Understanding your personal financial situation is essential. How well you know your money impacts every aspect of your life. Even if you live comfortably, you might not know everything you should about your financial situation. Ask yourself the following eight questions to determine your understanding of your circumstances. 1. How Much Do I Have in Savings and Investments? You should know the amounts you have set aside in the following accounts and how to access them in

Deciding whether to invest or pay off debt first can be difficult. Both are responsible choices that help attain your financial goals. The Rule of 6%, described below, can help determine whether to invest or pay off debt first. The suggested adjustments can also benefit your situation. The Rule of 6% If you have at least 10 years before retirement, are investing in a balanced portfolio with approximately a 50% allocation to stocks, and are investing in a tax-advantaged

Your net worth is the total value of your assets minus the total value of your liabilities. Because this number represents the value of everything you own after accounting for all of your debts, it indicates your financial health. Knowing your net worth provides substantial insight into your financial situation. This value helps you track your progress toward monetary goals. When you are starting, you should regularly track your net worth. Once you are more established, c

Investing is a strategy to grow your money over time. You can pursue long-term goals such as purchasing a home, funding your retirement, and paying for your child’s education. Investing involves risk in exchange for potentially great returns over time. The sooner you begin, the more time your money has to grow. Benefits of Investing The benefits of investing include the following: Compound Growth Compound growth occurs when your investment return generates an additional

Experts suggest different approaches to determine how much you need to save for retirement. Some say to save at least 8-10 times your annual salary for retirement. Others recommend having at least 65% to 80% of your pre-retirement income available for each year you plan to spend in retirement. The amount you need to save for retirement depends on your desired lifestyle, retirement date, and income sources to draw from. The following guidelines can help narrow down your numb

Changing jobs can be stressful. Not knowing what to do with your 401(k) or 403(b) account when leaving an employer can increase your stress level. You have four options for your 401(k) or 403(b) account when leaving a job or retiring. Two of these options include penalty-free rollovers. Understanding each choice helps determine which is right for you. The following four options include two penalty-free methods to roll over your 401(k) or 403(b) account when leaving your j