The coronavirus pandemic has been a challenge, affecting how we work, play, and interact. While individual situations surely differ, general financial lessons, which can help you better position and support yourself in the future, have emerged from the pandemic. Build Up an Emergency Fund Record numbers of people were laid off or furloughed at the Read more
Personal Finance
Mix It Up: Diversification in Investing
One of the keys to successful investing is learning how to weigh your comfort level with risk against your time horizon (the period in which investments are held). One way to balance risk and reward in your investment portfolio is to diversify your assets. Diversification is an investment technique designed to help reduce the volatility Read more
My Child Turned 18—Now What?
When your child turns 18, the experience can be emotional. Your baby’s passage into adulthood suddenly becomes real, and even if you think you’re ready, it happens a lot sooner than you were likely anticipating, especially if your child is still a dependent. A lot of changes occur with an 18-year-old, and not just those Read more
Wrap It Up: Time for Year-End Planning
The holiday season is a time for good cheer, greeting family and friends, celebrating the present (and presents), and reflecting on the year just ending. (Though, given how tumultuous 2020 has been and the likelihood the effects of the global pandemic will extend into 2021, you may want to keep those reflections brief and go Read more
When Life Goes Sideways, Be Prepared to Help Your Helpers
When it comes to important documents, some people are detailed filers who know where every bit of information is. Others are “organized pilers” who may know where their own documents are—but does anybody else? In an emergency or the event of incapacity, could those who need to know—adult children, caretakers, or others given power of Read more
Side Effects: How the CARES Act Changes Access to Retirement Funds
The CARES Act, a $2 trillion economic stimulus package signed into law on March 27, provides unique access to retirement savings that typically would be subject to early withdrawal penalties. This access applies to qualified individuals affected by the COVID-19 virus either directly (through contracting the illness or having an ill spouse or dependent) or Read more