Many people offer advice on managing your finances. And as much as the advice might vary, there are a few things that most experts will agree on. Ray Martin, writing on Yahoo Finance, sums up six fundamental personal finance tips that will help you lead a more financially successful life. The first is to always… Read More
Student Loan Death Clause (as reported by Kimberly Hefling on finance.yahoo.com)
If you or someone in your family has a student loan that was signed by a parent or grandparent, you could find yourself in the unfortunate situation that many Americans are finding themselves in lately. Because of a clause in many student loan contracts, if the loan is cosigned by a family member, and that… Read More
Wealth and Inequality (as reported by Matthew Yglesias on www.vox.com)
Capital in the 21st Century, the new book from French economist Thomas Piketty has been making a splash in recent weeks. Why is this book so powerful? It essentially calls out one of the inherent flaws in capitalism, that the ratio of wealth to income rises until the economic elite are those with inherited wealth and not… Read More
Saving for College (as reported by Miranda Marquit on www.moneyning.com)
For parents who are planning on sending their kids to college, paying those high costs is going to take work and planning. The best thing that you can do as parents is ask yourself some important questions, then figure out how and when to set money aside over time. Will you pay your childrens’ full… Read More
Real Estate Back in Favor (as reported by Jeff Macke on finance.yahoo.com)
We all remember a little more than five years ago when the housing market bubble popped, triggering one of the worst financial collapses since the Great Depression. But now, according to recent data, investors are falling back in love with the real estate market. A recent Gallup poll measuring investor preference for long term growth… Read More
Financial Advice for the Middle Class (as reported by Ron Lieber via the New York Times)
There is a new breed of financial advisor, and this one is focusing on middle class clients other than the ultra rich. These new advisors seek to address the scarcity of financial advice for those with less than $100,000 in assets, all while providing their services a reasonable price point. Realizing that investors have different… Read More
Smarter Investment Strategies (as reported by Betterment on blog.mint.com)
Last year was a great year in the stock market. The S&P 500 was up about 27%. But that doesn’t mean everyone that invested made that much money. Some made much more, and some made much less. How can you make sure that you don’t miss out on big future gains? You can start by… Read More
Top 10 Retirement Ready States (as reported by MarketWatch on finance.yahoo.com)
The National Institute on Retirement Security recently released its annual report on retirement readiness, which measures states by their general retirement preparation status. The report looks at things like employee participation in retirement savings and investment accounts, anticipated retirement income, etc. Its findings were presented at the fifth annual retirement policy conference. The state that… Read More
Shared Habits of the Financially Successful (as reported by J.D. Roth on www.getrichslowly.org)
There are a number of shared qualities among people who are most successful at managing their finances and growing their wealth. And those of us that are not as successful can learn from them, and use them in an attempt to change our fortunes. The first is that people who are successful tend to surround themselves… Read More
Dividends (as reported by Trent Hamm on www.thesimpledollar.com)
Many people are hesitant to invest in stocks because they don’t know much about how they work. It’s important to learn as much as you can so that you can make smart investing decisions. For example, dividends are an important part of investing in stocks. When companies earn a profit, they have to decide what… Read More