Our retirement years will be here sooner than we think.

Ideally, you’ve been putting away money in your IRA, 401k, or other savings accounts. But are you overlooking ways to save money now so you can free up more for your financial strategy or help build your cash stash for a rainy day?

1. Pay Yourself First.

If you’re making contributions to your 401k plan at work, you’re already paying yourself first. But you can also apply the same principle to saving. (If you open a separate account just for this, it’s easier to do.) If you prefer, you can accomplish the same thing on paper by keeping a ledger. Just be aware that paper makes it easier to cheat (yourself). With a separate account, you can schedule an automatic transfer to make the process painless and fuhgettaboutit.

Here’s how it works. Whenever you get paid, transfer a fixed dollar amount into your special account – before you do anything else. If you don’t pay yourself first, you might guess what will happen. (Be honest.) If you’re like most people, you’ll probably spend it, and if you’re like most people, you might not really know where it went. It’s just gone, like magic.

Paying yourself first helps to avoid the “disappearing money” trick. Hang in there! After a while, as the money starts adding up, you’ll impress yourself with your savings prowess.

2. Got A Bonus From Work? Great! Keep it.

What do you think most people are tempted to do if they get a bonus or a raise? What are YOU most tempted to do if you get a bonus or a raise? Probably spend it. Why? It’s easy to think of 100 things you could use that extra cash for right now. Home repairs or upgrades, a night out on the town, that new handbag you’ve been coveting for months… Maybe your bonus is enough for you to consider trading in your car for a nicer one, or getting that new addition to your house.

Receiving an unexpected windfall is fun. It’s exciting! But here is where some caution is wise. Pause for a moment. If you had everything you needed on Friday and then get a raise on Monday, you’ll still have everything you need, right? Nothing has changed but the calendar. If you hadn’t gotten that bonus, would your life and your current financial strategy still be the same as it was last week? Consider putting (most of) that extra money away for later, and using some of it for fun!

3. Pay Down That Debt.

By now you’ve probably heard a financial guru or two talking about “good” debt and “bad” debt. Debt IS debt, but some types of debt really are worse than others.

Credit cards and any high-interest loans are the first priority when retiring debt – so that you can retire too, someday. Do you really know how much you’re paying in interest each month? Go ahead and look. I’ll wait… Once you know this number, you can’t “unknow” it. But take heart! Use this as a powerful incentive to pay those balances off as fast as you can.

The cost of credit isn’t just the interest. That part is spelled out in black and white on your credit card statement (which you just looked at, right)? The other costs of credit are less obvious. Did you know your credit score affects your insurance rates? Keeping those cards maxed out can cost more than just the interest charges.

Every month you chip away at the balances, you’ll owe less and pay less in interest. (You’ll feel better, too.) And you know what to do with the leftover money since you knocked out that debt. Hint: Save it.

But keep this in mind – life is about balance. It’s okay to treat yourself once in awhile. Just make sure to pay yourself first now, so you can treat yourself later in retirement.

The housing market has experienced major peaks and valleys over the past 15 years.

If you’re in the market for a new home, you might be wondering if buying a house is a good investment, or if it even should be considered an investment at all…

“Owning a home is the best investment you can make.”

We’ve all heard this common financial refrain: “Owning a home is the best investment you can make.” The problem with that piece of conventional wisdom is that technically a home isn’t an investment at all. An investment is something that (you hope) will earn you money. A house costs money. We may expect to save money over the long term by buying a home rather than renting, but we shouldn’t (typically) expect to earn money from buying a home.

So, a home normally shouldn’t be considered an investment, but it may offer some financial benefits. In other words, buying a home may be a good financial decision, but not a good investment. A home may cost much more than it gives back – especially at the beginning of ownership.

The costs of homeownership

One reason that buying a home may not be a good investment is that the cost of homeownership may be much higher than renting – especially at first. Many first time homebuyers are unprepared for the added expense of owning a home, plus the amount of time maintaining a home may often require. First-time homebuyers must be prepared to potentially deal with:

• Higher utility costs
• Lawn care
• Regular maintenance such as painting or cleaning gutters
• Emergency home repairs
• Higher insurance costs
• Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) if you don’t provide a full 20 percent down payment

A long term commitment

Another problem with considering a house as an investment is that it may take many years to build equity. Mortgages are typically interest heavy in the beginning. You can expect to be well into the life of your mortgage before you may see any real equity in your home.

Having the choice to move without worrying about selling your home is a benefit of renting that homeowners don’t enjoy. The freedom to move for a career goal, romantic interest, or even just a lifestyle choice is mostly available to a renter but may be out of reach for a homeowner. So, be sure to consider your long term goals and aspirations before you start planning to buy a house.

When is buying a home the right move?

Buying a home in many cases can be an excellent financial decision. If you are committed to living in a specific area but the rent is very high, homeownership may have some benefits. Some of those may be:

• Not having a landlord make decisions about your property
• Tax savings
• Building equity
• A stable place to raise a family

Buying a home: Not always a good investment, but may be a good financial decision

Although buying a home may not pay you in high returns, it can be an excellent financial decision. If owning a home is one of your dreams, go for it. Just be aware of the costs as well as the benefits. If you’ve always wanted to own your own home, then the rewards can be myriad – dollars can’t measure joy and the priceless memories you’ll create with your family.

If you’ve always used the services of a traditional bank, you might not know the ins and outs of credit unions and if using one might be better for your financial situation.

Credit unions are generally known for their customer-focused operations and friendliness. But the main difference between a bank and a credit union is that a credit union is a nonprofit organization that you have to be a member of to participate in its services. Credit unions may offer higher interest rates and lower fees than banks, but banks may provide more services and a greater range of products.¹

Read on for some basics about what you should know before you join one.

Protection and insurance

Just like banks, your accounts at a credit union should be insured. The National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) functions to protect consumer deposits if the credit union becomes insolvent. The fund protects up to $250,000 per customer in deposits.² Be sure the credit union you select is backed by the NCUSIF.

What credit union is best for you?

Today there are many credit unions available. Many now offer 100 percent online banking so you may never need to visit a branch at all.

The most important feature in selecting a credit union is to make sure they meet your personal banking needs and criteria. Here are a few things to consider:

• Does the credit union offer the products and services you want? Can you live without the ones they don’t?
• Do they have competitive interest rates when compared to banks?
• Are the digital and online banking features useful?
• What are the fee schedules?
• What are the credit union membership requirements? Do you qualify for membership?

Take your time and do some research. Credit unions vary in the services provided as well as the fees for such services.

What to expect when opening a credit union account

Each credit union may have slightly different requirements when opening an account, but in general, you will most likely need a few things:

Expect to complete an application and sign documents. When opening a credit union account, you will likely have to fill out some forms and sign other paperwork. If you don’t understand something you are asked to sign, make sure you get clarification.

Be prepared to show identification. You will likely be asked to show at least two forms of identification when opening an account. Your credit union will also probably ask for your social security number, date of birth, and physical address. Be prepared to show proof of your personal information.

Make the required opening deposit. On the day you open your credit union account, you’ll likely be asked to make an opening deposit. Each credit union may have a different minimum deposit required to open the account. It could be up to $100 (or more), but call the credit union to make sure.

Unique benefits

Credit union accounts offer some unique advantages for members. You may enjoy more comfortable access to personal loans or even auto financing and mortgages. Credit unions may offer other perks such as fee waivers, as well as discounts on other products and services that come from being a member.

If participating in a customer-owned bank sounds interesting to you, a credit union may be a good option. There are more credit unions available today than ever. Do your research. You may find an option that compares to your current bank, but offers some greater benefits that will make it worth the switch.

Sometimes life insurance doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

Most of us know it’s used to replace income if the worst were to happen, but that’s about it. If you’re in your twenties and just starting out on your own, especially if you’re single or don’t have kids yet, you might be thinking that getting a life insurance policy is something to put off until later in life.

On closer inspection however, life insurance can be a multi-faceted financial tool that has many interesting applications for your here-and-now. In fact, there’s probably a life insurance policy for most every person or situation.

Read on for some uses of life insurance you may be able to take advantage of when you’re young – you might find some interesting surprises!

Loan collateral

If you have your eye on entrepreneurship, life insurance can be of great service. Some types of business loans may require you to have a life insurance policy as collateral. If you have an eye on starting a business and think you may need a business loan, put a life insurance policy into place.

Pay off debt

A permanent life insurance policy has cash value. This is the amount the policy is worth should you choose to cash it in before the death benefit is needed. If you’re in a financial bind with debt – maybe from unexpected medical expenses or some other emergency you weren’t anticipating – using the cash value on the policy to pay off the debt may be an option. Some policies will even let you borrow against this cash value and repay it back with interest. (Note: If you’re thinking about utilizing the cash benefit of your life insurance policy, talk to a financial professional about the consequences.)

Charitable spending

If a certain cause or charity is near and dear to you, consider using the death benefit of a life insurance policy as a charitable gift. You can select your favorite charity or nonprofit organization and list them as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy. This will allow them to receive a tax-free gift when you pass away.

Leave a legacy of wealth

A life insurance policy can serve as a legacy to your beneficiaries. Consider purchasing a life insurance policy to serve as an inheritance. This is a good option if you are planning on using most or all of your savings during your non-working retirement years.

Mortgage down payment

The cash value of a whole life policy may be able to be used for large expenses, such as home buying. A whole life policy can serve as a down payment on a home – for you or for your children or grandchildren.

Key man insurance

Key man insurance is a useful tool for businesses. A key person is someone in your business with proprietary knowledge or some other business knowledge on which your business depends.

A business may purchase a life insurance policy on a key man (or woman) to help the business navigate the readjustment should that person die unexpectedly. A life insurance policy can help the business bridge that time and potential downturn in income, and help cover expenses to deal with the loss.

Financing college education

With the rising cost of college tuition, many families are looking for tools to finance their children’s college education. You may consider using the cash value of your life insurance policy to help with college tuition. Just remember to account for any possible tax implications you may incur.

Life insurance policies have many uses. There are great applications for young people, business owners, and just about anyone. Talk to a financial professional about your financial wishes to see how a life insurance policy can work for you.

Successful investors like Warren Buffett didn’t just hit a home run on a stock pick.

Warren Buffett hit lots of home runs, but compounding turned those home runs into history-making investment achievements.

Compounding doesn’t have to be a big mystery. It just means that the annual increase is added to the previous year’s balance, which, on average, gives each year a larger base for the next year’s increase. The concept of compounding applies to any interest-bearing savings or investments or to average percentage gains.

Here’s a quick example:

Starting investment: $10,000 Interest rate: 7%

The rule of 7 & 10

There’s a reason a 7 percent return was chosen for this example. You can see that the total interest return over 10 years is about double the original investment. This is an example of the “Rule of 7 & 10”, which says that money doubles in 10 years at 7 percent return and that it doubles in 7 years at 10 percent interest. It’s not an exact rule, but it’s close enough so you can quickly estimate without a spreadsheet or calculator.

The simple interest example above only begins to show the power of compounding. It doesn’t include any additional investments after year one. In investing, compounding can come from more places than one, particularly if the stocks you own pay dividends. (A dividend is a share of the profit that is distributed to shareholders.)

Compounding in investing

Investing in stocks or mutual funds may provide an average annual return in line with the simple interest example, assuming investments are well diversified to mimic the broad market performance. For example, the S&P 500 return over the past 10 years is just over 7 percent annualized.[i] When you adjust for dividends, the annualized return is close to 10 percent. If those numbers sound familiar – like the rule of 7 & 10 – it’s a coincidence, but the past 10 years of S&P returns are very close to historical averages. Knowing what we now know, it’s easy to figure out that $10,000 will double in 7 years, assuming that market performance is aligned with historical averages. In reality, market performance may be higher or lower than past averages – but over a longer time line, short term peaks and valleys usually blend into an overall trend in direction.

If you’re concerned that you don’t know as much about investing as Warren Buffett, don’t think you need to be an oracle to be a successful investor. Many times, the best stock to pick for individual investors may be no stock at all. There are a myriad of investment options from which to choose without buying stocks directly. Talk to your financial professional about what choices may be available for you.

The sooner you start planning for retirement, the better off you’re going to be.

That’s hard to argue with. But no matter where you are on your retirement planning journey, there are always great financial planning steps you can take to help you get and stay on the road to a happy retirement.

Time is money

When it comes to retirement savings, the old expression, “Time is Money” means more than ever. It makes sense that the sooner you start saving, the more you’ll have when your retirement comes. But there’s a phenomenon you can take advantage of that can help your money grow while you’re saving.

It’s called compound interest. This is basically earning interest on the interest. This is how it works: Your principal investment earns interest. The following year, your principal plus last year’s interest earns interest. You could stuff the same amount of cash under your mattress – and you might be able to store away a hefty sum over the years that way – but with compound interest, your money can “grow”. Taking advantage of compound interest can be one of the best ways to build your retirement savings.

Starting to save in your 20s and 30s: Set yourself up

If you’re in your 20s or 30s and you’re already thinking about retirement – give yourself a pat on the back. This is the best time to begin planning for your golden years. At this age, a retirement strategy is probably going to be the most flexible, and it’s more likely that your retirement dream can become a reality.

One of the best tools to take advantage of during this time is an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan. Make sure you’re taking full advantage of it. There are two major benefits:

1. Time: Remember compound interest? The more you invest now in a retirement savings plan, the more you’ll have come retirement time.
2. Company match: This is the money your employer puts in your 401(k) plan for you. Most employers will match your contributions up to a certain percentage. It’s like free money. Be sure you don’t leave it on the table.

Starting in middle age: Maximize your retirement savings

If you’re in your middle years, you still have some advantages when it comes to a retirement strategy. First, retirement should feel a little less like a fantasy and more like reality at this age – it’s not too far beyond the horizon! Use this reality check as motivation to start some serious planning and saving.

Second, your earnings may be higher on the career curve than they were when you were just starting out. If so, this is a great time to go all out with your savings plan. Try these tips for starters:

1. Consider an IRA: An IRA can function as a savings tool when you’ve maxed out your 401(k). The savings are pre-tax as well.
2. Professional financial planning: If you’re having a hard time getting your head around retirement planning, seek financial planning expertise. A financial professional can help make sense of your particular retirement picture. This way you can better identify needs and create strategies to fill them.

Your 50s and 60s: Getting real about retirement income

This is the age when retirement planning gets real. You’re thinking may now shift from savings to distributions. The question that arises is how you’ll replace that paycheck you’ve been earning with another source of income, if you’re not willing or able to work beyond a certain age.

1. Social security benefits: You become eligible to tap into your social security benefits at 60. You can collect full benefits at around 65, but if you wait until you’re 70, you’ll get the largest possible payout from social security.
2. Distributions: When you’re 59 ½ you can take distributions from your retirement accounts without a penalty. But keep in mind those distributions may count as taxable income.

A good retirement favors the prepared

No matter where you are on the road to retirement, wise financial planning is the key to a happy and healthy retirement. Start today!

Retirement is as much a part of the American Dream as owning a home, owning a small business, or just owning your time.

It’s built into the American psyche.

Many while away their working lives dreaming of the day they won’t have to wake up to a jarring alarm clock, fight rush hour traffic, and spend their days trapped behind a desk.

No matter your retirement dream – endless golf, exciting travel, or just hanging out with the grandkids – will you actually be able to pull it off? Will you actually be able to retire?

Sadly, about 59% of Americans say no, according to a poll by MagnifyMoney.¹

It turns out there are some reliable indicators that you may not be ready for retirement. It’s time for a reality check (and some tough love). So roll up your sleeves and let’s get honest. If you regularly practice any of the following financial habits, you may not be able to retire.

You spend without a budget

Do you have a budget? Are you spending indiscriminately on anything that tickles your fancy? Living day to day without a budget – especially if you are approaching your middle years or later – can wreck your chances of retirement. Commit to creating a budget and stick to it. Overspending now can turn your retirement daydream into a nightmare.

You’re not dealing with your credit card debt

If you struggle with credit card debt, you must have a plan to attack it. Credit card debt can cost you money in interest payments that could be funding your retirement instead. If you’re carrying credit card debt, get rid of it as soon as possible. Stick to a payment plan, be patient, and remain diligent. With time you’ll knock out that debt and start funding your retirement.

You’re not creating passive income

Being able to retire depends on whether you can generate income for yourself during your retirement years. You should be setting up your passive income streams now. Your financial advisor can inform you about options you might have, such as retirement investment accounts, real estate assets, stocks, or even life insurance and annuities. Make it a goal to formulate a strategy about how you can generate income later or you might not be able to retire.

You’re pipe dreaming

Ouch. Here’s some really tough love. If your retirement plan includes so-called “get rich quick” scenarios such as investment fads, lottery winnings, or pyramid schemes, your retirement could be in jeopardy. The way to retirement is through tried and true financial planning and implementing solid strategies over time. Try putting the 20 dollars you might spend each week on lottery tickets toward your retirement strategy instead.

A great retirement life isn’t guaranteed to anyone. It takes planning, sacrifice, and discipline. If you’re coming up short, make some changes now so you’ll be ready for your retirement life.

Inflation isn’t just eating away at your purchasing power—it’s also ravaging your savings account.

If you’re like many people, the interest you’re earning on your money is being completely eroded by inflation. That’s because the annual rate of inflation has been outpacing the interest rates on savings accounts for years.

Let’s look at some numbers…

Let’s say you have $10,000 in a savings account that pays 1% interest. After one year, you would have earned $100 in interest, which sounds like a decent return.

But if inflation is running at 2%, then the purchasing power of your money has declined by 2% over the same period. In other words, the $10,100 you have in your account can buy less than what $10,000 could buy a year ago.

As a result, your real return on investment—or the return after inflation is taken into account—is actually negative 1%.

Now, let’s bring that to the real world—in 2022, the total inflation rate has been 8.5% thus far,¹ while the average interest rate for savings accounts is just .13%.²

That means for every $100 you have in a savings account, the purchasing power of that money declines by $8.50 while the value of your money only grows by $.13.

In other words, inflation is absolutely massacring your savings account.

So what can you do about it?

Simple—find assets that grow at a rate that outpaces inflation.

One option is to invest in assets with high compounding interest rates, such as certain types of bonds. Another strategy is to invest in options that have the potential to generate high returns, such as stocks or real estate.

You could also start a business that can scale quickly and generate a high return on investment.

Whatever strategy you choose, the key is to find an asset that will grow at a rate that can outpace inflation.

So don’t sit idly by and watch as inflation destroys your savings account—take action and find an investment that will help you keep up with the rising cost of living. Otherwise, you’ll end up losing ground financially.

Most of us understand the meanings of “dollar” and “cost”, and we know what averages are…

But when you put those three words together – dollar cost averaging – the meaning may not be quite as clear.

Dollar cost averaging refers to the concept of investing on a fixed schedule and with a fixed amount of money. For example, after a careful budget review, you might determine you can afford $200 per month to invest. With dollar cost averaging, you would invest that $200 without regard to what the market is doing, without regard to price, and without regard to news that might impact the market temporarily. You become the investment equivalent of the tortoise from the fable of the tortoise and the hare. You just keep going steadily.

When the market goes up, you buy. When the market goes down, you can buy more.

The gist of dollar cost averaging is that you don’t need to be a stock-picking prodigy to potentially succeed at investing. Over time, as your investment grows, the goal is to profit from all the shares you purchased, both low and high, because your average cost for shares would be below the market price.

Hypothetically, let’s say you invest your first $200 in an index fund that’s trading at $10 per share. You can buy 20 shares. But the next month, the market drops because of some news that said the sky was falling somewhere else in the world. The price of your shares goes down to $9.

You might be thinking that doesn’t seem so great. But pause for a moment. You’re not selling yet because you’re employing dollar cost averaging. Now, with the next month’s $200, you can buy 22 shares. That’s 2 extra shares compared to your earlier buy. Now your average cost for all 42 shares is approximately $9.52. If your index fund reaches $10 again, you’ll be profitable on all those shares. If it reaches $12, or $15, or $20, now we’re talking. To sum up, if your average cost goes up, it means your investment is doing well. If the price dips, you can buy more shares.

Using dollar cost averaging means that you don’t have to know everything (no one does) and that you don’t know for certain what the market will do in the next day, week, or month (no one does). But over the long term, we have faith that the market will go up. Because dollar cost averaging removes the guesswork involved with deciding when to buy, you’re always putting money to work, money that may provide a solid return in time.

You may use dollar cost averaging with funds, ETFs, or individual stocks, but diversified investments are potentially best. An individual stock may go down to zero, while the broad stock market may continue to climb over time.

Dollar cost averaging is an important concept to understand. It may save you time and it may prevent costly investment mistakes. You don’t have to try to be an expert. Once you understand the basics of dollar cost averaging, you may start to feel like an investment genius!

You can put down the life jacket—a sinking fund is actually a good thing!

Why? Because a sinking fund can help you avoid high interest debt when making big purchases. Here’s how…

Put simply, a sinking fund is a savings account that’s dedicated to a specific purchase.

For instance, you could create a sinking fund for buying a new car. Every paycheck, you would automate a deposit into the fund until you had enough money to buy your new ride.

And that can make it a powerful tool. Instead of putting big ticket items on a credit card or using financing, you can instead use cash. It can work wonders for your cash flow and your ability to build wealth over the long haul.

Here are a few tips for making the most of your sinking fund…

Plan in advance

Sinking funds work best when they’ve had time to accumulate—you probably can’t save for two weeks and then expect to buy a car!

First, write a list of all major upcoming expenses on the horizon. List how much you expect them to cost, and when you plan to purchase them.

Then, divide the cost by the number of pay periods between now and then. That’s how much you need to save each paycheck to buy the item in cash. Even if you can’t spare the cash flow to save the full amount, you can at least save enough to lower the amount of debt you’ll be taking on.

Prioritize access

What good is saving for a purchase if you can’t access the money? Not much.

That’s why it’s best if your sinking fund is highly liquid. No penalties for withdrawal. No delay between selling assets and accessing cash. Otherwise, you may find yourself unnecessarily twiddling your thumbs instead of actually making the purchase!

Prioritize safety

Remember—this is for a specific purchase on a relatively short timetable, so you might not want to put these funds in a more aggressive account. The last thing anyone wants is for their car savings to get halved by a bear market. There are other accounts specifically designed for building wealth. This doesn’t need to be one.

So before you make your next big purchase, call up your licensed and qualified financial professional. Give them the details about what you plan to buy and when. Then, collaborate to see what saving for the purchase could look like. It could be the alternative to credit card spending and financing that your wallet needs!

In this day and age, it seems like college tuition is skyrocketing.

Students and parents are increasingly reliant on loans to cover the cost of higher education, often with devastating long-term results.¹

In this article we’ll cover three saving strategies to help you cover the cost of college without resorting to burdensome debt.

Strategy #1: Use “High-Yield” savings accounts. This strategy is simple—stash a portion of your income each month into a savings account. Then, when the time comes, use what you’ve saved to cover the costs of tuition.

Unfortunately, this strategy is riddled with shortcomings. The interest rates on “high yield” savings accounts are astonishingly low—you’d be hard pressed to find one at 1%.²

Even if you did, it wouldn’t be nearly enough. For example, if you had $3,000 saved for college in a savings account earning 1% interest per year, it would only grow to about $3,100 after four years—not enough to cover a whole semester’s tuition!

Even worse, inflation might increase the cost of tuition at a pace your savings couldn’t keep up with. Your money would actually lose value instead of gain it!

Fortunately, high-yield interest accounts are far from your only option…

Strategy #2: Consider traditional wealth building vehicles. That means mutual funds, Roth IRAs, savings bonds, indexed universal life insurance, and more.

The growth rates on these products are typically significantly higher than what you’d find in a high-yield savings account. You might even find products which allow for tax-free growth (the Roth IRA and IUL, for example).

But, typically, these vehicles have two critical weaknesses…

1. They’re often designed for retirement. That means you’ll face fees and taxes if you tap into them before a certain age.

2. They’re often subject to losses. A market upheaval could seriously impact your college savings.

Note that none of these vehicles are identical. They all have strengths and weaknesses. Consult with a licensed and qualified financial professional before you begin saving for college with any of these tools.

Strategy #3: Use education-specific saving vehicles. The classic example of these is the 529 plan.

The 529 is specifically designed for the purpose of saving and paying for education. That’s why it offers…

• Tax advantages
• Potential for compounding growth
• Unlimited contributions

It’s a powerful tool for growing the wealth needed to help cover the rising costs of college.

The caveat with the 529 is that it’s subject to losses. It’s also very narrow in its usefulness—if your child decides not to pursue higher education, you’ll face a penalty to use the funds for something non-education related.

So which strategy should you choose? That’s something you and your financial professional will need to discuss. They can help you evaluate your current situation, your goals, and which strategy will help you close the gap between the two!

Trying to free up cash flow? Then look no further than your homeowners insurance.

That’s because there are several techniques you can use to help cut down your monthly premiums. Here are a few worth trying!

Go all out on security. One of the easiest ways to save money on homeowners insurance is to make your home more secure. Installing deadbolts, window locks, smoke detectors and fire alarms, motion detectors and video surveillance will not only help keep burglars out but may also reduce your premiums.

Just be sure to count the costs before you deck out your home. It may be more expensive to go all out on security than to pay your premiums as they are. Depending on how secure you already feel in your home, investing in extra measures may not be something you choose to do just yet.

Boost your credit score. Your credit score can have a big impact on your insurance premiums. The majority of insurers use it as a factor to determine what you will pay for homeowners insurance, so if your score is low, expect to pay more.

What can you do to improve your score? For starters, focus on paying all your bills on time. Next, reduce the balance on your credit cards. It’s a good idea to set up automatic monthly payments for your utility bills and other recurring expenses. It’s a simple, one-time action that can save your credit score from slip ups and oversights.

Eliminate attractive nuisances. If you have a swimming pool or trampoline on your property, expect to pay more for homeowners insurance. Insurers view them as attractive nuisances, and raise your premiums accordingly. That includes things like…

Swimming pools Trampolines Construction equipment Non-working cars Playground equipment Old appliances

It’ll be a weight off your shoulders—and your bank account.

Maximize discounts. You might be surprised by the wide range of discounts insurance companies offer homeowners. They include everything from not smoking to choosing paperless billing to membership in specific groups. It never hurts to ask your insurer what discounts are available.

Bundle your home insurance with auto insurance. Businesses love loyalty. And they’re not afraid to incentivize it. That’s why insurance companies will often reward you for bundling your home and auto insurance together. So if you already own a car, ask your insurer if you can purchase discounted home insurance. It may significantly lower your monthly rate.

Some methods are more obvious than others, but all of them can add up to big savings over time. Ask your financial professional for their insights, then reach out to your insurer. You may be surprised by how much you save!

You’ve probably heard of both stocks and bonds. You also might know that they’re tools that many use to build wealth.

And if you have your ear to the ground, you know that stocks and bonds aren’t created equal—stocks are usually riskier, bonds are usually safer.

But…why? What’s the difference between these wealth building vehicles?

Glad you asked! Let’s explore how stocks and bonds work.

Before we begin, bear in mind that this article is for educational purposes only. It’s not recommending one vehicle over the other or a particular strategy. It’s just illuminating the differences between two common investments.

In a nutshell, a bond is a loan, while a stock is a share.

Let’s start with bonds. Governments need money to function. Historically, they’ve kept the lights on through conquest and taxation. Conquest has fallen out of fashion in the last 100 years, and sometimes taxes just won’t cut it.

So instead of demanding more money in taxes or—yikes—printing more, governments can issue bonds.

A bond is a loan. You voluntarily loan the government money, and they pay it back with interest. You get a fixed income stream, they get to build roads and schools.

Other entities can issue bonds, like states, cities, and corporations. But when people talk about bonds, they usually mean Federal Bonds. Why? Because they’re generally perceived as safe. The U.S. government has a consistent track record of paying back bond-holders.

A stock is ownership. When you buy a stock, you’re essentially buying a tiny slice of a corporation.

Why would corporations sell ownership to the masses? Because it’s a simple way to raise money. They then can use this money to expand the business, increasing the value of their stock. Eventually, you may choose to cash out your stocks for (hopefully) a handsome profit.

Some stocks also pay a portion of their earnings to stockholders. This is called paying a dividend. Normally, it’s calculated as a percentage of your stock. For instance, a $10 stock with a 2% dividend would pay $.20 each quarter.

But there’s a major catch to buying stocks—they are far less stable than federal bonds. That’s because corporations can experience bad years and even bankruptcy.

And when that happens, stockholders lose money. So while there’s potential reward for buying stocks, there’s also more risk.

That’s why it’s absolutely critical to work with a financial professional if you want to start investing in either stocks or bonds. They have the knowledge and experience to guide you in wealth building decisions based on your goals.

The idea of having a passive income is something that many people dream about.

That’s because it means you can earn money above and beyond physical hours of work that you might put in! And there are plenty of ways to establish a passive income. In this article, we’ll discuss 6 different sources of passive income and how you can take advantage of each.

1. Rental income. This could come from renting out a room in your home, a basement, or a property you’ve purchased. The income from your tenants can help cover maintenance costs and provide you with a reliable, consistent source of income. It’s a simple, classic cash flow creator.

But it’s not perfect. Buying properties may require you to borrow money, which can create risk. Furthermore, managing unruly tenants can be time-consuming, taking the “passive” out of passive income.

2. Affiliate marketing. What if you could get paid to sell someone else’s products? It doesn’t get much more passive than that. Affiliate marketing is where you simply place a link to a product on your social media feed, YouTube video, blog, or website. You get a cut of the profit every time that link leads to a sale.

Just know that affiliate marketing works best for those with some measure of online following—more eyes on your affiliate link means more potential clicks!

3. Create ebooks and courses. Online educational content isn’t the purest form of passive income—it requires upfront work to research and create. But once they’re published, they can provide regular extra cash. Just be sure that you’re creating content on a subject matter you’re familiar with!

4. Blogging. Overwhelmed by writing an entire eBook? Start with a blog! It’s a simple way to get your ideas down on (digital) paper AND generate some ad revenue at the same time. Just remember, blogging may have a long lead time before it becomes profitable.

5. Peer-to-peer lending. Investing in loans has been around for ages—and with peer-to-peer platforms like Lending Club or Prosper, investing can be done quickly online. It’s a simple, quick way to earn interest on the fly.

But be warned—putting money into this type of service could be a substantial risk. There’s no guarantee that your creditors will repay their debts, which could leave you out to dry. So while it’s a viable option for passive income, it may not be 100% safe.

6. Start flipping! And I don’t mean doing gymnastics in the park (though that could earn you some cash—maybe). Instead, hit up a local thrift store. If you see a find that catches your eye, check to see how much you could sell it for on eBay or Craigslist. You might be surprised by the price difference! Buying at the thrift store and selling online could result in a serious profit.

This isn’t a fully passive income—it requires some investment and time searching and shopping for items. But it’s far more fun and feasible for most than real estate or writing an eBook.

So what are you waiting for? If you have the skills, time, and patience for it—then go for it! You might be surprised by how much you can earn with minimal effort.

Inflation can creep up on you and take your money before you know it.

In this article, we’ll be talking about strategies for beating inflation and protecting yourself from its effects. We’ll start by clearing up what inflation is, then talk about the best ways to protect against it (you’ve got options!).

First, what is inflation? Simply put, inflation is the increase of prices over time. This means that if something is worth $100 today, it will probably cost more than $100 dollars in the future. That means the value of your money will probably decrease over time. $1 million may be all you need to live comfortably today, but it may not get you as far as you’d like during retirement if prices continue to rise.

Inflation primarily impacts cash value and money that sits in low interest bank accounts. Since those assets don’t grow at all—or grow very slowly—inflation can torpedo your purchasing power.

The key, then, is to find assets that grow at the same or a faster pace than inflation. That includes things like physical commodities (oil, grain, etc.) and real estate. While they’re not guaranteed to keep up with inflation, they typically increase in value as prices rise.

Investing in the market follows the same logic—the value of stocks typically rises as inflation increases. Again, it’s not a perfect solution, and stock values aren’t guaranteed to rise in value. But they’re options for those seeking to protect their wealth over the long-term from the slow decay from inflation.

Meet with a licensed and qualified financial professional about inflation hedging strategies. They can help you identify vehicles and accounts that may grow at the same (or faster) pace as prices.

You probably use your checking account every day, but do you really know how it works?

This article will explore exactly what a checking account is and how it works!

A checking account is a simple way to store your money. You can make deposits and withdrawals whenever you need to. They’re easy to access with checks, the ATM, your debit card, and online payments.

The checking account advantage? It’s liquid. You have instant access to those funds at all times without penalty if needed. That makes it ideal for daily expenses like buying groceries, paying for a babysitter, or making an emergency car repair. That’s why they’re so common—there are a total of 600 million checking accounts in the United States!¹

The disadvantage? Low (or no) interest rates! Because many checking accounts come with various fees and minimums to maintain them (usually elevated monthly account balances), the average interest rate is only about 0.04% APY on these types of accounts,² which may not be worth it in some cases if you’re saving up money without investing funds elsewhere as well.

Another downside? Overdraft fees. You might be liable for an overdraft penalty if the money in your checking account doesn’t match what you’ve spent! This could lead to some hefty fees. Thankfully many banks have overdraft protection policies which will prevent these charges, but not all do so check before signing up for a new checking account.

You should probably have a checking account if you don’t already, simply for the ease of living life. They’re not the most exciting thing in the world, but they can be hugely helpful for daily transactions. Just be sure you’re not relying on one to build wealth!

College is one of the most expensive things that you can spend your money on, but it might not always be a good investment.

College graduates make much more than high school graduates over their lifetimes.¹ Some people think this means going to college is worth the cost because they’ll be able to pay off the loans with their higher salaries after graduation. But as you’ll see in this article, there’s another critical factor you should consider before going off to school.

Which career path will empower you to start saving sooner? The longer your money can accrue compound interest, the more it can grow. Working an extra four years instead of attending school could result in retiring with more. Let’s consider two hypotheticals that illustrate this point…

Let’s say you land a job straight out of high school at age 18 earning $35,000 total annual salary. You’re able to save 15% of your income in an account where the interest is compounded monthly at 9%. Assuming you work until 67, or 49 years, and consistently save the same amount each month over that time period at the same interest rate, you would retire with almost $4 million!

What if instead you attend college and graduate after 4 years? You land a job that pays $60,000 annually and are able to save 15% of your income. If you also retire at 67 after 45 years of work, saving 15% every month, you’ll retire with $4.7 million. That’s almost $700,000 more than the non-graduate!

But what if student loans prevent you from saving for 5 years after graduation? You’d retire with $3 million. In this hypothetical scenario, losing 9 years of saving results in a college graduate actually retiring with less than someone who diligently works and saves right out of high school.

The takeaway isn’t that you shouldn’t attend college. It’s that you should carefully weigh the costs of higher education. Is there a career path you could take right out of high school that would have you saving right away? Will your degree land you deep in debt and behind the 8-ball for building wealth? Or do the benefits of the degree substantially outweigh the costs? Don’t attend a college just because it’s what your peers are doing. Consider your passions, weigh the benefits, and calculate the costs before you make your decision!

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to promote any certain products, plans, or strategies for saving and/or investing that may be available to you. Market performance is based on many factors and cannot be predicted. Any examples used in this article are hypothetical. Before investing, enacting a savings or retirement strategy, or taking on any loans or debt, seek the advice of a licensed and qualified financial professional, accountant, and/or tax expert to discuss your options.

Your odds of winning the Powerball are 1 in 292.2 million. For Mega Millions, your odds are 1 in 302.5 million.¹

Translation—you almost certainly will not win the lottery.

You have a greater chance of being killed by lightning (1 in 2 million), having a fatal encounter with a venomous plant or animal (1 in 3.4 million), or being crushed by a falling plane (1 in 10 million).²

The worst part? Playing more doesn’t improve your chances of winning. The probability of drawing the lucky numbers resets every time you buy a scratch-off or choose your “lucky number.” You’re throwing money at a tiny moving target that you’re almost guaranteed to miss.

If you do like to purchase lottery tickets for entertainment—try to keep it to just that. Make sure you budget in ticket purchases with other fun-related activities, and if you do reap some winnings, make sure you have a strategy for saving a portion towards your financial goals.

Buying lottery tickets is generally an unproductive activity. If left unchecked, it can turn into a money blackhole that will almost certainly never pay off. You work too hard for your paycheck to waste it on what amounts to impossible odds.

If you’re a homeowner, your house can do more than just consume cash flow–it can generate it as well!

Here’s how…

Rent out a unit, basement, or room of your house at a price that helps offset the cost of your mortgage. It’s really that simple!

Let’s consider an example that demonstrates why this strategy is so effective.

Suppose you’ve saved enough money to put a down payment on your first home. Good for you! You’ve done the legwork, and discovered that your mortgage payment will be around $1,000 per month. You’ll also need cash for property taxes and homeowners insurance, too. Even though you’re glad you’re in a home of your own, you might start wondering if you’ve bought a money pit that will consume your cash flow for the next 15 to 30 years.

But you’ve also bought a potential source of income, if you think a little outside the box.

See, your house has a finished basement that’s begging to be transformed into a rentable space. All told, you could rent it out to a friend and put those funds toward your mortgage.

By simply utilizing space that you already own, you can unlock a revenue stream that can help offset your mortgage payments!

That extra cash flow can cover daily expenses, pay down the house faster, or help you begin saving and investing.

This strategy, called “house hacking”, may not be for everyone–it favors homeowners with duplexes or finished basements. Plus, it requires the homeowner to become a landlord, a role some may not care for.

If you have the space, consider renting out a slice of your home to someone you trust. It’s a simple way to leverage resources you already have to generate the cash flow you may need!

Didn’t do so well in history at school? No worries.

Here’s an historical fact that’s easy to remember. Millennials are the largest generation in the US. Ever. Even larger than the Baby Boomers. Those born between the years 1980 to 2000 number over 92M.¹ That dwarfs Generation X at 61M.

When you’re talking about nearly a third of the population of the United States, it would seem that anything related to this group is going to have an effect on the rest of the population and the future.

Here are a few examples:

• Millennials prefer to get married a bit later than their parents. (Will they also delay having children?)
• Millennials prefer car sharing vs. car ownership. (What does this mean for the auto industry? For the environment?)
• Millennials have an affinity for technology and information. (What “traditional ways of doing things” might fall by the wayside?)
• Millennials are big on health and wellness. (Will this generation live longer than previous ones?)

It’s interesting to speculate and predict what may occur in the future, but what effects are happening now? Well, for one, if you’re a Millennial, you may have noticed that companies have been shifting aggressively to meet your needs.² Simply put, if a company doesn’t have a website or an app that a Millennial can dig into, it’s probably not a company you’ll be investing any time or money in. This may be a driving force behind the technological advancements companies have made in the last decade – Millennials need, want, and use technology. All. The. Time. This means that whatever matters to you as a Millennial, companies may have no choice but to listen, take note, and innovate.

If you’re either in business for yourself or work for a company that’s planning to stay viable for the next 20-30 years, it might be a good idea to pay attention to the habits and interests of this massive group (if you’re not already). The Baby Boomers are already well into retirement, and the next wave of retirees will be Generation X, which will leave the Millennials as the majority of the workforce. There will come a time when this group will control most of the wealth in the US. This means that if you’re not offering what they need or want now, then there’s a chance that one day your product or service may not be needed or wanted by anyone. Perhaps it’s time to consider how your business can adapt and evolve.

Ultimately, this shift toward Millennials and what they’re looking for is an exciting time to gauge where our society will be moving in the next few decades, and what it’s going to mean for the financial industry.