Mental Accounting Bias: How it Hurts, How it Helps

Have you ever come out on top at a casino and decided to treat yourself to something extravagant? Did you spend your last tax refund on a vacation instead of paying down debt? Do you frequently dip into your savings but wouldn’t dare touch your 401(k)? If any of these...

read more

7 Ways to Help You Cut College Costs

As we gear up for back to school season, you might be feeling the heat of those college tuition bills. You're not alone there. In fact, many parents choose to swallow the bitter pill, assuming they earn too much to qualify for financial aid. However, there are a...

read more

What’s Your Money ‘Archetype?’

There are eight common money behavior patterns or ‘archetypes’ battling it out in every investor. Being aware of your unconscious attitudes and behaviors toward money can give you an edge in managing your finances. Have you ever had a friend who blew big sums of money...

read more

50 Things: What a Professional Advisor Does for You

Still on the fence about hiring a professional to help you manage your finance? Want to make sure you're getting the most out of your financial advisory experience? Just curious about what financial advisors do? Then have we got a list for you! Click the thumbnail...

read more

Test your Knowledge of Financial Basics

How well do you understand personal finance? The following brief quiz can help you gauge your knowledge of a few basics. In the answer section, you'll find details to help you learn more. TAKE THE QUIZ!

read more

Active vs. Passive Management

One of the longest-standing debates in investing is over the relative merits of active portfolio management versus passive management. With an actively managed portfolio, a manager tries to beat the performance of a given benchmark index by using his or her judgment...

read more

The Art of Managing Retirement Assumptions

A retirement plan is built on a set of assumptions that can’t be validated until it’s too late. One key to successful retirement planning is carefully setting assumptions and revising them often. Retirement calculators make it so easy. Pick a retirement date. Estimate...

read more

Converting Retirement Savings to Retirement Income

You've been saving diligently for years, and now it's time to think about how to convert the money in your traditional 401(k)s (or similar workplace savings plans) into retirement income. But hold on, not so fast. You may need to take a few steps first. Evaluate your...

read more