If you’re like most people, you likely had a bit of a chaotic end to the year, balancing ongoing business demands with increased personal obligations around the holidays. For as joyful a time as it most often is, it can be equally stressful. With the din of the holidays beginning to quiet and life resuming a semblance of normalcy, let’s take a look at what the New Year can mean for you and your business.
Topics: Business Banking, Commercial Banking, Small Business, Business Operations, Business Plan, Budget
Pensions are among the rarest of rarities and will never return. The future of Social Security is stressed, and the ultimate destination of our healthcare system is uncertain to say the least.
What’s a person to do? The answer is simple: Begin planning for retirement in earnest and implement your plan – the sooner the better. Here are three checklists, compiled by decade, that will help guide your planning and keep you heading in the right direction.
Topics: Financial Planning, Wealth Management, Retirement, Retirement Planning, Budget
One of the best things you can do for yourself early in your adult life is start planning your financial future. Some of you are probably thinking you’ve got plenty of time to work on that, but in this instance, time can be your worst enemy. A great starting point is developing a relationship with a trustworthy, knowledgeable, professional financial advisor – someone with whom you’ll develop a financial map for your future, who’ll help you get a feel for the road, and who’ll be there to guide you through any detours you encounter along your way.
Topics: Financial Planning, Retirement, Digital wallet, Retirement Planning, Saving, Budget
With the year winding down and holiday shopping well underway, have you thought about taking stock of your finances from the last 12 months? While this might feel like just one more thing you need to get done, view it as a necessary step in getting organized before the New Year begins. Categorize your finances into three categories – Needs, Balances, and Resources – and think about the year ahead.
Topics: Financial Planning, Online & Mobile Banking, Saving, Budget
Life has a way of throwing you curveballs when you're least expecting them. How you're able to overcome unforeseen challenges largely depends on your ability to plan ahead, and a byproduct of that forethought is often financial stability. A home equity line of credit (HELOC) can provide you peace of mind both for planned projects and future unexpected expenses.
Topics: Budget
With the weather finally starting to cooperate and spring just around the corner, the 2019 housing market is beginning to heat up in earnest. Loan applications for newly constructed properties accelerated going into this year’s peak home-buying season, contrasting with the weakness seen at this time in 2018. Year-over-year new-home purchase applications for March were up 7%; compared to the previous month, they increased 19%.
Topics: Home Ownership, Mortgage, Saving, Budget
Steven Wright’s quintessential, dry-witted line about excess probably doesn’t do much for most of us, other than cause a chuckle. We probably aren’t looking for a deeper meaning or applying it to our everyday life. However, I thought it might be interesting to examine a few well-known idioms/quotes/sayings and explore how we might use them to make practical applications to our personal finances.
Topics: Financial Planning, Wealth Management, Retirement, Stock Market, Economic Outlook, Retirement Planning, Saving, Budget
Managing your finances can sometimes feel like a full-time job. However, organization of your finances can greatly reduce the amount of time you spend worrying about them and will help contribute to your long-term financial success. Here are some tips and tricks to get you organized and help you be financially fit in 2019.
Topics: Financial Planning, Online & Mobile Banking, Saving, Debt, Budget, Credit Score