One of the keys to successful retirement planning is consistent savings. Setting aside a certain amount of money each pay period or each month helps you build a strong savings habit, and the earlier you begin, the more time your funds have to accrue earnings to supplement your personal contributions. If you’re already making regular […]
Category: Personal Finance
Worried You’ll Make Less Money Freelancing? Think Again
These days, a growing number of people are going freelance, and for good reasons. When you work as a freelancer, you get to set your own schedule. If you’re the type who likes to sleep in, you can load up on work in the afternoons and evenings. If you enjoy taking long weekends, you can […]
Spending in retirement falls with age, and not by choice
It has been well established that people generally spend less in their later years of retirement — but new research shows that it’s often not a matter of choice. Rather, most retirees are likely forced to cut down costs, largely due to insufficient savings for maintaining standards of living. But that isn’t the case for […]
Don’t make one of these 4 mistakes with your 401(k) when you quit your job
You’ve likely heard of The Great Resignation with a surge in people quitting their jobs over the past year. Whether they’re setting out to find a new job with guaranteed remote work or completely shifting career paths, Americans are coming out of the pandemic reevaluating their work life and making big changes. As we head […]
Survey: 2 in 3 see no boost in personal finances in 2022
Two-thirds of U.S. consumers do not expect their personal finances to improve in 2022, with slightly more than half of this group citing inflation as the barrier to a better money situation, according to Bankrate’s December Financial Security Index.Inflation surged 6.8 percent in November 2021, putting it at a 39-year high as prices climbed for […]
Five mistakes to avoid when naming beneficiaries
If you’ve ever spent time working through your estate plan, you know how important it is to select and update your beneficiaries. Failing to do so can result in costly mistakes — for you and your loved ones. Here are five common mistakes that can easily be avoided with a bit of proactive planning: Mistake […]
Make these 401(k) moves your top retirement planning priorities in 2022
Your workplace 401(k) may be one of the best, most convenient accounts to use for retirement. With generous tax breaks, a high contribution limit, and an easy way to make contributions before you even receive your paychecks, 401(k)s simplify the retirement investing process and make it easier to amass a generous nest egg. The trick, […]
Should you work once you retire? Here are 2 pros and cons to consider
Working in retirement used to be an oxymoron, but times have changed. Today, more seniors are pushing past traditional retirement timelines to keep earning their paychecks. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the trend to continue and projects the percentage of workers 65 and older will grow faster than any other age group through 2024. […]
Should You Spend Your Side Hustle Earnings or Save Them?
The great thing about getting a side hustle is being able to boost your income without necessarily inconveniencing yourself too much. These days, there’s a host of flexible side gigs you can choose from that let you set your own hours and put in the time when it’s convenient for you. If you’re sitting on […]
How to Boost Your Travel Budget for 2022
A lot of people traveled more in 2021 than they did in 2020. That made sense given the trajectory of the pandemic and the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. But you may have the goal of traveling even more in 2022 than you did this year. Maybe you’ve been waiting for your children to get vaccinated […]
How to land a job when you have no experience in the field
You need the job to get some experience, but you need some experience to get the job. It’s the classic catch-22 that many job seekers face when starting out in their careers. However, when you’re a seasoned professional with years of work under your belt, this is probably something you had hoped to leave in the past. […]
Tips for dealing with inflation and saving money
With inflation growing at a record-breaking pace during 2021, it wouldn’t hurt to follow some shopping tips geared towards keeping one’s wallet fuller — especially with the holidays approaching. Analysts from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis say that consumers are now paying over 30% more for energy costs and an additional 4.8% for food […]