can Be a Divorce Disaster
By: Stacy Francis It's more common than you might think: Tapping retirement accounts to make ends meet during divorce. And it's also potentially much more costly than you realize. Many divorcing spouses find themselves strapped for money to pay for mounting legal...
4 Ways to Secure a Financially Sound Future
By: Ted JamesWith a new baby comes infinite joy and a great deal of added expenses and responsibilities, too. Of course, the bulk of these boils down to your finances, which is why financial planning is not only prudent but a real necessity at this point in your...
Which Savings Account is Best for Your Financial Goals
By: Savvy Ladies Team How to save money? There are ways to grow your money and make the money you have work harder for you. Stretching your money these days is not an easy task, and while many of us know that we should be saving, we don’t always know how and where to...
Q&A: Robo Advising
With Cynthia LohQ: What is your best financial advice?A: Don’t be afraid of leveraging technology to help you manage your investments. Technology has helped make lots of day-to-day aspects of our lives easier – whether that’s ordering an item on Amazon, or getting a...
Financial Considerations When Having a Baby
By: Emily GrahamBeing pregnant is a wonderful experience, but it can be worrisome too. Many moms-to-be get overwhelmed with concern about the baby’s health, the challenges of motherhood, and the financial stresses of being pregnant and having a baby. Let’s look at the...
Survival as a Solopreneur: 7 Toughest Things About Working Alone — and How to Conquer Them
By: Laura GayleNo more strict hours or stuffy business attire: You are your own boss and can adhere to any schedule and dress code you want. Creating your own company and working alone certainly has some enticing perks, but there are also some risks. Pay can...
5 Affordable Beauty Tips for Summer
By: Tori Lutz Everyone wants to look their best, particularly during summer months when you get to show some skin. Fancy beauty treatments that help you get to that goal look can get quite expensive, though, if you don’t budget wisely and find some ways to save money...
Best Social Security Claiming Strategies For Working Spouses?
By: Michelle Petrowski, CFP®, CDFA Q: My husband retired from the military after 30 years of service. He turned 72 November 24, 2018. He receives his Social Security check, a check from the Veterans Affairs, and he also receives multiple pensions. I still work but I...
3 Tips to Reduce Later Life Divorce from Wreaking Havoc on your Retirement Plan
By: Michelle Petrowski, CFP®, CDFA A laterlife divorce can wreak havoc on even the most well-thought out retirement plan - as there is little time to amass assets and recover from the loss of previously anticipated retirement income. "Gray" divorces — among couples...
How Women Can Help Fill the Retirement Savings Gap
By: Michelle Petrowski, CFP®, CDFA There is certainly a gender gap issue that women face in pay, but there is also a larger one they face in retirement. Having left the workforce to raise families or care for aging parents, possibly having gone through a divorce and...
Increase Tax-Free Retirement Income With an HSA
By: Michelle Petrowski, CFP®, CDFA What’s an HSA? I have heard some say it’s like a Roth IRA on steroids. Health savings accounts (HSAs) are becoming more popular as high-deductible healthcare plans (HDHP) with this option become the norm. According to the IRS, a “...
Rebuilding Your Financial Future After Divorce
By: Michelle Petrowski, CFP®, CDFA If you are like most, your divorce ends with debt, and the last thing we are thinking about is retirement. I know, I've been there; nothing kills a retirement plan like a divorce. There are no student loans or government bailouts to...
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