Financial Planning

Food shopping at grocery stores is an exercise of convenience. While our forebears hunted, gathered, or farmed whatever they could to get access to sustenance, we stroll through conveniently labeled aisles, scan through an abundance of options, and handpick whatever grabs our fancy. But by thoughtlessly leaning into this easy access, many miss out on […]

Most of us are looking for ways to cut costs. Sure, we can turn off the lights during the day to save on electricity, or bike to work to save on gas, but food?! We need food. We can’t eliminate this expense outright. It is, however, important to ask ourselves: how much is our food […]

Maybe you’ve found yourself in need of unexpected car repairs. Or maybe your daughter is begging for that tricycle she spotted in the store last week. Perhaps you simply want to make an extra few hundred a month to pay the bills. There are all sorts of reasons you might need 100 dollars now, and that’s […]

If you or someone you care about is concerned about qualifying for a home loan, co-signing a mortgage with help from a non-occupant co-signer may be an option to help with financing.  Prospective homeowners with small down payments, high debt-to-income ratios or credit score issues may have difficulties getting a mortgage on their own. However, […]

Every year the IRS makes tax code changes to income tax brackets and rates. The adjustments consider the impact of inflation and help to prevent something known as “bracket creep.”

Do you have goals you’re currently saving for? If so, do you feel like you’re making significant progress? If you don’t have savings goals, what’s holding you back? February 21-25 is America Saves Week, which is a chance for us to reflect on our current saving habits and make changes to improve our financial health. […]

Most Americans understand that living on minimum wage is less than ideal, but did you know it was originally meant to be a living wage? In this blog, we’ll explore how the minimum wage came to be and how it’s evolved over time.

You are celebrating your first year as a new homeowner which means experiencing many firsts. Your first home renovation, your first winter as the primary caretaker of a hot water heater (is it supposed to make that noise?) and now, your first tax season. Dealing with taxes for the first time after buying your home […]

Thinking about getting a small business loan? Familiarizing yourself with the five C’s of credit can help you understand the factors that lenders consider. Unlike a personal loan which examines individual credit history, business loans look at the five important characteristics to determine your creditworthiness.

Lifestyle creep occurs when increased income leads to increased spending. Despite earning more money you don’t see an increase in wealth because you keep spending what you have.  You might be experiencing lifestyle creep if despite getting a raise, or several, you still find yourself living paycheck to paycheck.