Blog
Five Common Investment Mistakes When Planning for Retirement
Only about 17% of American workers say they are "very confident" they will have enough money to live comfortably throughout retirement.1 To help reduce such uncertainty in your life, consider these five common investment pitfalls --...
Read MoreWealth Building Strategies While Raising a Family
Raising a family is rewarding─and expensive. Consider taking these steps to support your family financially through a program of smart investing. Building a career and raising a family requires management skills. Juggling your time,...
Read MoreIs There a Secret Formula for Financial Wellness?
There are many prescriptions to get to financial health. Here are four proven strategies to help you get there. Setting and sticking to a budget In 2017, 78% of Americans said they were living paycheck to paycheck, up from 75% three...
Read MoreEstate Planning Checklist
One of the first steps you’ll take in the estate planning process is determining how much planning you’ll need to undertake. Two key components of your initial needs evaluation are an estate analysis and a settlement cost...
Read MoreEvaluating Investment Risk
To strike a balance between an investment’s risk and return, you must first be able to evaluate risk. But there is no one simple way to measure risk, which comes in many shapes and forms. Volatility, the tendency of an investment...
Read MoreShow All
Kids and Money: A Little Education May Pay Off
Just about anyone who's ever watched a child or grandchild go from the crib to kindergarten and beyond has uttered the phrase, "They grow up so fast." Although you can't really freeze a youngster's precious moments in time, you can...
Read MoreManage Risk in Your Portfolio
In order to figure out how to manage risk, you must first understand it. Investment risk -- or the risk of losing investment value -- comes in many forms. Four major components of investment risk are: (1) market risk, the likelihood...
Read MoreToo Young to Think About Investing? Think Again!
"How did it get so late so soon?" -- Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss's whimsical take on life has been delighting children of all ages for generations. His simple but powerful words continue to resonate today, even in the context of planning for a...
Read MoreAdding a Personal Backup with a Living Trust
The managers of well-run businesses usually name "backups" to keep things going smoothly -- just in case. That's also a smart plan for your personal finances, where you risk experiencing financial losses or other difficulties if you...
Read MoreA Financial Plan for All Seasons
Grab your sunglasses -- summer's here, and it's time to kick back and relax. If only it were that easy. It would be great if all your worries disappeared when summer arrived, but that doesn't happen. Actually, if money is stressing you...
Read MoreThe Financial Fitness Challenge: Tips for Strengthening Your Financial Health
Diet books. Fitness apps. Live-streamed exercise classes. They all tell you the same thing: Maintaining good physical health requires discipline and adherence to a few simple habits, such as eating wisely, getting enough sleep, and...
Read MoreHelping to Care for Aging Parents
Description: Tips on helping elderly parents find resources and assistance, as well as information you can use to make sure they have adequate financial counseling to help protect their assets. Synopsis: Many adults are finding that...
Read MoreGrowth vs. Value: Two Approaches to Stock Selection
Growth and value are two fundamental approaches in stock and stock mutual fund investing. Growth stock mutual fund managers look for companies that they believe offer strong earnings growth potential. Value fund managers look for...
Read MoreKeep Your Head in the Game: Avoiding Mental Errors When You Invest
In the sports world, a mental error can cost your team the big game. When you are investing, a mental error can put your retirement portfolio at risk. Mistakes often result from letting misconceptions and emotions affect your decisions...
Read MoreDon't Be a Victim to Identity Theft!
According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, the number of U.S. data breaches hit a new high in 2017. Nearly 20% of breachesincluded credit and debit card information, a nearly 6% increase from the prior year. The actual number of...
Read More