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An Emergency Fund: Your First Line Of Defense
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAIf you don't have an emergency fund, it's time to get serious about building one.The purpose of the fund is to sock away a minimum of three to six months' living expenses. But this money could also be used when you're staring at major,...
Catch Up with Your Cash
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAMost folks get down to serious money-making much later in their careers than they'd like. If this is you, and you are trying to make up for lost time with your savings, there are a couple strategies that can help you get back on track and...
How Smart Investors Blow It
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAGoing back to the early 2000s, our friends at Dalbar have been conducting a study to determine whether investors’ investment decisions impacts their investment performance. Unfortunately, it does. In a BIG way. As with every year’s study so...
Top IRA Trouble Spots
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAIndividual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) now hold more assets than any other retirement savings vehicles, but many people do not understand how they work and many IRA owners make critical mistakes that can cost them money. Here are some ways...
Making Money a Family Affair
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAMake saving a habit not only for you, but for every member of the family including children. A rule that a percentage of all income must be saved, whether it's from a part-time job, a weekly allowance or any other source, will teach your...
Mid- Year New Year’s Resolutions for the Savvy Lady
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAIt’s halfway through the year and it’s time to make some changes. So what’s it to be? If you are REALLY serious about saving money and are willing to make a few changes in your spending habits, then read on.1. Set goals and have fun The key...
How International Do You Want to Be?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAParis, London and Rome, here we come!Care to own a little of London or un petite peu de Paris? The relationship between international stocks and retirement savings is along the same lines at brie and French baguettes - you shouldn’t have...
Make Sure Your Cash Works as Hard as You Do
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFANot ready to put your cash in the stock market? Feeling like you are not getting anywhere making 0% on your extra dough? We have the answer for you.One of the easiest ways to get higher interest rates on your checking and savings is to do...
Overreacting to the Market
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAIf you are developing a nervous twitch lately it may be a sign that you are a market over-reactor. While there will always be an economist that preaches doom and gloom, be assured that while the economy may have slowed, it hasn't fallen off...
Should You Be on the Field or On the Sidelines?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAWhen the market is in transition, it's tough to decide whether to be in the game or on the sidelines. In order to know the answer to this question what we really need is a crystal ball. Since neither you nor I have access to a crystal ball...
Does Your Head Hurt? How To Choose a Mutual Fund?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAThere are so many different kinds of mutual funds, does your head hurt? How do you pick one that's going to make you a ton of money? There are now funds that specialize in so many different parts of the world and so many industry sectors....
Asset Allocation Made Sexy. Where Should You Put Your Money?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAAchieving a secure financial future has less to do with picking the right stock or mutual fund and more to do with the method in which you divide or diversify your investments. Studies show that asset allocation will account for about 90%...
So You Think You Are a Stock Picker?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAHere's something that happens all the time to me: somebody will mention they're thinking of buying a certain “hot” stock. The next question is if I think that's a good idea? I always give them the same answer - I don't know.Whether or not...
Financial Fitness for Newlyweds
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFALet’s see, you’ve got the wedding chapel and the caterer booked, the dress selected, the cake designed, the wedding invitations mailed, vows written, finances talked about - oops, didn’t do the last one yet?Money conflicts are a leading...
Mars and Venus – Women, Men and Money
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAMars may not be so far from Venus when it comes to money. According to a recent Redbook-SmartMoney Survey, most couples aren't wasting time arguing over finances and they have few clashes over cash.One of the most revealing survey questions...
Does Gender Make a Difference?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAWomen owned businesses experience greater success than those led by men, according to The Center for Women’s Leadership at Babson College.Increasingly women are playing a larger role in the leadership of family-owned businesses. Women are...
A Spring Makeover for Your Finances
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFANow that spring has officially sprung you might be making plans to stash those dull winter clothes away and reveal your swanky spring digs. Most of us have perfected this yearly wardrobe ritual, but many of us have a lot to learn about...
Spring Cleaning Your Financial Closet
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA Spring is a time of renewal, which means there’s no better time than now to dust off your personal budget, dig the change out from under your sofa, and clean the cobwebs off your savings plan. So how do you get started? Begin by reviewing...
The Benefits and Risks of Owning a Home
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA With all of the excitement in real estate lately, you might be wondering if you should take the plunge and buy a home. Homeownership has many advantages – both financial and personal. But there are many things to consider before you jump...
Do you have high financial self-esteem?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAWhat does self-esteem have to do with money? Actually a lot! Your relationship with money is often a reflection of your self-esteem. So what is high financial self-esteem? A good financial self-esteem is the result of handling your money...
Be Your Own Knight in Shining Armor
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAAre you still looking for your knight in shining armor? Or have you already found him? Either way you have your work cut out for you when it comes to finances!$ More than 50 percent of all marriages fail.$ After a divorce, the average woman...