Make a difference—get involved Connect with us Follow us on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook

Today's Featured Articles

Benefits Planning: Employee Misconceptions

Over the past several months, I have observed quite a few common misconceptions that employees have voiced while we discussed their financial situation during a worksite financial coaching session.   The first, and most surprising, is how unaware employees are regarding how their benefits compare to other companies, and that many think that the grass would be greener if they switched employers for a new job offer.  Simply benchmarking your level of benefits to your specific industry can be a real eye-opener for your workforce and can be easily accomplished by communicating this information during open enrollment or at a benefits planning workshop. Read more »

Retirement Preparedness: What Employees Need to Know About Investing

There is information that is nice to know and information that you need to know but what you really need to know is — the difference.  For example, my husband is a history buff with an avid interest in politics.  When we have friends over and we are discussing politics or world affairs, he often pops up with not just the year a politician won a race but who ran against him.  I am always amazed at his memory and wonder, “How does he remember that?”   It’s crazy!  Even though I am always impressed, I do know that is the kind of information that is nice to know but in our work and in our lives, this is not vital information that we need to know. Read more »

Why Financial Knowledge Isn’t Enough

I was reviewing my notes on the last 10 people that I have talked to about debt levels that they feel are overwhelming enough for them to contemplate filing bankruptcy.  Along with having high levels of debt, there is something else each of these 10 individuals have in common.  Knowledge.  They all knew that they were spending more than they were making.  They all knew that credit card interest rates are high.  They knew they should save for retirement and create a household budget.  They all had knowledge, lots of it; these are smart people.  We’ve all been taught that “knowledge is power,” but knowledge alone isn’t enough.  This article, Financial Literacy Won’t Fix Everything, talks about the limitations of financial literacy programs and how lots of knowledge doesn’t always equal sound financial behavior. Read more »

I’m Thinking the Real Estate Market is Due for a Strong Turnaround. Should I Buy Investment Property?

I get this question all the time over the Financial Helpline and in one-on-ones with the employees we work with.  I also hear it regularly from friends who want to know my perspective on this as a financial planner.

What is interesting about this question is that the answer, surprisingly, has very little to do with the real estate market.  And that’s why so many people make bad decisions in this area.  They base their decisions on what they think the real estate market is going to do, when instead, they should be looking at their own financial situation to make a decision on this. Read more »

Workplace Financial Stress: A Major Cause of Health Problems

With the economy still on shaky ground, many employees are understandably worried about their jobs and their finances.  Unfortunately, stressing over work and money ends up being costly to our overall health.    A recent study found that some types of stress are even more damaging than others, with financial stress yielding the most unhealthy dividends. Read more »