7 Tips to Becoming a Financial Samurai Miyamoto Musashi is one of history’s greatest swordsman having never lost a duel. He was a philosopher, writer and strategist who wrote the Dokkodo, 21 principles for living a disciplined life of self-reliance. While swordsmanship and finances may not have much in common, you can apply some of [...]

An Introduction to Bond Ladders Bonds play an important role in a diverse investment portfolio. As fixed-income securities, they can provide a stable return until they mature. As with any investment, bonds are subject to a certain amount of risk. Interest rate risk, for one, is the possibility that interest rates will rise after an [...]

Money Matters: Financial Literacy For The Whole Family Financial literacy is crucial, not only for adults but for everyone in the family. When you have a good foundation of financial literacy, you will have a greater understanding of money and prepare yourself for a brighter financial future. Ready to improve the financial literacy of your [...]

Five Tips for Tackling Your Bad Spending Habits Improving spending habits can help you work toward financial stability and security   All of us have bad spending habits that we would like to change in order to take better control of our finances. Let’s explore five specific strategies for improving spending habits and pursuing real [...]

Riches to Rags: Poor Money Choices of 5 Celebs An increase in assets doesn’t come with an increase in financial acumen. Financial Literacy Month is a great time for us all to expand our knowledge. It’s also a great time to raise awareness of the many scams, frauds, or predatory lending practices that affect too [...]

April is National Financial Literacy Month When was the last time you learned about anything financial? April is National Financial Literacy Month – an entire month dedicated to underscoring the importance of learning, establishing and maintaining healthy financial habits. But ask yourself this: what have you learned about anything financial lately? Do most of your [...]

Stepping Up to the Plate: Four Baseball Money Lessons Baseball and financial management can have more in common than meets the eye. Below, we discuss four key lessons that investors—and everyone else—can learn from America's favorite pastime.   Diversification of Assets is Critical Having nine power-hitters who are weak in the outfield can help your [...]

Answering Your Kids Toughest Money Questions  Kids ask tough questions about money. It’s how they learn. As a parent, these are teachable moments that offer a chance to impart some financial wisdom to them.    Start by asking them questions for clarification. After all, "Why does a lawyer always answer a question with a question?" Answer: [...]

A Refresh for Your Finances When spring rolls around, your thoughts might turn to organizing your closets or giving your floors a good deep clean. But how much thought have you given to cleaning up your finances? If the answer is “not much,” you might want to reconsider. Spring is a great in-between time of [...]

Understanding Mutual Funds, Index Funds, and ETFs It’s common knowledge that investing in mutual funds, index funds, or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can help build a diversified portfolio. These funds hold diverse baskets of securities, including stocks, bonds and other assets from real estate to derivatives. By investing your money in a variety of investments, you [...]