Do you want to be a millionaire? Of course you do. And while for most people that seems like a fantasy, the reality is that if you start planning early enough, saving one million dollars is not impossible. $1,000,000 is a big number, but if you break it up into smaller chunks, it gets more… Read More
WHY YOUR CREDIT CARD APPLICATION WAS DENIED (AS REPORTED BY MICHAEL PRUSER ON WWW.FIVECENTNICKEL.COM)
While it is never a good idea to spend more than you can afford at any given time, credit cards are an important financial tool for the savvy consumer. But getting denied for a credit card is a sign that something is wrong, and should be addressed. Michael Pruser, writing on www.fivecentnickel.com, lists five common… Read More
BUYING LIFE INSURANCE (AS REPORTED BY ANNA BAHNEY ON MONEY.CNN.COM)
Life insurance is not a topic people spend much time thinking about. That’s because it is only ever necessary in death, a subject we don’t like thinking much about ever. But if you have people that depend on you – a spouse, children, employees – life insurance is an important part of your personal financial… Read More
HOW TO ASK FOR A RAISE (AS REPORTED BY MIRANDA MARQUIT ON WWW.MONEYNING.COM)
One of the best things that can happen to you, from a personal finance perspective, is getting a raise. But most people don’t recognize that the people that get raises are the ones that ask for them. Asking for a raise might sound scary for people who have never done it before. But there are… Read More
UNPREDICTABLE PAYCHECKS (AS REPORTED BY JONATHAN MORDUCH AND RACHEL SCHNEIDER ON WWW.THEATLANTIC.COM)
A new report called the US Financial Diaries wanted to look at something that most studies of personal finances ignore, the day to day impact of incomes and expenses for many Americans. While most people understand that poor or working class families often live paycheck to paycheck, the US Financial Diaries reports that far more… Read More
WHY AREN’T WAGES HIGHER? (AS REPORTED BY PETER COY ON WWW.BLOOMBERG.COM)
The good news is that the unemployment rate is lower now than it has been at any time since before the Great Recession. The bad news is that average wages have not risen as much as most economists would expect them to. Traditionally, the better the unemployment rate, the higher employers have to pay workers… Read More
HOW MUCH HOME CAN YOU AFFORD? (AS REPORTED BY KATHRYN VASEL ON MONEY.CNN.COM)
This is a seller’s market when it comes to real estate. Lower inventory across the country is driving home costs higher. And so if you’re one of millions of Americans planning to buy a home this year, CNN Money wants you to keep a few things in mind. First, and most importantly, be honest with… Read More
FINANCIAL ADVISOR WARNING SIGNS (AS REPORTED BY LIZ FRAZIER PECK ON WWW.FORBES.COM)
Financial advisors traditionally serve the wealthier among us, who are historically more proactive with their money, because they have more of it. But these industry professionals can be a good idea for anyone looking to make smarter financial decisions, and can benefit people across the income spectrum. But only if you hire the right ones…. Read More
KEY RETIREMENT MILESTONES (AS REPORTED BY PERSONAL.VANGUARD.COM)
We all have questions about retirement – ranging from how to save for it to when is it time? To help answer some of those questions, Vanguard recently shared the 7 big financial milestones in retirement. These are the ages when most of us will be able to take key steps toward a more secure… Read More
INCOME INEQUALITY AND AGE (AS REPORTED BY ALLISON SCHRAGER ON WWW.QZ.COM)
If you pay attention to the news much these days, you are likely to hear a lot about income inequality. The fact that incomes at the very top have grown rapidly over the last several decades while everyone else’s have stagnated is a large drain on the economy. And brand new research suggests that your… Read More