With the start of a new year, you should take some time to think about your financial wellness in addition to your overall health. Do you feel like you are in a good place financially? If you are not happy with your current financial situation, how could you change things this year to get on the...
Should I pay extra on my student loan or invest in a Roth IRA? Build up an emergency savings fund or pay off my credit card debt? Pay off my mortgage or put more money in my 401(k) retirement plan? In one form or another, the trending question lately has been, "Is it better to pay down debt or...
Have you heard the news? Do you use the Mint app to track your spending? Maybe you haven’t if you are not a Mint user. But the very popular budgeting app Mint launched in 2009 is phasing out to become integrated into the Intuit-owned app, Credit Karma. They are saying the Mint app will no longer be...
Money and the holidays. For some of us, we happily swing into the spending mode. I look forward to the excuse to buy people gifts and spend money on treats. Each store I walk into is full of tempting, fun, creative, and exciting things all waiting for me! One of my strong money personalities is "...
The clock is ticking on organizing your student loan repayment. After several years of pause, federal student loan payments are due, as of October 2023. Interest accrual is back in full force. Other changes may affect you too!
Take time to check if you benefit from:
The SAVE (...
When I faced a major life decision of deciding whether or not to retire, looking at my financial situation was a big factor in the decision. I estimated what my future expenses would be and compared those against my expected income. I did a net worth statement, which forced me to...
Leaves are falling, but interest rates remain high. Have you ever wondered how the Fed rate decisions impact you? First, let’s explain what is meant by the Fed. The Fed is short for the Federal Reserve System, the United States's central bank....
An upsetting thing has happened to me. My professional identity has been stolen and is being used on WhatsApp to entice my online Coursera students to invest in who knows what!
Let me be clear. I would never encourage students or anyone else to buy a particular investment, and I certainly would...
The new school year brings a lot of excitement and maybe some new responsibilities. Those responsibilities could be paying housing expenses or splitting those expenses with roommates, buying groceries, managing a budget, and more. But how do you pay for all of these things? Just the thought of...
On a good day, I wonder if my family hears what I say or if all they hear is "blah, blah, blah!" However, when I talk about what I want to happen if I'm in an accident, hospitalized, or die, I'm SURE some of my family completely block my words. That's why I think it's so important that I write down...
