In a GoBankingRates.com survey, more than 5,000 respondents identified the number one financial topic they wished they’d learned as teenagers in school. The six possible answers included: How to create and stick to a budget How taxes work The importance of credit scores/building credit How credit cards, loans, and interest rates work Retirement accounts and […]
stock market
What are Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)?
Investing in the stock market can be an excellent way to build long term wealth. There are many different ways to invest, depending on your financial goals and risk tolerance. Creating a diversified investment portfolio is one of the best ways to grow your money. Diversification helps you build wealth while lowering the risk of […]
Why and How You Diversify an Investment Portfolio
For decades, experts have warned Americans not to rely on Social Security as a viable way to support themselves during retirement. The Federal Government implemented Social Security in 1935 to provide Americans with some income to supplement their finances after retirement. But Social Security was never intended to be a total solution. The best option […]
How Do I Choose a Financial Advisor? [10 questions to ask]
As you prepare to begin investing in the stock market, you may have plenty of questions. One thing you might wonder about is how to choose a financial professional. You can ask family, friends, or co-workers for names of financial advisors they like and trust. Then, you’ll need to narrow down your choices and decide […]
Can I Invest with Five Dollars (or less)?
Have you been wanting to invest but you don’t know where to start? Do you think investing is too complicated or too risky? Are you one of the millions of Americans who can’t even fathom how you’d come up with extra money for investing? Micro-investing could be the solution for all of these questions. Micro-investing […]
Investment Policy Statement: What is it and how do you write one?
Writing an investment policy statement (IPS) is one of the most important things you can do to build long-term wealth. It isn’t complicated or something that only people with a ton of investments do – writing an IPS is useful for everyone. Your IPS will help you identify and define your long-term financial goals. It […]
How Do I Begin Investing in Stocks? [Stocks 101]
Investing in the stock market can be an excellent way to grow long-term wealth. Some people think you have to be an expert or have a lot of money to start investing. But once you know the basics of stock market investing, you have what you need to begin. Below we outline the fundamentals to […]
What Is Tax-Loss Harvesting? [How it can save you money]
There are many facets to investing. One thing all investors will not want to overlook is the tax consequences that come with being a successful investor. Because all net profits made from investments sold in taxable brokerage accounts come with tax liability, your investment strategy should consider the consequences. To reduce tax liability, a strategy […]
Robo or Traditional Financial Advisor, which is better?
At this point in time, there should be little doubt technology innovation continues to change the way we live our lives. But who would have thought the investment community would reach the point where automation plays a big part in helping us investors develop our portfolios? When not wanting to manage your investments yourself, you […]
What Should You Know as a Beginning Investor?
It feels like you can’t go a minute without hearing someone mention the stock market, saving and investing for retirement, or preparing for a financially secure future. You’re constantly hearing about investment hype, doomsday forecasts, or the latest get-rich-quick-scheme. So, what are you to make of all this? You want to build wealth and think […]
Is Investing in Fine Art Right for You? [Masterworks Review]
This article is sponsored by Masterworks. All opinions are our own. Now that you’ve been investing in the stock market for a while, you’re thinking about diversifying into alternative investments. You might decide to start with peer-to-peer lending. Although investing in real estate or tax liens might interest you more. You can also buy gold […]
What Are Employee Stock Options and How Do They Work?
While you might enjoy your job, there aren’t many people who wake every day and go to work just because they like it. Unless you’re financially independent, there’s a good chance one of your primary motivations for working is earning a paycheck and benefits. With the unemployment rate under 4% in the US, there’s plenty […]
The $1K Investor: A guide to help you start investing [Book Review]
You know it’s important to save for your future, but it’s definitely a challenge. As you’re building the foundation of your financial house, getting your emergency fund in place is a great main focus. Having money in the bank protects you from having to take on debt when the unexpected happens. After you have money […]
Why Women Need to Invest and Not Just Save
You hear about people not saving enough for retirement on the news. Oodles of articles report on women living longer than men and the struggle many women have with money in their later years. Family members, friends, and online communities mention the importance of women investing and they encourage you to get started. You know […]
What Money Games and Activities Are Best for Teens?
When it comes to teaching kids about money, we know starting early is a smart decision! There are terrific resources to help young children learn their first financial lessons. But what can we use to teach older kids and teens about money? Improving teens’ financial literacy is incredibly important. A 2017 study released by the […]
Best Robo Advisors for Socially Responsible Investing
Maybe it’s because you have kids. Perhaps it’s because you only want to support companies inclusive in their hiring practices. Maybe it’s because you love Jesus. Maybe it’s because you’re a humanist that understands our planet is not going to sustain life much longer at our current clip. Whatever your reason for being interested in […]
Alternative Investments: What are they and should I hold any?
Saving cash in money markets or CDs, and investing in the stock market via stocks and bonds through 401(k)s or IRAs are where many of us start when looking to grow our money beyond a simple savings account. As we continue to look for ways to build our wealth and secure our financial house, we […]
Every Woman Should Know Her Options [Book Review]
As someone who believes in lifelong learning, I know I can always find new takeaways when I read a book – especially a book about investing. I also know I struggle to learn from books written with difficult to understand terms and those that make assumptions about your prior knowledge on a topic. When I […]
What Investing Terms Do I Need to Know Starting Out?
At first, investing can seem confusing, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. The great thing about it is, you don’t need to know everything there is to know about investing to begin. As long as you understand some basic investing terminology, you’ll have what you need to start. Though this isn’t a comprehensive list […]
Financial Professional Designations: what do all the letters mean?
There’s a myriad of reasons people seek advice and support when it comes to their personal finances. Some people need immediate guidance to deal with a financial crisis. Others are looking for long-term assistance to meet financial goals. If you need advice on a specific aspect of your finances such as investing, you can find […]
Prepare for Retirement to Enjoy Being a Lifetime Fan
This is a sponsored post for Prudential. Recently, Vicki (one of the co-founders of Women Who Money) enjoyed a beautiful fall afternoon partnering with Prudential at a “lifetime fans” event outside of the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The event promoted the importance of protecting lifetime income to help pay for your essential expenses […]
What Is an IRA and How Does it Work?
Saving for retirement is critically important and should be a part of everyone’s financial picture. But what can you do if you are already maxing out your employer-sponsored retirement plan? Left behind an old 401(k) when you changed jobs? Or just don’t have access to one? It’s simple. You can start investing by opening an […]
Protect Your Retirement Day with Prudential – A Women Who Money Review
This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Prudential. Recently, Amy and Vicki (the co-founders of Women Who Money) participated in Protect Your Retirement Day in New York City as a partner of Prudential. The event was sponsored by the Alliance for Lifetime Income, a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization educating people on the importance of, and the ability […]
What are Those Target Date Things in My Retirement Plan?
If your employer offers a retirement savings plan, chances are one of your investment options is a target-date fund. They may be grouped under a heading such as “Do the Investing for Me”, “Balanced”, or “Asset Allocation”. You’ll recognize them because they have a year in their name, such as 2045. You may have some […]
REITs: When is the right time to invest? [Pros and Cons to Real Estate Investment Trusts]
Real estate investing is one way to accelerate your journey to financial freedom. Oftentimes, people associate real estate investing with flipping houses or owning rental properties. But, if that type of investing isn’t for you, don’t dismiss real estate entirely. Instead, real estate investment trusts (REITs) might be the solution to diversifying your investment portfolio. […]