Estate planning is a crucial topic for families, yet it’s often avoided due to its sensitive nature. Discussing finances, wealth transfer, and inheritance can be uncomfortable, but it’s essential for ensuring that a family’s financial future is secure. Families can feel more prepared and confident by approaching the conversation thoughtfully and with the right mindset. This guide offers actionable steps to make estate planning discussions smoother and more productive.
How to Bring Up Conversations About Estate Planning
Topics: family, estate planning
Unfortunately, investing 101 is not a mandatory class for most people. If you’re not particularly interested in finance, you can cruise through high school, college, and even the beginning of your adult life with little understanding of the subject. One day, it hits you that you need to start building the future you’ve always wanted for your retirement to look like it does in your dreams.
Topics: fiduciary
Does managing your finances ever feel like navigating a maze blindfolded? With temptations at every turn and endless options vying for our attention, it's easy to lose sight of our long-term financial well-being and make snap decisions. But fear not! By adopting a few simple habits, you can become a smart spender, enjoying the present moment while paving the way to a healthy financial future. Here are seven to get you started!
Topics: financial planning, budgeting
Does the ritual of gathering documents and navigating the complex maze of tax laws stress you out every year? You’re not alone. If you want to avoid tax season anxiety, careful planning is the best way to do so. This blog outlines multiple tips and strategies to help you streamline your process, confidently tackle tax season, and achieve peace of mind.
Topics: taxes
Do you remember those resolutions you made just a couple of months ago? It’s okay if you answered “no.” An estimated 80% of people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions by February. If you’re one of the rare few who have been keeping up with yours until now, that’s very impressive. The majority break theirs within just a matter of days.
Topics: saving, debt management, budgeting
Over time, we have all become generally smarter about identifying and avoiding cyber threats. Unfortunately, scammers and hackers have become more creative with their deceptive techniques in response to society's increasing awareness of their activities. Therefore, it is important to still take cybersecurity issues seriously. You must diligently review communications and look for telltale signs of fraud. Keep reading to learn how to recognize these early on!
Year-end giving, or “Giving Season,” refers to the last two months of the year when the amount of incoming charitable donations dramatically increases. Overall, 31% of yearly charitable giving happens in December. Here are some other related facts you may not be aware of yet:
Topics: charitable giving
Do you have a hard time discussing finances? You’re not alone. This topic has historically been somewhat taboo and even though Gen Z has already significantly shifted societal conversations to be more open, for some reason many people of all generations still struggle to speak up about money.
Topics: investing, debt management, budgeting
There has been a lot of hype about self-driving cars. But when, realistically, can we expect to be driven to our destination by a vehicle that has no steering wheel, gas pedal, or seat specifically designated for a driver? In 2021, self-driving cabs hit the roads in select test cities. Companies like Waymo, Tesla, and Uber have been actively involved in autonomous taxi development, but this service is still not commonly available in most places.