This past week was designated as America Saves Week, which is an annual call to action for everyday Americans to commit to saving successfully. In honor of this event, which is now in its 13th year, certified financial planner Suzanne Himes is here with some tips and strategies for our own savings goals. …
When finances weigh on the mind, relax and focus | Paul Fain What is “mindful financial planning?” What do terms like “mindfulness” or “being present” really mean? Is this column about to go “woo-woo” into emotions and feelings? Hang with me. What space does your head typically occupy? The past, the present, or the future?…
According to surveys, more than half of American adults don’t have a Last Will and Testament. While the reasons for this vary, one stumbling block can be choosing an executor. Suzanne Himes, lead financial planner at Asset Planning Corporation, joins us with what to consider in selecting someone for this important role. …
Retirement Planning Earthquake By Steve Carlson Just when you thought you had a good grasp of retirement planning rules, the government changes them! A new federal law took effect January 1, 2020, that affects many different parts of retirement planning. The SECURE Act of 2020 (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) has 29 provisions…
Fair Isaac Corp, commonly known as FICO, recently announced that a new version of their credit scoring model will be available later this year. FICO scores are used by 90% of lenders to assess an individual’s credit risk. Certified financial planner Suzanne Himes, with Asset Planning Corporation, is here with more information on this important…
It’s a popular time of year for annual job performance reviews and corresponding pay raises. Along with celebrating this good news, it’s wise to think about how that increase in income can impact multiple financial decisions. Certified financial planner Suzanne Himes, with Asset Planning Corporation, has some of the changes to consider when our paychecks…
According to surveys, adults in the U.S. have used the same checking account for 16 years on average and 40% of all Americans have never switched banks at all. But is that loyalty really what’s best for you and your money? Certified financial planner Suzanne Himes, with Asset Planning Corporation, is here to discuss what…
Over the past month, the market pundits have been proffering their 2020 forecasts for stocks, bonds, interest rates, real estate, gold, oil and basically anything investors might buy or sell. But before I put much weight in reading this year’s tea leaves and crystal ball divinations, I want to know how accurate the soothsayers were…
Most of us equate retirement planning with saving money for the future and while that is certainly important, studies show that the happiest retirees have a few other things in common. Suzanne Himes, lead financial planner at Asset Planning Corporation, is here with us to discuss some of the non-financial aspects of retirement planning. …
What did we learn about the financial markets in 2019? We learned that….. When it seemed the bleakest at the end of December with the S&P 500 Index on the verge of triggering a bear market signal (20% decline from the previous high), the market went on a tear. …