Cognitive biases and behaviors surrounding money and investing can significantly affect individual’s financial decisions and overall wealth accumulation. While money and investing are often seen as rational and objective matters, human psychology can introduce biases, fears, and irrational behaviors that can hinder one’s long-term financial success. In this month’s blog, we will explore ten common cognitive biases so you can better understand how they may be impacting your decisions when it comes to your money and investments.
Student Loan Repayment Restart
Beginning June 30, 2023, the 60-day countdown to the end of the federal student loan freeze began. While the Supreme Court has yet to rule on the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness proposal as of this writing, the three-year pause on payments that went into effect due to the Covid -19 pandemic is set to resume in September regardless. There can be no more extensions of the freeze of student loan payments. According to research by VantageScore, a credit data analytics company, up to 76% of federal student loan borrowers may miss the first required payment and that single missed payment can ding a borrower’s credit score by as much as 82 points, on average. This month we will look at how to prepare for making payments again (or for the first time if a borrower graduated during the forbearance period).
The Advantages of a Female Financial Advisor
In recent years, women have made great strides in equal opportunities in the workforce. One such area where women are making significant headway is in the field of financial advising. Research has shown that having a female financial advisor can provide numerous benefits to clients, both female and male. In this blog, we will examine some of the benefits of female financial advisors and why you may want to consider working with one.
Choosing the Rewards Credit Card that is Right for You
An internet search for “best rewards credit card” returns a seemingly endless number of listicles from every news and travel outlet touting different cards as the best. Like many things, however, the “best” is highly individualized. Some highly rated cards accrue bonus points when used in specific categories such as dining or gas, however the benefit to the cardholder will be minimal if he or she rarely spends money in those categories. Other cards offer excellent benefits but carry a hefty annual fee, which can be difficult to stomach for some.
Back-Door Roth vs. Roth Conversion
First available in 1998, Roth retirement accounts have quickly become a popular way to save for retirement by allowing participants’ after-tax contributions to grow tax-free and, unlike traditional IRA accounts, not be subject to taxes upon withdrawal. As their popularity increased, employer-sponsored 401(k) plans with a Roth option quickly followed, becoming available for employers to offer to their employees in 2006. According to CNBC, the number of employers offering a 401(k) with a Roth option has nearly doubled to 88% in the past decade. 
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