With the market down double digits in 2022, a common question on many people’s minds is Should I just pay extra on my mortgage instead of investing in a losing market? This is appealing to many people in many ways. Instead of diving into all the facts and figures, let’s start by first exploring the […]

Giving is something I am passionate about. According to The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, gifts is one of my top love languages. I believe giving is so much more than just the monetary or financial value of what is given. I believe it unlocks the greater ability inside of us to help others […]

Open enrollment (the annual period when you can enroll in major medical health insurance plans), began November 1, 2023, and will remain open until January 15, 2024. You will need to enroll by December 15, 2023 for coverage that begins January 1, 2024.1 For someone looking to change or add coverage, this offers a short window […]

What is all the buzz about Health Savings Accounts? You may have heard about what an HSA can potentially offer: a pool of tax-exempt dollars for health care, a path to tax savings, even a possible source of retirement income after age 65. You may want to look at this option if you are eligible. […]

If you’ve ever clicked over to a financial news channel, you’ve probably heard the term “the Fed.” But who, or what, exactly is the Fed? And why does it matter to you? Here, we explain the Federal Reserve System, or the Fed, and explore how its decisions affect us all as Americans.  What is the […]

Receiving Social Security benefits is advantageous in retirement, but like many other forms of income, these benefits can be subject to tax by the Federal Government. To accurately predict your retirement income (and taxes), it’s important to understand how Social Security benefits are taxed. How are Social Security Benefits Taxed? While Social Security Income makes […]

Early retirement may seem like an appealing thought. However, good preparation is key to considering an early retirement. If you’re not prepared, you might run into complications. Here are a few things to consider before you put in your resignation at your job.  Will You Have Enough Money for Your Entire Retirement? Retirees tend to […]

It’s easy to lose track of all of the different document retention periods that exist for the various reasons we might need to provide them one day. It can be likely tempted to shred everything to be done with it and not have to worry about storing them anymore. Still, keeping good records will reduce […]

Social Security is a different experience for every American, but a few aspects are the same. Last year, MassMutual put out a quiz about Social Security and they were surprised at how few people got even a passing grade. Let’s see how you do. True or False:1 Ready for your answers? 1. True; 2. True; […]

Parents have the responsibility of training their children to grow into successful, independent adults. For many parents, talking to kids about money can cause fear or trepidation. One big reason for this is that they don’t believe they know enough about money themselves and fear they will give their children the wrong information. Although discussing […]