One of the most popular questions people ask is whether they should save their money or invest it. The simple answer: both. While investing your money traditionally earns more than a savings account, there are risks and downsides.
Before you jump straight into risk-based investments, it’s essential to understand the pros and cons of both options
With the rise of online trading companies, it has become increasingly evident that investing and financial well-being weigh heavily on the minds of many Americans. These companies offer the promise of super-easy investing and outstanding returns.
Unfortunately, that is only half the picture when it comes to a solid long-term investment strategy. In reality, it takes much more than a few great stock picks along the way. However, working with a reputable financial advisor can help you make wise investment decisions and help you keep a well-rounded investment portfolio.
Buying a home can be exciting, and with the quick pace of the market today, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment. The competitive real estate market can lead people to make home offers before they’ve done their due diligence. The result can be buying a home that doesn’t really fit their needs or wants, or worse costs more than they planned on spending.
4 Ways to Boost Your Home’s Equity
Home equity is important to have for many reasons, including to borrow against it in the form of a home equity loan or home equity line of credit (HELOC). Home equity represents funds you can use to do any of the following, or more!
In a roller-coaster-type fashion, consumer saving and spending have seen their ups and downs during the Covid-19 pandemic. First, when the pandemic started, not only did spending on travel come to a screeching halt, but entertainment rapidly declined, as did in-person shopping. In general, people were spending less of their money, preferring to hold onto their cash partly or fully due to the unknown. Then, as the pandemic continued, government stimulus payments started hitting consumers’ accounts, and many people decided to safeguard these payments too.
This scenario resulted in a rise in consumer savings. However, that shift in consumer saving over spending is starting to reverse course as a result of a few key drivers, making it harder to maintain the savings you built.
If you’re like most people, you likely start each year with a list of resolutions to help you improve various aspects of your life. The list may include resolutions to help you become more physically fit, further your career growth and improve your personal relationships. Another category of resolutions you may make centers on those that affect your finances.
As 2021 draws to a close and we prepare to usher in 2022, take a moment to go through this year-end financial checklist for ensuring your finances are in order before the start of the New Year.
For many, fall signifies the beginning of the end of the year. It’s a time when many people start to plan for the holidays and the new year. Whether it's about decorations, parties, gifts, travel, entertainment, or anything in between, the magic of fall is contagious. But did you know that fall is also one of the best seasons for financial planning ahead of the new year?
An excellent credit score is the ultimate goal of the financially responsible consumer. Those three magic digits tell a story of accountability, good financial sense, and the ability to spend mindfully. A great credit score also unlocks doors for large, affordable loans; employment opportunities, and more.
Its significance notwithstanding, achieving and maintaining an excellent credit score is easier said than done. There is no quick and easy way to dramatically boost your score over a short amount of time, but you can take steps to increase your credit score gradually. Below, we’ve listed six ways you can start amping up your credit score today.
You and debt are so over. You’ve just about had it with those endless piles of credit card bills and those hideous numbers that never seem to get any lower. It’s time to kiss that debt goodbye!
Getting rid of high debt will take hard work, willpower and the determination to see it through until the end, but it is doable. Here, we’ve outlined six steps to help you start crushing debt today.
