Have you thought about your New Year’s resolutions for 2020?

If you’re fairly new to investing, you might be wondering what sort of rules you should follow or moves you should make. And while everyone’s situation is different, there are indeed guidelines that make sense for all investors. Here are some to consider:

When you’re working to achieve your financial objectives, you will encounter obstacles. Some of these can be anticipated — for example, you won’t be able to invest as much as you want for retirement because you have to pay for your mortgage. Other challenges can’t be easily anticipated, but …

As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s meaningful to reflect on the origin of the holiday –Native Americans and pilgrims sharing their bounty of food with each other. As you gather with your loved ones this year, perhaps you can think of ways to share not only your dinner, but also your financial bounty.

As a business owner, you can’t afford to ignore your competition. You can’t afford to miss out on the trends affecting your industry. You can’t afford to alienate customers. And here’s one more item to add to the list: You can’t afford not to create a retirement plan for yourself.

Like many people, you may spend decades putting money into your IRA and your 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan. But eventually you will want to take this money out – if you must start withdrawing some of it. How can you make the best use of these funds?

As you’re well aware, we’ve seen some sudden and sizable drops in the financial markets in 2019. While market volatility is nothing new, the recent plunges happened during a period of general political and economic unease. Still, it can be harmful to overreact to such events – especially if …

It might not be on your calendar, but Aug. 14 is Social Security Day. Since it was enacted on Aug. 14, 1935, Social Security has provided some financial support for millions of Americans during their retirement years. While Social Security benefits, by themselves, probably aren’t enough to e…

If you’re in the early stages of your working life – or even in the not-so-early ones – the chances are pretty good that you will change jobs at some point. When that happens, you’ll probably leave a few things behind – but will one of them be your 401(k)?

What’s going on with the financial markets? Specifically, what’s behind the price swings of the past several weeks? And, more important, how should you, as an individual investor, respond?

You may not be aware of it, but September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. Of course, you probably recognize, at least in a general sense, the importance of life insurance, but do you know the various ways in which it can help you?

Not that long ago, most people worked for some type of an organization, such as a business or the government or a school district. But today, more and more workers are going their own way and joining what’s known as the “gig” economy. If you will be one of them, you’ll want to make the right…

If you’re ready to financially prosper, join us for a multi-part financial series, Prepare To Prosper. In each article, we’ll discuss different ways to help increase your personal wealth including tips on saving, investing and credit along with guidance on entrepreneurship and homeownership.…

Mick Mulvaney, the illegally appointed acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), has radically changed the Bureau. Central to these changes is his perspective that there is no need for the CFPB to carry out its mission to serve as the consumers’ financial cop on the…

A lot of us have student loans – and some of us have trouble paying them every month. Some companies claim to resolve that issue by saying they can help you pay them down quicker, cheaper or get them forgiven altogether. Be cautious – some of these companies are running scams.

For the 44 million American consumers who struggle with a still-growing student loan debt of $1.4 trillion, the problems wrought by debt collectors and loan servicers is a nagging problem. Servicer changes and errors, unexplained fees that worsen the debt and difficulty in securing income-ba…

“I’m not calling for a donation.” (But really, I am.)

In recent days, threats to the nation’s housing finance system have emerged. At the center of the controversy are two key issues: the obligation of mortgage lenders to ensure broad mortgage credit for all credit-worthy borrowers, and secondly, whether the nation will enforce its own laws ban…

In the wake of a recent series of anti-consumer actions taken by Mick Mulvaney, the Trump-appointed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s acting director, a bicameral call for accountability was released on January 31. Led by Congresswoman Maxine Waters of California and Sen. Elizabeth Warr…

You’ve been dreaming of a new home, spending hours browsing listings and keeping an eye out for “For Sale” signs in your favorite neighborhood. Buying a home is exciting and one of the most motivating reasons to get your finances in order. We know, though, that the home buying process can be…

An important consumer protection rule that was to take effect January 16 is now being “reconsidered” by the same agency that was to enforce it – the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).  

Mounting student debt is a nagging problem for most families these days. As the cost of higher education rises, borrowing to cover those costs often becomes a family concern across multiple generations including the student, parents, and even grandparents or other relatives.

This past September the State Board of Education approved revised personal finance standards for Missouri public schools. Missouri is one of only 17 states that require personal finance coursework in high school. This was the first review of the state’s personal finance standards since 2006.

Wherever you live, or household size, home is a special place where children are raised, and memories are made. Owning a home is also the largest single investment that most families make in a lifetime.   

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises consumers to stay vigilant during the holiday season to avoid falling prey to scammers who pounce on overburdened shoppers.

Before the holidays begin in earnest, take a moment for some financial planning.

In case you haven’t yet heard, Richard Cordray, the first-ever director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), resigned in late November. President Trump’s unlawful appointment of Mick Mulvaney to serve as the Bureau’s acting director signals a distinct shift in the bureau’s future.

With leagues of shoppers on the horizon, retailers and shippers are planning to hire more than seasonal employees this holiday season to accommodate service demands. The National Retail Federation expects retailers could add as many as 550,000 seasonal positions this year. Better Business Bu…

With winter on the way, the last thing anyone wants is for the furnace to stop working. But when it does, you need a reliable contractor – and fast.

A bill signed on November 1 by President Donald Trump sealed an unfortunate fate for consumers seeking financial justice. By signing H.J. Res. 111, both the president and Congress have together knocked down consumer protections to favor financial businesses and corporations.

It's that time of year again when auto dealers try to make room in their showrooms and lots for next year’s models. The seasonal clearance sales that come right before the holidays are just as tempting as ever, beckoning consumers to get that proverbial “new car fever.”

For most families, the pursuit of higher education means substantial investments in time, effort, and a combination of cash and loans to gain a college degree. These investments – both human and material -- are made in confidence that the rewards, although often years away, will one day resu…

An email signed by a foreign official says you’ve just won $5.3 million in a national lottery. You want to believe it. Just pay certain fees and taxes in advance, the email says, and a truck filled with cash will be delivered to you.

Online fraud occurs when someone poses as a legitimate source (like your bank, favorite shopping site or internet provider) to obtain your personal information – data that can then be used to conduct transactions on existing accounts.

A group of Capitol Hill lawmakers are combining efforts and influence to legislatively crack down on predatory lending nationwide. Seventeen members of the U.S. House and eight U.S. Senators are supporting companion bills that would slash the cost of payday and car-title loans from their typ…

Civil rights leaders and Capitol Hill lawmakers are standing up and speaking out against a recent Department of Education (DOE) decision to sever its working relationship with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). In separate and independent actions Education Secretary Betsy DeVos…

A recent letter from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), along with a controversial appointment, have together triggered reactions that do not bode well for the 44 million consumers who together share $1.4 trillion in borrowed student de…

An old adage teaches, ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.’ In recent months, the troubled Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) tried and lost two legal attempts to recover eligibility for federal education funds.  

If you have a college student packing to live on or near campus this fall, now's a good time to talk about preventing fraud while they're away from home. Better Business Bureau (BBB) recommends that they take seven simple steps to protect themselves from identity theft and other fraud on campus.

College tuition, a new pair of glasses and retirement may seem unrelated, but the tax law says otherwise. By knowing how and where to save your money, you could pay for each of these expenses with tax-advantaged – or in some cases income-tax-free – money.