You may have heard of the CFP® certification. The letters stand for Certified Financial Planner™ professional. It’s probably the most widely recognized professional designation in the personal financial planning profession. You may have seen some TV commercials that promote the certification. A CFP® professional must meet rigorous education and experience requirements and they are held …
What Should I Know About My Family’s Money?
I was talking with a client recently and she mentioned a dear friend who had recently lost her husband. While the friend was working to settle the estate, to her surprise she found that she was not listed on some accounts and that she had almost no personal financial history of her own. This was …
Where is My Old 401(k)?
Almost 12.5 million Americans change jobs every year, according to Retirement Clearinghouse via Forbes, and have to figure out what to do with a company-sponsored retirement account. If you are like a lot of people, most of your job changes have come at a hectic time. Either you left on your own because of a …
Can I Fund My Retirement Driving for Uber?
Working independently, on your own schedule, for Uber or another “gig” job can be a great source of supplemental income. But one key difference between this work and a traditional job is the retirement savings options. While 52 percent of employees have access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan, just 16 percent of independent workers do, …
What Should I Do Before I Retire?
It’s a simple question with a not so simple answer. Today, as most workers approach the Retirement Red Zone (the 5 years leading up to retirement and the 5 years after), they are faced with challenges. No longer can they count on the company pension to provide a steady income for life after they stop …
What Should I Do About the Market Decline?
Sometimes I get asked by friends and clients, “What should I do about the market decline?” I often tell them that, unfortunately, by the time the markets have declined, it’s too late to do much. Imagine you just bought a new car. If you don’t have a garage and it’s sitting in your driveway when …