Sea Turtles Are Excellent Role Models

September 11, 2015

I was looking at some photos recently and one that made me smile was a big group photo taken on a snorkeling trip. Along with the laughter, stories and bonding time with friends, the thing I remember the most about that particular day is swimming next to two incredibly large sea turtles. These things were HUGE. I’m sure they wondered why some doofus was swimming behind them for a rather long time, but they were gracious hosts. They were remarkable beautiful creatures and it looked like they owned the sea while they were swimming. Continue reading “Sea Turtles Are Excellent Role Models”

Identity Theft Tips From A Former Con Man

September 09, 2015

Last week, while attending the Illinois CPA Society annual conference, I had the privilege of seeing Frank Abagnale, the con artist turned FBI agent on whom the movie Catch Me If You Can is based. He shared some alarming statistics with us about white collar crime and especially identity theft.

Continue reading “Identity Theft Tips From A Former Con Man”

When Winning The Lottery Isn’t Really Winning

September 04, 2015

I heard about a story from a friend and I didn’t believe it.So I went to a more reliable source than my friend’s text message, and I found this article about Illinois lottery winners receiving IOU’s rather than money. The lottery agency is a state run entity and the state has not passed a budget so winners of $25,000 or more are not getting paid right now.   Continue reading “When Winning The Lottery Isn’t Really Winning”

Using Rewards Cards The Right Way

September 02, 2015

Using credit cards that allow you to accumulate rewards or cash back is a great way to get more bang for your buck. It totally works as long as you start out with no credit card debt and stay that way. But this is also how many people end up in debt in the first place. (There’s a reason that card companies offer those plush rewards.)

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Are You Financially Exposed?

August 31, 2015

If you had to expose your finances or pictures of yourself wearing only your “birthday suit,” which one would you choose? A recent survey from MasterCard revealed that a majority of Americans are concerned about financial information and Social Security numbers being exposed. In fact, consumers said they were less concerned about having their email accounts hacked (62%) or having their home robbed (59%). Going back to that not-so-lovely thought of having your private pictures made not so private, 55 percent said they would rather have naked pictures exposed online than their personal financial information stolen. Continue reading “Are You Financially Exposed?”

Are You Suffering From Analysis Paralysis?

August 28, 2015

There are times when I look at my life and realize that I’m not 20-something any more. The phrase “Just Do It” showed me that last weekend. When I hear “Just Do It,” I think about Nike and the ad campaign that started in the late ‘80s. It’s tough to believe that Nike campaign is over 25 years old. Continue reading “Are You Suffering From Analysis Paralysis?”

How To Swallow An Elephant

August 25, 2015

How do you swallow an elephant? One bite at a time. The first time I heard this statement my first thought was: “Yuck! Can we come up an analogy that involves eating an over-sized sundae instead of an elephant?” Once I understood the concept, it became my mantra. Whenever something feels overwhelming, especially something that does not seem like fun, I automatically think, “one bite at a time.” Continue reading “How To Swallow An Elephant”

How Your Finances Can Affect Your Dating Life

August 14, 2015

One of my favorite phrases with my friends after I say something that clearly isn’t all that brilliant is “Is there any wonder I’m still single?” Sometimes, I say things that are meant one way but interpreted another.   At dinner the other night with a group of friends, I made a comment about needing to go outside for a potty break. Of course, I meant the dog but the way I said it made a few of the guests a wee bit nervous. Fortunately, my date understood what I meant and got a good laugh out of it. Continue reading “How Your Finances Can Affect Your Dating Life”

The Kids (Credit Scores) Are All Right

August 06, 2015

Which generation has the lowest average credit score? According to this article, it’s the Millennials, who have a 625 VantageScore vs 650 for Generation X and 709 for Baby Boomers. This is unfortunate since Millennials are the most likely to look for a new job or buy a home, which are two of the situations when having good credit can be most important. Continue reading “The Kids (Credit Scores) Are All Right”

What Really Matters To Your Credit

July 21, 2015

One of the most common questions I get is how do I improve my credit score. There is so much information on the Internet that people cannot make heads or tails of it. I was talking to my buddy, Kelley, a fellow CFP(R) professional and CPA, and she offered great insight as to what really matters vs. what does not matter to your credit score. Below are her thoughts: Continue reading “What Really Matters To Your Credit”

How To Determine Your Financial Priorities With A Late Start To Retirement

July 20, 2015

We hear a lot about the retirement crisis in America and there’s a great deal to be concerned about these days. With a decline in pension availability and concerns about the long-term viability of Social Security, the burden of saving for retirement rests squarely on our shoulders. However, the average American has less than $25,000 in total savings and investments for retirement (see EBRI’s 2015 Retirement Confidence Survey). Continue reading “How To Determine Your Financial Priorities With A Late Start To Retirement”

What Alligators Taught Me About Budgeting

July 14, 2015

My family and I are history buffs so we try to choose cities with lots of history to visit. This year, we chose St. Augustine, Fl. It is considered to be the oldest city in the country and is full of historical sites and museums that kept the kids entertained. Continue reading “What Alligators Taught Me About Budgeting”

Money For Grown Ups

July 10, 2015

In a conversation with another financial planner here at Financial Finesse, the subject of having college–age children elicited laughter as well as groans. Cynthia Meyer and I shared some stories about our past “adventures” in finance and some mistakes we made along the way. She was inspired enough to write this blog post: Continue reading “Money For Grown Ups”

What To Do If You Owe The IRS

July 09, 2015

One of the biggest fears of many Americans is getting audited by the IRS. Even worse, is finding out that you owe thousands of dollars in back taxes that you can’t pay. That’s the position that one of my recent helpline callers was in. Not only could she not afford to pay the debt in full, but the balance was actually increasing since the interest and penalties each month were considerably more than she was paying. If you find yourself in a similar situation, here are some options to consider: Continue reading “What To Do If You Owe The IRS”

DIY Credit Repair

July 07, 2015

One of my cousins came to see me excited over a meeting she recently had. If you know my cousin, she gets excited over air so I always have to proceed with caution every time she has wide eyes and a high pitched voice and looks like she is about to do a cartwheel. She was excited because she had just met with a credit repair company that promised that they can get all of her negative credit taken off her credit report and can get her score high enough so she could buy a home. Continue reading “DIY Credit Repair”

Continue Celebrating Freedom All Year Long

July 06, 2015

I have fond memories of Independence Day weekend dating back to my early childhood days. Our traditional family vacation spot was always the Emerald Coast on the Florida panhandle right in the heart of what some affectionately refer to as the “Redneck Riviera.” I’ve always felt the gravitational forces pulling me towards the coast and as a result, the “married with children” version of my immediately family also likes to head to the coast to celebrate our nation’s birthday. Continue reading “Continue Celebrating Freedom All Year Long”

Why Every Couple Needs A Joint Account

June 16, 2015

I was recently talking to a couple that I initially thought was talking to me about their debate over getting a joint account. But as each of them spoke, they may had been looking at me but what they were saying was clearly directed at the other person until they forgot I was in the room and they just started arguing. I then remembered some guidance my buddy Kelley, a fellow financial planner, wrote about joint accounts and shared the following guidance from her: Continue reading “Why Every Couple Needs A Joint Account”

Your 4 Week Financial Check-Up Challenge: Week 2

June 01, 2015

A couple of weeks ago marked the beginning of a Four Week Financial Check-Up Challenge. For some, these “best practice” financial behaviors are a part of the daily routine and you already create world class budgeting spreadsheets and could teach classes on making every dollar count. For others, just the thought of getting financially naked and examining the state of your financial affairs is a bit overwhelming. Continue reading “Your 4 Week Financial Check-Up Challenge: Week 2”

Climbing The Debt Mountain

May 29, 2015

One of the things I love to see is a different perspective. When we hire a new financial planner on our team, they offer a lot of “new employee energy,” a fresh set of eyes and a different life experience to the table. Fortunately, we recently hired Cynthia Meyer as a part of our team and she sent me this blog post about her view on a very common type of call that we see on our Financial Helpline.  I like her approach… Continue reading “Climbing The Debt Mountain”