Budgeting can help you achieve your goals faster. Once you realize that budgeting can help you achieve the goals you’ve set out for yourself, you may find the process inspiring. Think of your budget as a spending plan Think of your budget as your “how-to” plan for spending your money rather than what you “can’t” spend. The upside is that by budgeting for short- and long-term expenditures, you can spend money without feeling guilty about it, because you’ve actually planned to spend it! With a budget, you will simply be allocating all your expenditures with a means to an end,
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Archives for Financial Literacy
It’s Annuity Awareness Month. How much do you know about annuities?
Because June is Annuity Awareness Month, here is an overview about them. Annuity product designs and types continue to evolve, primarily to meet the demands of people nearing retirement. In addition to their original purpose of providing retirement income, insurance companies have developed hybrid policies, adding features to address the multiple risks consumers face as they get older. The most important thing you should know about annuities is that they are insurance policies, or contracts between you and an insurance company. Guarantees in them are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. As with
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Managing Your Finances
We work with dozens of people to help them create retirement plans. But in order to get to a successful retirement, there are thousands of small decisions along the way. Like, should you drive through your local coffee place and grab a latte this morning? Go with the office gang for lunch at that little bistro across the street, which usually costs you around $15? Should you order pizza delivered for dinner tonight because you didn’t go to the grocery store yesterday? Grab that new shirt because it’s 50% off? Sticking to a budget is the beginning of mastering your
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4 Tips to Get Your Finances In Order
4 Tips to Get Your Financial House in Order In addition to that rewarding tradition of spring cleaning to get your house in order, this is a great time to get your finances in shipshape condition. We offer these tips to help you. 1. TAKE A HARD LOOK AT YOUR CREDIT CARDS Even though new credit cards are equipped with computer chips that make it harder for hackers to hijack your data, it’s a good idea to check your statements to make sure there are no mistaken or duplicate charges. 2. CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORTS ANNUALLY It’s free to check
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April is Financial Literacy Month
April is “Financial Literacy Month” and one of your best financial “teachers” can be your tax return. Here are some lessons to consider: 1. AVOID A BIG REFUND OR BIG TAX BILL Does your payroll withholding amount need adjusting? That’s what a huge tax bill or hefty refund is telling you. Shoot for the middle. Themore allowances you claim on your W-4 on file with your employer, the less tax is withheld. 2. A HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT (HSA) MIGHT HELP Even with health insurance, steep medical bills can accrue. Unless they total 10% of your adjusted gross income, you can’t
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