We’ve all heard the sentiment that you may as well be throwing money away if you’re renting a home, but is that really the case? The answer is that it depends on your specific situation: your needs, finances, and future plans! Home ownership can be beneficial under the right circumstances, but it’s not all sunshine and white-picket fences and while renting may be convenient, you are at the whim of a landlord. There are upsides and downsides to both options and you may find one appealing over the other at different stages in life. We’ll help you explore the factors to consider before deciding whether to rent or buy!
How to Approach Retirement Savings at Different Ages
It’s no secret that the earlier you’re able to start saving for retirement, the better. Since private company pensions have virtually gone extinct and Social Security benefits are intended to only cover a portion of your working wages, the brunt of saving for retirement falls on your shoulders. With this in mind, you may wonder how much you should be saving as you progress through your career and how your current savings compare to others in your age range. Fortunately plenty of research has been conducted on these topics to help us all find clarity in the great feat that is saving for our later years!
We focus the discussion below on median retirement savings because it gives a more accurate representation as averages can be skewed by outliers: those with very low retirement savings or those with extremely high savings. [Read more…]
Cryptocurrency Explained
Cryptocurrency has been making headlines lately, from media coverage by prominent networks to Twitter weigh-ins by the likes of Mark Cuban and Elon Musk, but there is still a shroud of mystery surrounding it and its uses. The popularity of cryptocurrency has ebbed and flowed for over a decade but some companies are now ready to bank on where it could go in the future. Tesla just announced the purchase of $1.5 billion in Bitcoin and intends to start accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment. RBC analysts have suggested that Apple is ideally positioned to offer consumers the ability to buy and sell cryptocurrency via its Wallet app. Although opinions abound about how risky cryptocurrency is to own and its long term viability as a form of currency, one thing seems certain: as a concept, it’s here to stay.
How to Protect Assets in a Divorce
It’s no secret that 2020 was a stressful year for many. With social outlets few and far between, relationships of all kinds were put to the test, especially for those living together. In some cases, the stress of social distancing, shut down measures, and financial concerns amongst the backdrop of a pandemic were simply too much to overcome. Divorce is on the rise around the world. While we hope that love lasts a lifetime, it’s important to consider how a divorce could affect your financial security and future as well as any dependents.
Financial Resolutions for the New Year
Each year when the holidays arrive and the new year is around the corner, we reflect on our decisions and experiences over the past twelve months (perhaps especially after 2020!): what we did well, what we learned, what we could have done differently, or how we want to improve for the next year. Improving organizational skills is a common theme for many, as we strive to get ahead of what’s coming while tidying up what’s already happened. To help as you think through ways to better organize your life, let’s address the ways in which you can improve and check in on your financial life so you can start 2021 feeling proactive.
