How to Create a Financial Plan

by Natalie Babik on

Creating a financial plan may seem overwhelming to those that have never completed one, but taking the first steps to creating a plan is much easier than you may think. Even if you plan on hiring a professional financial planner down the road, creating a rudimentary plan can go a long way towards...

What Are Your Planned Giving Options?

by Natalie Babik on

Most nonprofit organizations today offer a variety of planned giving options that supporters can take advantage of. If you’re committed to supporting an organization into perpetuity, planned giving provides you with the option to do so.

While consulting with your tax or financial advisor is...

Best Tax Friendly Places to Live for Retirees

by Natalie Babik on

If you’re approaching retirement age, you may be considering a move to a more retirement-friendly state, particularly if your current state of residence imposes numerous taxes on social security, pensions, and other retirement income. While making the decision to relocate is not something that can...

Suddenly Disabled? Here’s What to do Next

by Natalie Babik on

While no one expects to become disabled, 1 in 4 Americans do so prior to retirement age. An accident, an unforeseen medical event, a catastrophic injury can all lead to temporary or permanent disability. So, what happens when you suddenly find yourself unable to work?

Most people turn to Social...

Top 10 Financial Terms

by Natalie Babik on

If you don’t know the difference between asset-backed securities and securities, you may want to take a look at these common financial terms and their definitions.

Asset Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities are bonds or notes that are backed by assets such as credit card accounts receivable...

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*This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information provided is not written or intended as tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for purposes of avoiding any Federal tax penalties. Individuals are encouraged to seek advice from their own...

401(k) Basics

by Natalie Babik on

As a retirement plan, 401(k) plans currently outpace the competition, with more than 54 million Americans participating in a 401(k) plan, and nearly 550,000 plans offered.

Employer sponsored, 401(k) plans are by far the easiest mechanism for workers to get started saving for retirement. And because...

401(k) vs. IRA

by Natalie Babik on

As the go-to investment option for most companies and their employees, 401(k) plans provide many benefits to plan participants, including deferment of taxes, the likelihood of an employer match, and a high maximum allowable for annual contributions.  But for those that are self-employed, or whose...

Financial Missteps to Avoid

by Natalie Babik on

While so much of personal finance is common sense – don’t spend more than you make, don’t buy a house you can’t afford, start to invest money while you’re young, many young people today enter the workforce fresh out of college, with a boatload of student loans, and with no clue how to properly...

Art as an Investment

by Natalie Babik on

Are you an investor looking to diversify your investments, or perhaps you’re a new investor looking for something other than traditional stocks and bonds to invest in. No matter what your situation, investing in art can prove to be lucrative, if you do your research. While novice art investors can...

Why Should I Think About Retirement Planning?

by Natalie Babik on

If you’ve only just begun your career and are starting to collect a decent paycheck, the last thing on your mind is probably retirement planning. When you’re in your twenties and thirties, retirement can feel light years away, but it will get here much quicker than you can imagine. And when it does...

Why Do People Invest in Stocks?

by Natalie Babik on

If you’re still unsure about investing in stocks or have questions on how buying stocks actually works, here are a few quick questions and answers about the entire process, from what exactly is a stock, to how do you buy stock.

What exactly are stocks?
While the term may be confusing, the actual...