Articles

• Keeping Your Financial Life Simple - Here are 10 ideas to keep your financial life simple.
• Have an Organized Financial System - Here are some general record keeping guidelines to organizing your finances.
• Tips for Organizing Important Papers - Keep your documents organized by following these tips.
• Establishing a Relationship with a Financial Institution - Establishing a good working relationship with a financial institution can pay off in the long run.
• Using a Safe Deposit Box - Make sure you go to the Human Resource Department or see the Business Manager to handle some of the financial details of your job.
• Filling Out the Paperwork for Your First Job - Plan to spend some time evaluating your options and completing the paper work. Ask questions about anything you do not understand, and if your situation changes, go back and ask more questions.
• Renting an Apartment - Here are some guidelines when you negotiating and signing your lease taht can help reduce cost and issues.
• Take an Annual Financial Check-Up - An annual check up of your financial condition should be part of your financial life just like going to your doctor for an annual medical examination. This article describes several items to consider as part of that annual financial check up.
• Giving Stock to Another Person - One of the most common and easiest estate planning tools is simply giving assets to a family member.

Podcasts

• Keeping Your Financial Life Simple
• Organizing Your Financial Life
• Establishing a Relationship with a Financial Institution
• Safe Deposit Boxes
• Filling Out the Paperwork for Your First Job
• Renting Your First Apartment

Financial Tips

• Organizing Your Financial Documents - If you are really serious about gaining control of your financial life, your two best investments could be a cross-cut shredder and a scanner.
• Government Apps to Keep You Up to Date - The federal government has developed applications to help you keep track of wait times at TSA checkpoints, federal job openings and more.
• Automate - and Eliminate - Take advantage of online tools that automate the process, and spend your time finding ways to increase the earnings from your investments or reduce your debt.
• Go Paperless! - Financial institutions save money if you go paperless, but you do too.
• De-Clutter Your Financial Records - Here's a guide to help you shrink your stacks of paperwork to a manageable proportion.

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Articles

• Planning for Major Purchases - Plan ahead to save instead of having to use credit cards.
• Preparing a Personal Balance Sheet - One of the best ways for an individual to measure financial progress is to periodically prepare a personal balance sheet.
• Preparing Your First Budget - Use a budget to build a solid financial foundation and feel more in control of your finances.
• Monitoring Your Monthly Spending - A spending worksheet can help you identify how you are currently spending your money and identify areas where you can reduce your spending.
• Direct Deposit of Payroll and Government Checks - Direct deposit of your paycheck is the fastest, safest and most convenient way to get your wages into your checking or savings account.
• Ten Reasons to Consider Online Banking - Benefits of online banking.

Podcasts

• Planning for Major Purchases or Expenses
• Ten Reasons to Consider Online Banking

Financial Tips

• The Secret to Successful Budgeting - The key to financial success, whether for an individual, family or a business, has always involved an effective budgeting plan.
• Simple Ways to Save More This Year - Scaling back your vacations and children’s activities can help you spend less, but it does not have to be at the expense of family fun!
• Boost Your Budget with Cash Back Credit Cards - Cash back rewards programs essentially pay you for using your credit card.
• Don't Spend Your Raise - Save It! - Consider putting the extra money towards savings or paying off debt.
• Rethink Your Home Phone - Call your phone company and ask if they offer a basic service plan.

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Articles

• Building Your Financial Literacy - With some time and effort you can become sufficiently well enough informed to make sound finanical decisions and feel comfortable with those decisions.
• Establishing Good Financial Habits - Building good financial habits can provide a rhythm, or sense of control, for your financial life.
• Monitoring Your Financial Progress and Measuring Results - Taking control of your financial future is a process. As with any process, it is important to monitor your progress and measure results.
• Be Interest Rate Wise - Interest rates have become a highly visible issue with news items about rate changes almost everyday.

Podcasts

• Building Your Financial Literacy
• Financial Planning Basics
• Establishing Good Financial Habits

Financial Tips

• Do not Be Foolish – Get Your Emergency Fund Together - The best course of action is to establish a liquid savings account, preferably a high yield account such as a money market account.
• Your Biggest Asset You Probably Have not Insured - Disability coverage has become a specialty insurance that is provided by a handful of insurance carriers.
• Top 5 Financial Mistakes People Make - The financial events of the last decade brought hardship to people of all incomes and financial status. Here are common mistakes.
• The Best 5 Tips for Managing Your Personal Finances - Managing your personal finances may never become one of life’s pleasures.

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Articles

• Defining and Setting Goals for a Good Financial Life - Let us start with a general idea what a good definition of a good financial life is.
• Starting on the Road to Financial Security - Reaching financial security is challenging, but here are some tips to help make it a little easier.
• Developing a Financial Strategy - The prospect of developing and adhering to a financial strategy can be overwhelming. However, it does not have to be so complicated. Consider taking the following three steps.
• Preparing for Major Financial Events - Advice for preparing for significant changes in life.
• Financial Actions to Consider in an Unsettled Environment - The financial environment can be confusing, even in the best of times.

Podcasts

• Defining and Setting Goals for a Good Financial Life
• Starting on the Road to Financial Security

Financial Tips

• Procrastination is the Biggest Impediment to Achieving Goals - The cost of waiting can soon put your financial goals out of reach.
• Want to Fail Financially? Just do not set Financial Goals - Goals need to be inspiring enough and real enough to motivate you to action.
• 7 Easy Financial Planning Steps You Can Take Now - It is vitally important to get started by following these key steps.
• What You Should Expect from a Financial Advisor - What you should expect from your financial advisor?
• Need to Care for Parents? Powers of Attorney Make it Easier - Caring for elderly parents can be made a lot easier if you have the legal right to make decision on their behalf. Powers of attorney give you the legal right.

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Articles

• The Basics of Estate Planning - Estate planning is often only considered essential for wealthy or older individuals.
• Beginning to Think About Estate Planning - Estate planning is about estate taxes and quite a bit more.
• Estate Planning Is More Than Minimizing Estate Taxes - Many people think of estate planning only as a way to reduce taxes. Actually, it is a lot more. Here are some of the issues you should consider.
• Revocable Living Trusts - Living trust is a popular way of owning assests but it is not for everyone.
• Charitable Giving Strategies - This article identifies some of the issues you may want to consider as you plan your charitable giving activities.
• Estate Planning Checklist - Make sure you go to the Human Resource Department or see the Business Manager to handle some of the financial details of your job.

Podcasts

• Beginning to Think About Estate Planning

Financial Tips

• Why You Need a Will - No matter how small your estate, there will be consequences for your surviving family if you die without a will.
• The Four Documents You Must Prepare - To do it right, you need four essential documents prepared.
• Why You Need a Living Trust - A living trust is an estate planning tool that facilitates the transfer of your assets to your family members.
• Title Assets Properly to Protect Your Family - It is always advisable to review your asset titling with a qualified attorney to ensure proper disposition and the most favorable taxation of your estate.

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Articles

• Personal Finance Calendar - First Quarter - Guide from January to March to help you manage your finances effectively.
• Personal Finance Calendar - Second Quarter - Guide from April to June to help you manage your finances effectively.
• Personal Finance Calendar - Third Quarter - Guide from July to September to help you manage your finances effectively.
• Personal Finance Calendar - Fourth Quarter - Guide from October to December to help you manage your finances effectively.
• Personal Finance Calendar - Annual - You have a broad view of your personal finances and not just the day to day.

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