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Writing Your Will
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI facilitated a workshop at a conference last week, on the topic of wills 200 men and women attended my session. Considering how many attendees the conference had, which was over 5,000, I was shocked to see how few took an interest in...
Shopping for a Home
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAMy husband and I just purchased our home and are so excited and smiley these days, when you see us you think we have slept with a hanger in our mouth. A home is something almost everyone wants, but acquiring one can take a lot of work – and...
Five Things to Ask Yourself about Your Retirement
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAMy mom flew in from Michigan last week to spend some time with us here in New York. We just went out for dinner celebrating the anniversary of her retirement and how smooth and easy this transition from employed to retired has been. She was...
Great Ways to Shop More and Spend Less
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA Shopping tips from the recession in 2008 still hold true today, if not more so. Online shopping is the norm today in 2022 and looking to compare pricing online makes it easier to find the best price for what you are looking for. Savvy...
What Are Living Trusts and How Do They Work?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFADuring a charity dinner last night, one of the women mentioned that she and her husband are drafting a trust. The discussion then went from wills to trusts and back to wills again as the other people at the table tried to grasp the...
What Are Stock Options and How Do They Work?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAThis question popped up during a recent Savvy Ladies meeting. This Savvy Lady saw an advertisement on the internet for a course called Stock Options for the Savvy Trader – Make Millions With Little To No Risk. Should she sign up? It seemed...
Creating a Safety Blanket in Case of a Lay-Off
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI was recently on the Today Show talking about how to recession proof your finances when facing a layoff. Not the most upbeat interview. Not only is NBC covering this story but watching the evening news last night was depressing to say the...
Investing More or Paying Down Debt?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAAt a recent get-together at my parents house, one of their friends was excited to tell me his company had given him a substantial bonus – one that far exceeded his expectations. Thrilled to have a financial expert at the party, he asked...
Suze Orman on Limiting Holiday Spending Damage
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA I read an excellent Suze Orman article last night, and thought I should share. Use these five easy techniques, and it will make all the difference this holiday season. Consider credit card interest rates. If you plan to pay off your...
The Postnup
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAOne of the main topics at my latest seminar was prenup’s younger cousin, the postnuptial agreement, or postnup. “I didn’t sign a prenup,” one woman confessed, “and my husband’s spending habits are keeping me up at night. But if I demand...
Should Your Kids Have Credit Cards?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAThe children in front of me in line at the grocery store today were no older than eleven or twelve, yet when the time came to pay for their snacks and sodas, they pulled out their MasterCards. I started to wonder, is this normal now? Do all...
Kicking Your Worst Spending Habit
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAIn line at the grocery store the other day, I picked up a magazine and spotted an article about women who had kicked the one habit that was the most detrimental to their health. They were able to beat their 20 year habit of smoking. This is...
Marriage and Money
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAOne of the most common reasons women call me up is that they are dissatisfied with the way their husbands handle finances. They would therefore like to learn more, so that they can take over this crucial part of the household management. I...
Shopping Triggers and How to Curb Them: Depression
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAAt a seminar today, a woman desperate to take control over her finances confessed that her worst shopping trigger was depression. Whether she was feeling lonely, overworked, fat, poor, or just blue in general, the only way she could cheer...
What Size Allowance Should I Give My Child?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAAt the park today, the moms were discussing allowances. At what age should a child start to receive them, and how much is appropriate? All at once they stopped and asked me, “You are the expert, tell us what to do!” Talk about pressure. I...
Taxes: Should You File Jointly or Separately?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAEven after tax season has come and gone, one of the main topics of discussion at a recent seminar was: what are the benefits versus drawbacks associated with married couples filing separately? An excellent question. However, just like with...
Shopping Triggers and How to Curb Them: Hobby Shopping
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAA friend called me up last night. “We are getting the old gang together,” she said, “for some shopping.” Would I care to join them?This last shopping trigger (for now, anyway) is also one of the most common, and one of the most encouraged...
The 10% Rule
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAYesterday, I went shopping with a colleague of mine. (Yes, I know I advise against hobby shopping, but if kept under control it can be a great way to bond with your peers.) Everything was lovely, until she found a suit she liked, determined...
When Your Account Is in the Red
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAA lady I met last night while I was waiting for my husband to arrive at a restaurant was intrigued that I am a financial planner. As usual I typically get questions about their personal investment and/or finances. This case was no...
Finding and Understanding Your Credit Score
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA“Now that real estate prices are falling,” a woman told me over the phone today, “I would like to buy a town house or a condo. But I hear you need really good credit these days, and I have a feeling mine may be pretty bad.”I asked her what...
Shopping Triggers and How to Curb Them: Plastic Instead of Paper
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAYesterday, a dear friend invited me to a pre-sale event in a major department store. There would be free champagne, she told me, excellent service, fun music, wonderful people and above all – of course – some killer outfits, just off the...