- The Best Housing Markets for Growth and Stability in 2018
Editor’s Note: This study was originally published in August 2018. Like any good financial advisor will tell you, investing is about more than just average return. The best investors weigh risk with reward. For example, consider home values. The Census… read more…
- The Best Cities for Young Professionals – 2018 Edition
How you start your career is an important determinant for future financial success. Young professionals who are able to find a high-paying career earlier are able to build more savings, get promoted earlier and have more long-term, financial flexibility. Where you start is also important. Some cities have affordable housing that allows young professionals to… read more…
- Is Betterment Safe and Should You Invest?
Betterment is a robo-advisor that allows investors to create and manage their investment portfolios online. Whether you’re building wealth for retirement or other financial reasons, Betterment functions as your digital investing solution. With billions in assets under management, the company… read more…
- States That Use Their 529 Plans the Most
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the price of college tuition increased by 63% from 2006 to 2016. Over that same time period, the median household income in the United States increased by only 19%. This makes college more expensive than ever for the average family. However, there are efficient ways that you can… read more…
- What Is a Tax Consultant, and What Do They Do?
A tax consultant can help you minimize your tax liability, capitalize on tax deductions and manage your tax situation. With more expertise than standard tax preparers, tax consultants can help with tax planning, inheritance issues, charitable giving and other complex tax… read more…
- States Where It Costs the Most (and Least) to Be Rich
In 2016 the IRS reported that it collected nearly $18.3 billion in estate taxes, from more than 5,200 estates. That is an average tax of $3.5 million per taxable estate. While the estate tax is a punishing one-off payment, the wealthy can also see their annual tax burden pile up due to income and property… read more…
- 12 Questions to Ask a Financial Advisor
The aid of a financial advisor can be helpful regardless of whether you’re young, retired or somewhere in between. There is a wide range of financial advisors you can work with, as they can specialize in taxes, retirement, financial planning,… read more…
- How Much Does a Financial Advisor Cost?
As you strive to reach your financial goals and prepare for retirement, you may consider turning to a financial advisor. In this case, knowing how much a financial advisor’s services normally cost is crucial. Depending on the size of your… read more…
- Where Seniors Are Most Housing Cost-Burdened
The majority of Americans find meeting their retirement goals a challenge. After all, the financial world is complicated. Many Americans miss the opportunity to save, which means they miss the chance to invest – whether that’s alone or with the expert guidance of a financial advisor. Without the gains from investing, it is almost impossible… read more…
- The Top 10 Cities for Career Opportunities in 2018
It’s a pretty good time to be a worker in America. For the most part, jobs are available and unemployment is on the decline. But availability of jobs alone does not mean a city is a good place to start a career. The cities with the best career opportunities combine high pay, strong support networks… read more…
- 529 Plan Benefits: How They Can Help
With tuition increasing at a steady pace and student loan debt reaching record highs, many parents struggle finding ways to lower the price of higher education. But a 529 college savings plan can help. These tax-friendly savings vehicles offer a range… read more…
- Investment Advisor vs. Financial Planner
Investment advisors and financial planners are two of the most common types of financial advisors that clients work with. These advisors ultimately offer guidance on different financial topics, but one thing they have in common is money management. Whereas financial… read more…
- 529 Plan Withdrawals: Here’s Everything You Need to Know
After years of investing in your children’s college education, you’re ready to reach into your 529 college savings plan and send your kid off to the best years of his or her life. But while making 529 plan withdrawals is… read more…
- The Cities With the Largest Gender Retirement Gap
The average full-time working woman earns 82% of what the average full-time working man earns, according to BLS data. The good news is that the gender pay gap is shrinking. The bad news is that the narrowing of the gap comes too late for women who started and ended their careers when the pay gap… read more…
- What Is the Cost of Having a Baby?
For many expectant parents, one question looms above everything else: how much does it cost to have a baby? While you might be tempted to forget about this to focus on more exciting things like decorating your nursery and buying… read more…
- The Most Investment-Savvy Cities in America
Whether you are working with a financial advisor or managing a portfolio on your own, making the right investments can make all the difference in your future financial security. Make too many risky investments and you might lose out on your retirement income, don’t take on enough risk and you may not accumulate enough funds to… read more…
- What Is an Investment Broker?
If you’re getting started in investing, an investment broker can be a great asset as your connection to the market. Investment brokers serve as go-betweens for buyers and sellers on the stock market. They enable their clients to purchase stocks,… read more…
- What Is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)?
ERISA, or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, is a law established by the federal government that’s designed to identify minimum standards for retirement and healthcare plans in the private sector. It also focuses on setting up protections… read more…
- Financial Planner vs. Financial Advisor
While the services of financial advisors and financial planners often overlap, they each have distinctive areas that they tend to focus on. Many financial advisors offer financial planning, but financial planners only work within that area. On the other hand,… read more…
- What Is a Financial Coach, and How Can They Help?
If you need help getting your finances in order or learning the basics of budgeting, you might consider seeking the help of a financial coach. A financial coach is different from other financial professionals. They spend more time helping their… read more…
- What Is a Financial Consultant and What Do They Do?
A financial consultant is essentially the same as a financial advisor. They often offer a number of services, with their financial advice being based on the client’s specific needs and goals. In some cases, a financial consultant may have more… read more…
- What Is a Financial Advisor Disclosure?
In the world of business and finance, disclosures are information reports that companies – public corporations, financial advisor firms, brokerages – might prefer to keep private. Governmental and regulatory agencies require disclosures to promote transparency and fairness. For example, investment advisors… read more…
- How to Get the Benefits of a Free Financial Advisor
Money affects basically every aspect of our lives. However, learning to properly manage your money isn’t always easy to do. So how can you learn about personal finance while also getting advice that applies to your specific financial situation? One… read more…
- CFA vs. CFP®: Which Do You Need?
Chartered financial analyst (CFA) and certified financial planner (CFP) are common certifications for individuals working in finance, namely financial advisors. These are designed to tell a client (or employer) that the holder has received education in certain types of financial… read more…
- What Does a Financial Advisor Do?
In a nutshell, a financial advisor helps people manage their money. Typically, there is an investing component to their services, but not always. Some financial advisors, often accountants or lawyers who specialize in trusts and estates, are wealth managers. One of their… read more…