Forget big age differences. Having a conflict in credit scores can be an early determinant of whether your relationship will last. Your FICO score is a quick way for companies to determine your relationship with money. It is used in everything from getting car loans to renting an apartment to applying for a job…
That’s right, it’s February and my theme of the month is love. “Why so obvious and cliché?” you ask. Well, you try writing 52 blogs a year. You’ll find yourself grasping for any holiday theme, too. What investors and financial advisers don’t typically love is when the stock market goes down. No one likes…
Well, maybe it wasn’t a burning question until you opened this blog. But, April 15th is coming up, so it’s time to start thinking about whether or not you will contribute to an IRA and if so, what type? I know it’s not popular in the press these days, but I am a fan…
An article by Alex Padalka in the December 21st Financial Advisor IQ newsletter talked about how Wells Fargo is incenting its more experienced advisors to move clients with under $65,000 to trainees. The idea is for advisers to have a better ratio of larger accounts. According to the article, the $65,000 account minimum is…
It happens to the most contentious of us. We say we won’t go overboard on holiday spending (and, let’s face it, eating), but we get caught up in the moment. Or, your kid asks for something at the last minute and you don’t have time to bargain shop. And, your Aunt Gertrude is so hard…
Happy New Year! As a financial planner I have some hopes for your 2016 to pass along. May you find joy in the free (or very inexpensive) things in life – sunsets, walks with your dog, a home cooked dinner with family, or hugging a friend. And then, take the savings from fancy vacations, dinners…
Seventy two percent of grandparents polled in a 2014 Fidelity survey felt it was important to help pay for grandchildren’s’ educations. Wow! That is a very large number. For those who are in a position to chip in a little (or a lot) for college for their grandchildren, here are a couple of ideas. Open…
One question I help people answer in retirement planning is when to take Social Security. A couple of reminders on the rules: You can take Social Security as early as age 62, but your amount will be lower than if you waited until your full Social Security age. For most people considering the question today,…
The Denver Post recently reprinted a list from Kiplinger Washington Editors called “9 financial get-on-with-being-an-adult tips for your 30s.” The list included: Advance your career Rethink your budget Write Your will Pay off non-mortgage debt Save at least 15% of your income for retirement Adjust your insurance coverage Increase your emergency fund Diversify and rebalance…
Recently I was asked to contribute some personal finance articles to Triage Cancer (http://triagecancer.org/). One of the topics was about credit scores and budgeting. Being the lazy person I am, I am going to use the blog twice – once for me and once for Triage Cancer! So, what is a FICO score? The Fair…
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