Healthcare workers have always been our nation’s undercover heroes, working tirelessly in the service of others without much celebration of that fact. The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a light on this work, however, throwing into sharp relief the bravery, selflessness, and heroism America’s healthcare workers display every day. If you or someone you know works … Continue reading “Saying Thanks to Frontline Workers: Freebies and Discounts for Our Health Care Heroes”

One unique challenge of the coronavirus pandemic is that it’s a global crisis that’s also affected each and every one of us in a very personal way. We’re all learning to balance our worries about huge topics like public health care and the economy with our own disrupted schedules and the daily needs of our … Continue reading “Stay Connected and Focus on the Long Term to Withstand Coronavirus”

Sadly, as is the case in any crisis, there are those among us who are looking to capitalize on cruelty and take advantage of heightened vulnerabilities. Hackers are trying to lure victims to click on COVID-19 related hyperlinks that contain malicious software and other computer viruses. In some cases, these scams look like official messages … Continue reading “Scams Abound Amid Pandemic Panic”

Between the upcoming presidential election and the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, which became law in December, it’s easy to begin worrying about what 2020 will mean for your personal finances. We refer to these as exogenous factors. When your head starts to spin, though, remember to focus on the things … Continue reading “Your 2020 Financial Well-Being: Control What You Can Amid New Laws and Predictions”

Many people think of their physical health and their financial security in terms of two separate goals, but the truth is they are very much linked. In fact, a recent study published by the Association for Psychological Science showed that whether or not an individual contributes to a 401(k) plan is a good predictor of … Continue reading “Practicing Good Health and Financial Habits Will Lead to a Fulfilling Retirement”

For a growing number of people, an important part of financial planning is the ability to give back to meaningful charitable causes. In fact, according to Giving USA’s 2018 Annual Report on Philanthropy, individual giving is at an all-time high. As you consider whether charitable giving will play a role in your financial planning, read … Continue reading “Is Charitable Giving Part of Your Financial Plan?”

As you make your list and check it twice this year, consider moving away from traditional, tangible gifts in favor of a lesson that will last long past the holiday season: financial literacy. It’s truly the gift that keeps on giving, and it’s appropriate for children, your friends, and even your parents. Money Lessons for … Continue reading “Giving the Gift of Financial Literacy to Your Loved Ones”

As children, we’re all like sponges. We pick up on our parents’ habits and values related to everything from sports teams to food preferences. And, whether we intend to or not, we often inherit our parents’ attitudes about money, too. We call this your money personality. If your parents were disciplined about saving, you likely … Continue reading “Do We Inherit Money Beliefs from Our Parents?”

While tearfully saying goodbye to your little bundle of joy at college seems lightyears away, now is a good time to start putting some money away for college. Based on information compiled by Vanguard, the average cost of college has increased by 6% per year. Since I live in the state of North Carolina, I’ll … Continue reading “What to Expect Financially When You’re Expecting: Part IV”

Our third article in the What to Expect Financially When You’re Expecting series centers around important things to consider surrounding two of your most important insurance coverages i.e. health insurance and life insurance. As is often the case, there are other insurance coverages that are important in this overall discussion, but health and life are … Continue reading “PART III: Health Insurance and Life Insurance: what to know and what to do”