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What are your top three financial goals? How do you think your goals could change after doing one simple exercise? Any of us can answer that first question pretty easily. We can spit out a few generic goals off the top of our heads. When we do, though, we’re probably cheating ourselves. That’s because setting goals off the top of our heads isn’t a really productive way to choose our investment strategies or make financials plans. And it’s certainly not the best way to prioritize our goals or keep them in focus. The truth is one very simple exercise can help us set better goals. With that, we’re far more likely to be successful in achieving them. What exercise can help us? Simply by using a “master list.” Let’s find out how it all works, by looking at the captivating findings of a recent study and what it tells us

A million dollars used to be the ultimate target for retirement portfolios. Retiring as a millionaire brought status and confidence that you could live comfortably during your golden years. If you retired with $1 million in 1970, you probably wouldn’t have to worry about your nest egg running out, even with a lavish lifestyle. It would be like retiring with over $7.8 million today. Retire with $1 million in the ’80s, and it would be like retiring with over $3.7 million in 2023. And in 1990? A cool $1 million would go twice as far as it does these days. Clearly, $1 million doesn’t go as far as it used to. Just how far will it go these days? The answer depends on how and where you live. In retirement, as in real estate, location is everything (or, at least, it’s a lot). The map here shows how long $1

When was the last time you spring cleaned your house? Many of us do some form of spring cleaning in our homes regularly. But what about our financial "homes"? It can be easy to forget about the clutter and red tape that builds up in our finances. When we do, we can end up with some serious clutter. And that can have very real consequences. In fact, it won't just take up space. Clutter can also waste our energy, time, and even money. So, how can we deal with the financial clutter so it doesn't get in our way? Let's find out by checking out some simple and painless financial spring cleaning tips: Purge the paper Audit your subscriptions Consolidate accounts Automate savings Make backups of important files Check in with your bigger financial goals Have you already done some financial spring cleaning this year? What's first on your list

What if you could give any child in your life a brighter financial future without spending a single penny? What if it only took the right words? Believe it or not, that IS possible. Talking to children about money now can pay off in a big way later. And that’s true for “children” of any age — from kiddos in elementary school to adult children who have kids of their own. It’s easy enough to start a meaningful conversation about finance and share what you know if you know where to begin. So, here are some simple, thought-provoking conversation starters to use with anyone age 8 and older. Saving money has allowed me to... When I'm deciding whether to buy something or save money, I... If someone asks to borrow money from me, I... If I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self... One thing I regret

Talent, a high IQ, or self-control? Which matters more to success in life? Which matters more to happiness? Believe it or not, it's NOT talent or a high IQ. It’s self-control. In fact, our success and our happiness depend far more on our self-control and our willpower than our talent or our IQ. And no matter how intelligent, wealthy, attractive, or talented any of us may be, our willpower is like our energy — it’s limited. Each of us only has so much willpower. And that willpower WILL run out at some point. When it does, the willpower gap can trip us up. The willpower gap is when excuses, low motivation, and poor choices can get in the way of our goals. And it can happen whenever we spend too much of our willpower. But it doesn’t have to. We can close that willpower gap, and any one of us can

Are you worried about a major recession? Think the markets are about to come to a standstill any day now? “Yes,” is the answer from most folks these days. Same with most small business owners. And lots of so-called economic experts and talking heads on the news seem to agree too. Still, no one REALLY knows when the next recession will happen – or how severe it’s going to be. And worrying about it isn’t helpful or good for us. In fact, whether we are in a recession today, tomorrow, or whenever, it’s going to be more challenging to make money moves when your judgment’s clouded by recession anxiety. So, how can you cope? What can we do to set our recession fears aside, make confident decisions, and weather the slowdowns better? Follow these steps to braving recessions: Don’t buy into the headline Resist impulsive actions Run a worst-case scenario

When would be the ideal time to retire? Now, don't think about your age. Think about a particular decade or period of time. Let's say you had a time machine that could take you three decades into the past or the future. When would you choose to retire? And do you think it'd be better to retire in the past, today, or in the future? That's not easy to answer. But the point is retirement — like fads and fashion — changes with time. Retirement today isn't the same as it was 20 or 30 years ago, and it won't be the same a few decades from now. In fact, you know those sprawling, cookie-cutter retirement communities in places like Florida? The ones that have been so popular for decades? Well, many retirees today aren't into those. They prefer customized homes, with private outdoor spaces and smart technology. Why? Because

Let’s imagine you’re standing in front of two doors. You have two options. Open Door 1 and get an ELECTRIC SHOCK. Or choose the mystery behind Door 2. Door 2 could be better or worse than Door 1, but you won't find out until you open it. What do you choose? Which door would you open? Most folks would open Door 1. That's because most of us would rather have certain pain than gambling with the unknown. And that's true even if we have a 50-50 shot at getting something better, not worse, with Door 2. Why? Because we crave certainty. We're calmer when we know what to expect — even if it's certain pain — because we can prepare for it. With uncertainty, we're hyper-vigilant to the possibility of pain. We're constantly on edge, waiting for the ball to drop. That's stressful and exhausting up until the moment we get certainty. And that waiting and worrying creates its own pain, no matter

What story do you want to tell about your next vacation? What could make your next trip amazing? The answers could lie in some of the latest trends in travel and those trends aren’t so much focused on exactly where folks are going. Instead, current travel trends are giving us new ways to enjoy vacations and experience the world — no matter where our trips take us. These trends are also creating exciting new opportunities to make every vacation a memorable, enriching experience. So, what hot travel trends could make your next vacation better than you ever imagined? Workcations Friendcations GOAT Vacations Extreme Adventures and Expeditions Transformational Travel Showcations Pet Travel Find any of those travel trends fascinating? Have you already enjoyed any of them — or will make one part of your next trip? Click here to read more details. Wherever you’ve been or whatever you’ve done on past

How do you make investment decisions? Do you look at all the data? Search for an interesting opportunity? Surprisingly, most folks don’t look at the facts or data to make these choices. They prefer a good story. Maybe it’s not so surprising. A good story can worm its way into our subconscious faster than any facts can. That’s because research shows good stories appeal to our emotions and our values. They help make sense of the world, and they can be a powerful learning tool at any age. But that doesn’t always make stories a good foundation for investment decisions. Why? Because the stories we tell ourselves can cloud the facts. And if those stories are rooted in common myths about investing, anyone — even the smartest folks — can have a much harder time making sound investment decisions. So, what stories could be interfering with your financial choices? What

What's the hardest lesson you've ever had to learn about money? What’s the most powerful one? For many folks, these lessons come from hard-earned experience. They aren’t taught in a classroom. Instead, many folks go to the school of hard knocks. It’s the learn-as-you-go way to understanding personal finance. And those lessons we pick up can shape how we think about and handle money. They can also stick with us for life. So, what are the money lessons that are never too early to know? Are there any that you still have to learn? Or get better at? Let’s find out. These essential finance lessons aren’t typically taught in school, but they’re still incredibly valuable to know as early as possible. And they can take some people a lifetime to learn. Accountability is key Pay yourself first Money isn't the only thing Want to read the rest? Click here to

What inspires you to give? Most of us give for the same basic reasons. We want to help others, make a positive difference in the world—and giving feels good. It makes us happy, and it connects us to the causes we care about. Studies show that most charitable folks give according to their values or to support causes they care about. But they don’t always have a strategy around giving. Or a way to monitor for impact. How do you make the greatest impact with your giving? If you’re not sure, you’re not alone. Many folks are passionate about giving but don’t have a defined strategy. Even though strategic giving can pave the way for thoughtful donations of money, time, and resources. And that can help you figure out how to do the most good for the causes that matter most to you. Want to create your own charitable strategy?

What do you really know about finance? How would you rate your financial literacy? Most folks say they're very knowledgeable about financial matters. But guess what? Only about 1 in 3 folks can score 80% on a simple financial literacy quiz. And only 7% answer every question right. So, how will you measure up? Can you beat 93% of your fellow Americans? Click here to take the financial literacy quiz, then come back to this article for some lessons. How did you do on the quiz? Were you surprised by any of the questions — or answers? It's OK if you couldn't get every question right. You don't have to know everything – few people do. In fact, these days, more folks are missing more questions on this quiz than they did about 10 years ago. And that's not because they're dumb. Actually, there are a couple of good reasons

Sticker shock at the grocery store? Price hikes at the pumps? Prices are going up and spending more for basics can be startling. Do you remember the first time you noticed prices increasing? It often happens so gradually that we don’t even notice. Inflation is often more complicated than we realize and it’ll be with us for the rest of our lives. So, what could prices look like in 2030? It will impact: Housing Food & Beverage Healthcare Gas & Transportation College Inflation affects far more than upfront prices. It shakes up the costs of doing business and borrowing money. And it can affect savings, bonds, and plans for the future. We often don’t notice these changes year to year, though. That’s because inflation comes in small doses. A few bucks more here, a couple hundred more there — it creeps up over time. And it’s the reason why inflation

Most of us think about retierment a lot — at least four times a week. We think about when we'll retire and how we'll spend our time in retirement. As exciting as that can be, it can also be nerve-racking to think about trying to fill up all of that free time. And no matter what we dream of, the reality of retirement doesn't always match our expectations. In fact, nearly half of us miss the mark on when we expect to retire. Most folks who get it wrong end up retiring years earlier than they expected. And that's just one miscalculation. We also tend to underestimate our psychological needs and our options for enjoying our retirement. That can make it more difficult to adjust to retirement. It can also leave us feeling unhappy and dissatisfied with the retired life we worked so hard for. So, how can we make

Innovation promises to alter life in some amazing and drastic ways over the next few decades. Technology is clearly getting more and more integrated into our lives, and that could make some things easier and others more complicated. It may even force us to deal with new, complex issues and challenges we never saw coming. That may be one reason why about 2 in 3 people aren’t optimistic for the future. And why we can’t help but worry about the uncertainty of it all. Even though there’s a lot we don’t know, we do know that innovation can make life better. Things were never the same after some of the biggest inventions of the last few decades — like the internet and smartphones. And we really don’t even think twice about those things today (unless they aren’t working). We also know that technology and time can change our beliefs and

For the first time in a long time, travel is becoming a real possibility. The pandemic hasn’t disappeared (and it’s not going away any time soon) but we’re turning a corner. More of us are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 every day, and more of us have a ready-to-travel mindset. After months of doing everything from home, we’re ready to get out — and really get away! And we’re not wasting time. About 2 in 3 folks say they have a trip planned within the next 3 months. Most are looking to get out of state or go abroad. That’s more than since the beginning of the pandemic. TSA airport screenings are up. As excited as we are to get out of our COViD-19 caves, we’re also anxious. We’re worried about getting sick or stuck in our destination. And we fear the unknown. These worries are valid. But we can manage

Do you think you’re telling yourself the truth about money? We may think we know the facts about our finances. But our beliefs can often overshadow the facts. Our wishes, hopes, and fears can tip the scales away from the truth. This makes it easier for us to believe what we want to about money — and it can happen without us even realizing it. The money lies we tell ourselves can change the way we think and act when it comes to finances. And since most of us rarely talk about money with our friends and family, the money lies we tell ourselves stick around. That can lock us into destructive beliefs and reinforce poor financial habits. But no matter what money lies we tell ourselves, it’s never too late to set the record straight. Click here to take a look at the 7 most common money lies we

A million dollars used to be the ultimate target for retirement portfolios. Retiring as a millionaire brought status and confidence that you could live comfortably during your golden years. If you retired with $1 million in 1970, you probably didn’t have to worry about your nest egg running out, even with a lavish lifestyle. It would be like retiring with $6.9 million today. Retire with $1 million in the ’80s, and it would have been like retiring with $3.35 million in 2021. And in 1990? A cool $1 million would have gone twice as far as it does these days. Clearly, $1 million doesn’t go as far as it used to. Just how far could it go these days? The answer depends on how and where you live. In retirement, as in real estate, location is everything (or, at least, it’s a lot). Click here to see a map that

Forbes recently released their rankings for 2021’s Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, spotlighting more than 5,000 outstanding wealth advisors across the country. Baron Silver Stevens Financial Advisors, LLC’s Chief Executive Officer, Michael J. Silver, CFP®, AEP®, CLU, was named amongst those standout wealth advisors. Michael ranked 21st  in South Florida, marking a distinguished acknowledgement for his years of experience, proficiency, and focus on making a positive impact on his clients’ lives. Those nominated for the prestigious Best-In-State recognition were researched, interviewed, and then given a ranking within their particular states. Michael’s inclusion in 2021’s Best-In-State Wealth Advisors highlights his dedication to his clientele, his more than 20 years of experience in the field, and his commitment to making an impact in the comprehensive wealth management industry. The selection process was based on an algorithm of both quantitative and qualitative criteria including components such as in-person interviews, compliance records, industry experience, revenue produced,

What is your biggest obstacle to achieving your goals in 2021? It’s not a lack of time or bad timing. It’s not age, ability, or finances. And it’s not even the coronavirus. Believe it or not, research says it’s you. In fact, most of us trip ourselves up when it comes to achieving our goals. That includes New Year’s resolutions. Even when we have the best intentions, we can get in the way of our own progress. And that’s far more likely to happen during times of uncertainty. That’s when we tend to stagnate. We avoid long-term plans and push pause on our big goals. And we become paralyzed by uncertainty. Sometimes, that means we simply give up on setting goals entirely.And, yet, New Year’s goals help us. They give us a sense of control and keep us grounded in unpredictable times. And they can help us cope with uncertainty

No one could have foreseen the events of 2020. It was a tumultuous year. The pandemic overshadowed everything. Fires, hurricanes, protests, and the election dominated headlines. So did Tiger King, toilet paper shortages, major events held over Zoom, and everyday heroes. For me, one of the biggest standout memories of 2020 has been the creative ways people and businesses have adapted in the pandemic. What moments from the last year stand out for you? Whatever they are—and whatever your verdict on last year may be—we can all agree 2020 has been disruptive and unforgettable. It’ll be fascinating to see how history looks back at 2020 and what big lessons future generations take away from the past year. As the year closes, here are some of the best life lessons we can take away from 2020 right now. Bringing these lessons with us into 2021 can help make life better and

Market corrections hurt. They can come out of nowhere. And when they do, they ignite fear, amplify worries, and set off alarm bells. It’s hard not to panic when that happens. And it’s tempting to react and want to pull back. Many people give in to that temptation. Informed investors don’t. Why? Because they know most market corrections are short. In fact, over the past 70 years, corrections have been getting shorter and shorter. These days, the average correction is over within four months. Those are just a couple of reasons why you shouldn’t panic over corrections. Below are more. If you know these facts about corrections, you can keep a level head and healthy perspective whenever the markets retreat. That can help you avoid overacting. It may even open your eyes to new opportunities. Below is an overview of some market correction facts, click here to view our monthly

About 4 out of 5 people say they are too smart to be scammed. Most also believe they’re better than others at spotting scams. Yet, scams work — and they’re more prevalent and profitable than ever before. In fact, every 15 seconds, someone’s getting scammed. Each year, that’s billions lost. Seniors alone lose at least $2.9 billion a year to con artists. And they aren’t even the most vulnerable marks. Millennials are. So, why are financial scams more rampant and lucrative than ever before? Technology and the internet have been key. They’ve given scammers a better smokescreen and a global reach. They’ve also made it easier to perpetrate mass fraud schemes. Beyond having better tools, scammers also have better prey these days. The uncertainties of the day have made it easier to manipulate and con people. After all, we’re naturally averse to uncertainty. It scares us. It makes us desperate

Would you choose to live right now? Objectively, things aren’t easy for most of us right now. We’re facing social, economic, health, and environmental crises. With all the chaos of today, it can be tempting to lean on nostalgia and believe previous generations had it better or easier. And it can make us long for what seem like simpler times. In our newsletter this week, we go over the "7 Reasons Life Is Actually the Best It's Ever Been". Take a look at a few below: 1. LIFE EXPECTANCY We're living longer than people have ever lived before. Worldwide, more than 3 in every 4 people live to be at least 65 years old. In the U.S., life expectancies for men and women have increased by more than 10 years since 1950. That's 10 more years the generations before us didn't have to enjoy retirement, spend time with family, and

Do you know what one of the number one causes of market losses during an election year is? Fear. In fact, the uncertainty of the elections can stoke your fears. It may even encourage you to make rash, emotional decisions. That can lead to losses, but it doesn’t have to. If you know the facts about the market during presidential election years, you can potentially avoid investing mistakes that so many others make. “Investing should be like watching paint dry or grass grow. If you want excitement… go to Las Vegas.” That’s what Paul Samuelson, a noted economist and Nobel Prize winner, says—and that’s not always easy to remember during presidential election years. Why? The frenzy of an election brings endless news cycles, high emotions, and stress. And if you feel that stress, you’re not alone. At least half of all Americans get stressed out by elections. You know the

In a perfect world, logic would always guide our financial decisions. Emotions wouldn’t come into play. But we don’t live in a perfect world. Far from it. That means our emotions impact our financial choices more than we realize. Shockingly as much as 95% of our purchase choices are made subconsciously, driven by our emotions—as little as 5% are based in logic (and that’s when we’re in a good headspace and feeling comfortable and secure). When we’re faced with uncertainty, fear and instinct can take over and push logic right out of the window. Your brain will make you want to react quickly to protect yourself and avoid the pain you anticipate from potential losses. Ironically, these instincts often make things worse. Emotional reactions can lead to poor choices and the losses you were trying to avoid in the first place. The best way to avoid letting your hardwired biases take

“If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” – Zig Ziglar That’s true for most aspects of life, including our finances. Most of us realize that. It’s why we set New Year’s resolutions—and why more than half of all Americans set some type of financial goal as a resolution each year. As great as setting goals is, it won’t accomplish much for you if you can’t achieve them. And, maybe not so surprisingly, the vast majority of people (92% according to the research) don’t achieve their goals. Why? Why do we struggle so much to meet the goals we set for ourselves? Is it because we don’t want to? Because we lack commitment? Not so much. One big reason behind our failures is that most of us lack a clear connection between our present reality and the future we’d like to achieve. That vagueness can cut the

Life has changed; how do we adapt without losing sight of what we want to achieve? As you’ve heard us say before, no one knows how the future will play out, but we should still look ahead and think through the consequences of what’s happening. (More about this kind of second-order thinking ahead.) We believe that our society and our economy are experiencing a massive paradigm shift. We will never go back to the world we had before COVID-19, and the lens that we used to evaluate ideas, markets, economies, and personal choices over the last decade may not be sufficient for the next decade. Here are just a few things that we see changing as a result of what’s going on now: Social Support: 36.5 million Americans have become unemployed in two months, and the effects are rippling through families, communities, and the economy.1 The government has responded with trillions of

We are living in a strange time. No matter how you slice it, dealing with a pandemic is difficult. People are working remotely, staying home, and trying to navigate this new normal. There have been quite a few pandemics in our history. From smallpox to measles to cholera and so many others, market fluctuations are inevitable when it comes to the fallout of a pandemic. Falling into the trap of hysteria is easy to do while watching the news and reading friends’ opinions on social media. However, history has taught us that for every seemingly long economic recession has come an even longer economic expansion. In fact, while the average length of an economic recession is 15 months, the average length of an economic expansion is 48 months. So, what can we take away from this information? How should we ease our fears and concerns during this time of uncertainty?

The pandemic is here and we’ve found ourselves in bear country without enough toilet paper. When markets fall as rapidly as they have over the last few weeks and the country is going into lockdown, it’s reasonable to be worried about a situation that seems unprecedented. But let’s not panic. Because we’ve been here before. The last outbreak to achieve pandemic status was the H1N1 Swine flu, which hit U.S. soil in April 2009.1 You might hardly remember it because markets were on a tear after bottoming out in March 2009 and the outbreak barely registered on investors. But, some say that COVID-19 is nothing like recent epidemics.  So let’s take a look at one of history’s worst pandemics: The 1918 Spanish Flu. Nearly one-third of the world’s population contracted the disease and more than 50 million died in just 15 months.2 Despite the human toll, the Dow actually rose during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. Chart source:

In recent years you may have seen headlines about new retirement advice rules for the financial services industry. Like many of us, you might have questions: What's a fiduciary? What do the new rules say? What does it all mean for investors? We break it all down for you in this infographic. Financial Lesson: Rules May Change. Our Commitment to You Does Not. We believe every American has the right to honest financial advice that puts them first. As professionals, we’re dedicated to helping our clients navigate their financial lives with objectivity, compassion, and the highest standard of ethics. We're happy to see more investors benefit from the client-centric rules we have embraced since we opened for business. Right now, we're working to incorporate the new regulations into our practice and you may see some changes as we adapt. If we need to make changes to your portfolios to comply

$1 Million used to be the ultimate retirement portfolio benchmark for successful Americans. Being a millionaire brought status as well as the peace of mind of knowing that you could look forward to a comfortable retirement lifestyle with all the trimmings. Is that still true? We ran a series of hypothetical calculations to illustrate how long an average American retiree could expect their million-dollar portfolio to last in each state. Click here to take a look... However, these hypothetical examples leave out a lot of critical details that will impact your own retirement timeline. Here are a few: The expenditures used in the calculation are just averages. Depending on where you live and the lifestyle you lead, you could spend more or less than your state's average. That's why getting a personal retirement income analysis is so important. The expenses used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to construct an

Jump-Start the Money Talk with these Engaging Conversation Starters: Click here to read our newsletter with four thought-provoking conversation starters you can use to jump start the money talk with young people of almost any age. These can open up an ongoing dialogue about some of the most important financial lessons to share with your children and grandchildren. Kids learn their money values from you. Have the hard conversations with them. Money conversations can be hard. Have them anyway. If you really want your children to have good financial habits in the future, you can't afford to not talk to them about money now. While it's best to start when children are young, remember, it's never too late to get the conversation started. Even if your children are going off to college or having children of their own, there are still important money lessons to share, from shopping for loans

How to Potentially Survive & Thrive in a Recession Economic expansions never last forever. Eventually, they'll be followed by a recession. It's inevitable. And it's a natural part of the economic cycle. While we never know when the next recession will hit—or how long it'll last—history shows that, on average, recessions don't typically last as long as booms. We also know that, no matter when they hit, recessions will stir up anxiety and fear. And that'll trigger panic and rash decisions, which can lead to big losses. So, resist the panic trap that can come with recessions. If you can keep a level head, and follow these six steps, you'll be empowered to weather any recession—and any personal financial hardships you may face outside of recessions. Remember, recessions are normal. A lot of unknowns come with recessions. And that can make it easy to get anxious and lose sight of

Bear Markets Are Inevitable. Here's How To Keep Your Cool. Bear markets come and go. They are a natural part of the market cycle. But we never know when they'll happen or what exactly will trigger them. While we can't predict when or why bear markets happen, what we do know is that bear markets commonly make people emotional and irrational. They can even breed a crowd mentality that causes paranoia and panic. Want my advice? Stop watching what others are doing. Focus on your own needs, portfolio, and risk tolerance. It's nearly impossible to know what other investors are thinking and doing in real time, just like it's impossible to know what the "bottom" is in a bear market. So, try to keep a level head and long-term view. And try to stay realistic. Remember, all bear markets eventually pass! You'll never get to enjoy a market upswing if you

Money is much more than a medium of exchange for goods and services. Money reflects our personal values and the hard work we put into earning it. How we treat money, save it and spend it, is a reflection of our internal beliefs — our money mindset. When it comes to money, we all have strongly held beliefs, whether or not we realize it. Many of these beliefs grew out of childhood and come from lessons we learned from our families or picked up through life experiences. Want to learn more about how your unconscious money beliefs can affect your finances? Click here for access to the full newsletter! Your Mindset is the Key to Financial Health What does the word "money" bring to mind? Are the associations positive or negative? Beliefs about money are complicated. It's a symbol of one's self: respect, love, freedom, control, power, worth, and much more

We get it, life gets crazy and many of our clients don’t have time to focus on their own personal financial situation. That’s why we wanted to share the term “Personal CFO” with you. It’s a service we provide to help you manage all the details and people involved in your financial life, so you can make the best decisions for yourself and live your life to the fullest. A Personal CFO is like a Chief Financial Officer for a business, except it’s for you and your lifestyle. No matter how you have built your wealth, you likely have a team of professionals that you rely on for expert advice. From attorneys to accountants, it can be difficult to coordinate these individuals and keep them on the same page in terms of your particular financial goals. That’s where a Personal CFO comes into play. Here are the three main areas we

About 7 in 10 workers expect to work for pay in retirement, but only a quarter of retirees have actually done so. Retirement can have many meanings. For some, it will be a time to travel and spend time with family members. For others, it will be a time to start a new business or begin a charitable endeavor. A wide variety of emotions are linked to retirement. Some feel elation and relief, while others feel dread and unease. From financial constraints and financial freedoms, each person’s path in retirement will be different depending upon their personal beliefs and their ability to seize opportunity. Regardless of what approach you intend to take, here are five things about retirement that might surprise you: In 2017, more than two-thirds of retirees depended on Social Security as a major source of their income The average monthly Social Security benefit at the beginning of 2018

As a woman, you’re expected to manage more than your share. When you’re growing up in your family, you’re more likely to have to help out with chores and household responsibilities than a brother might be…on top of school, a part-time job, and however else you spend your time. As an adult, society says you can have it all. But in reality, that’s only true if you plan to work 25 hours a day. If you’re single or married, have a family or don’t, work in the home or outside of it, being a woman means being constantly moving, working and learning. With that in mind, a woman’s retirement should be easy breezy, right? Not exactly. As it turns out, women and men are also different when it comes to financial planning and investments. Whether due to nature or nurture, women tend to take a more cautious approach in investing. And

We don’t always hear about it in the news, but identity theft is on the rise. Our constant internet usage has given us a large digital footprint. And the more you are online, the greater your risk of criminals hijacking your information and using it to commit fraud. It is nearly impossible to go completely off the grid once you are on it, but there are steps you can take to minimize your risk. And understanding where your personal data might be living is a great place to start. Here are six different ways that personal information shared online can end up in the wrong hands: Retail and social media websites Data collection websites that store your information (White Pages, PeopleFinder) Old website pages you appear on (such as forums or blogs) Personal information on websites (old addresses, contact information) Outdated search results where you may still appear (such as former employer pages)

Personal finance is typically spoken about in relation to big financial decisions. From things like establishing long-term savings goals to purchasing a home, choices made surrounding money are frequently thought about on a large scale. More often than not, smaller financial decisions are overlooked or disregarded, many deeming them too small to make an impact. However, seemingly tiny money choices made daily tend to add up to make a significant impact in the long run, especially when analyzed over time. Deciphering between purchases made based on wants versus needs is an important step in reassessing how you look at small financial decisions. Discretionary spending is a broad, vague category by nature, so spending some extra time to think about how you allocate money there is critical. One way to find the money to meet your spending or saving needs is to examine your current spending habits and consider eliminating money wasters.

When it comes to retirement, everyone has a different vision. But the path to retirement is generally the same: you work, you save, and hopefully at some point you’ve saved enough that you can stop working and do something else. How much work before retirement is enough? And how much savings is enough? How long will “retirement” last? Years ago, retirement meant you stopped working, started collecting a pension, and sailed away to Margarita Ville for the last 10 to 15 years of your life. But nowadays, retirement could last 30+ years and could include a second career, travel, making new friends, or really, whatever intrigues you. Nearly 70% of workers expect to work for pay in retirement, but only 26% of retirees actually have done so. So how do you plan for a stage in your life in which virtually anything can happen? With no crystal ball to peer

Coming fresh off of your New Year celebrations means that April 15th is approaching. And while no one likes to think about it, tax season is quickly approaching. Tax Day 2019 is on Monday, April 15th and that means that it is time to start preparing to file. Anyone who has prepared for tax time before knows the process seem like endless gathering and sorting of information. Unfortunately, there is no getting around that, but there are some steps to take now that can help you breeze through it more efficiently and with fewer headaches. Getting organized is an important aspect of potentially minimizing your tax burden. As with the majority of things in life, being prepared is your key to success. Today, we examine 3 simple and effective steps to properly preparing for tax season: Decide How to File You really have two choices here: file your taxes yourself or

Knowledge is power in every aspect of life. Imagine driving a car without a basic understanding of the rules of the road, or even how to operate it. That’s quite a scary thought. What’s even scarier? Many Americans are operating their personal finances with only the barest minimum of knowledge. One study found that, when asked five basic questions about finances and the markets, 61 percent of Americans were unable to answer more than 3 questions correctly.¹ That same study also found that 18 percent of Americans routinely spend more than their household income. Additionally, it found that one-in-five Americans have overdue medical bills. The reality is that knowledge puts people, retirees especially, in a powerful position. Unfortunately, however, far too many Americans lack the power to control their financial futures. But education lays the foundation for a journey towards a successful and sound financial future. One of the obstacles to

As an entrepreneur, you have likely spent years studying your craft, developing your skillset and expanding your business. You’re good at what you do. But unless your business specializes in business management itself, you may still have some questions about the best ways to run your company, manage cash flow, and maximize your profits. One area we see business owners run into some confusion is when it comes to idea of installing a retirement plan. Should you offer a retirement plan? If so, what type? What are the costs? Are they worth it? What plan is best for my company? Which one is fair to my employees and to myself as a business owner? These are common questions people face. On the one hand, a retirement plan can make you a more attractive employer and can also help you offset taxes. As the owner of the business, you’re also allowed to

The idea of paying money to someone for them to tell you how to handle your own money can be a difficult concept for people. After all, you can do your own research and listen to the news and that should be sufficient enough to determine where and how to invest, right? The most common and costly error folks make is thinking that if they know what to invest in, their financial life will turn out the way they want it to. But there’s so much more to it than that. A good financial planner helps you make a “financial game plan” that addresses not only retirement goals but also how you should navigate life’s expected and unexpected transitions. They take these complex issues and make them more digestible so you can understand how your money is implicated throughout different walks of life. A good financial planner will provide clarity. Moving

No matter what stage of life you may currently be in, setting financial goals is imperative. A Harvard Business Study conducted in the late 1970s, revealed that only 3 percent of the students in its MBA program had put pen to paper to write down their goals and a concrete plan. Ten years later, that same small segment of students who wrote down their goals were earning ten times as much as the remaining 97 percent of their class. While there are debates regarding the legitimacy of this study, the outcome highlights an undisputable fact: setting well-defined, written goals is critical to accomplishing them. Setting goals as they relate to your finances is the first step in achieving financial health and security. Identifying and thinking through both short-term and long-term financial goals will play a tremendous role in dictating your financial future. The following are some of the most important reasons