Tag: financial

Are you and you spouse aware of one another's finances? Surveys show it is a big issue for couples. It’s important for couples to discuss finances at the earliest possible time in their relationship and to communicate frequently. Couples should also make sure they agree when it comes to financial practices such as budgeting and how to utilize credit throughout the marriage. Individually, each partner should make sure to be engaged with the household finances so they can protect themselves and their assets if nothing else can be done and the relationship ends.

According to the Washington Post, economic growth was slow in the United States during the first quarter of 2017, moving along at only 0.7 percent.

The number is a big drop off from the 2.1 percent growth experienced by the nation in the final quarter of 2016 and a long way from President Donald Trump’s promise of 3 percent economic growth during his time in office.

In a nation that debates nearly everything, this topic creates almost no disagreement. Americans aren’t saving anywhere near enough for retirement, setting the stage for a potentially dreary time ahead for many when they reach the closing act of their lives. In fact, a study by the Economic Policy Institute found that almost half of American families have no retirement-account savings at all.

While the widespread-savings shortfall is a given, a consensus is trickier to find when it comes to advice on just how much of your weekly salary you need to stash away if you want your retirement to be secure.

Anticipating the birth of your first baby is at once exciting and intimidating. Along with the countless joys this new little person brings comes the insistence that you plan your family’s financial future wisely. Still, rather than be daunted by the facts—according to recent estimates, raising a child from birth to age 18 costs on average about $230,000—and that doesn’t include the cost of sending them to college.  It’s best to start at the beginning with a reasonable budget, thoughtful planning and a long-term dedication to savings.

A year after Travis Kelso-Turner and his husband got married, their to-do list of financial tasks still daunts them.

"I'm still finding times I have to fill out new paperwork because of the name change," said the 30-year-old Las Vegas resident, who is executive director of the Executive Pride networking group for corporate executives advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in the workforce.

NEW YORK (REUTERS) - For years, Madeleine Smithberg has been at the forefront of American comedy as co-creator of "The Daily Show" and a talent coordinator for "Late Show with David Letterman."

That sense of humor was especially handy during the last few years. That is because Smithberg had to cope with not one, but two elderly parents in rapid decline.

The American Dream has evolved past the humble "white picket fence." Way past. We all strive for the "nice" home (as defined by HGTV and Pinterest) as opposed to the cozy one, keep a perpetual car payment instead of driving an older model, and chauffeur kids to an endless array of pricey activities rather than sending them outside. Call it creeping consumerism, entitlement, or plain old peer pressure. The point is, we see our hectic and expensive lifestyles as normal—and it’s time we realized that keeping up with the proverbial Joneses is actually extravagant and irresponsible.