Tag: Money

  • You Won’t Believe How Affordable Insurance In About To Get In 2022

    You Won’t Believe How Affordable Insurance In About To Get In 2022

    Benefit of work insurance
    Medical emergencies can come from nowhere. Even the healthiest people aren’t immune. The cost of an emergency can pile up quickly. That’s why it’s beneficial to have health insurance to help ease the financial burden. Many employers offer excellent health insurance benefits to make sure you’re able to stay happy and healthy.

    Other discount insurance options

    For those that have recently lost their job but still want access to the same insurance there’s COBRA. Cobra provides you with access to the same insurance for a price that’s less expensive than you would pay in the open market. Cobra is best utilized for short periods of time between other insurance options due to it’s higher cost

    There’s a market for everyone

    The Affordable Care Act is an open market that provides you with a wide variety of insurance options at a typically more affordable cost. What’s even better is that In this market you can’t be denied or charged more due to a preexisting condition. There’s an open enrollment period between November 1 – January 15. Even if you miss the open enrollment period there are special exceptions that qualify people for a special 60-day enrollment period.

    Coverage everyone qualifies for

    If you’re over 65 that means you qualify for Medicare. Medicare is an excellent option that typically covers around 80% of your medical bills. For people that want 100% coverage they can purchase Medigap which accounts for the additional 20% gap. These two policies will provide you protection late into your life.

    Shopping for an insurance plan that fits your needs can be daunting. But gambling that you’ll stay healthy and not need insurance is a bet you never need to make.


  • Best Online Stock Trading Platform

    Best Online Stock Trading Platform

    Stock trading can be a scary concept. After all, investing in markets is something difficult that only professionals can do, right? Well, not really. All you need to start trading today is some money to invest and a good online stock trading platform.

    E-Trade

    The poster child for online stock trading, E-Trade is a great place for beginners to start. If you’ve never done any trading before, we recommend E-Trade. You can get acquainted with the basics through their learning tools. They offer web seminars, reading material and more to get you comfortable with the idea of investing in stocks.

    They even have a team of market analysts who can help guide you in the best ways to invest your money. Their analyses are available through the site, and you can even contact a 24-hour helpline to give you market advice. Really, it’s a great all-in-one for beginners.

    Ally Invest

    Ally Invest is fantastic for those looking for a more budget-friendly way to trade. That’s because they have a low price for trading and a low commission structure for an online stock trading platform. They offer $5 trades, or $4 trades for people with more than 30 trades per quarter. That’s a pretty enticing deal for those looking to make a lot of trades!

    If you’re a relatively confident investor who just needs a good, stable and inexpensive platform, Ally Invest is for you. They’ve got a few nifty tools for users, and they offer the best bang for your buck.

    TD Ameritrade

    TD Ameritrade doesn’t have the low price of Ally Invest, but they offer some other interesting features. Trade Architect is TD Ameritrade’s beginner-friendly platform that will introduce new investors to all the concepts they need to know. The simplified platform is considered a rival to E-Trade’s easy-to-understand approach.

    TD Ameritrade also offers a platform called Thinkorswim, which is great for established and confident investors. Thinkorswim offers market analyses, charts, graphs and in-depth reports fit for the most discerning of investors. So, whether you’re a greenhorn or a grizzled vet, TD Ameritrade has an online trading platform that will work for you!


  • Need a Divorce? Save BIG With These Tips

    Need a Divorce? Save BIG With These Tips

    The first decision is the hardest. You and your partner have decided to get a divorce. There are now a multitude of important life-defining decisions to be made. You don’t want to rely on a simple Google search and luck to find your lawyer. Your divorce attorney is going to handle multiple components of your divorce. They’re going to act as your advisor, spokesperson, negotiator and trusted confidant. They are going to be the person you rely on the most to advise you of your rights and the best course of action in your divorce.

    Start with research

    A simple google search is a great place to start. But nothing replaces a real face to face meeting. You want to be able to get a feel for the person and not rely on the opinions of others. Your gut instincts are more reliable than you might think. If the lawyer doesn’t advertise how long they’ve been practicing divorce law, that’s a good sign that they’re not very experienced.

    Find a good fit

    It’s nearly impossible to tell if a lawyer’s disposition matches what you’re looking for from a web search. Before deciding, you should think about what you want from them. Do you want a lawyer who’s empathetic to your plight? Do you want a lawyer who will be extremely aggressive in fighting for you? Do you want a lawyer who understands both sides and finds it important to have a cordial resolution? Do you want a law office with deep resources that can untangle a complicated situation?

    Talk to friends

    Some people prefer to keep their divorce a completely private matter. However, asking friends who’ve gone through a divorce for advice can be very beneficial. It’s important to remember that everyone’s experience and desired outcomes are different during a divorce.

    Knowing the right questions

    finally, when you sit down to interview lawyers to represent you, make sure to have in-depth questions ready. You should already have answers concerning their background. Typical questions like, “How many cases have you won,” aren’t particularly pertinent in a divorce case.

    Ask things like:

    How do you view the division of assets?

    What do you find the most challenging part of the divorce?

    What do you view as the best possible outcome for my specific situation?

    Communication is key

    You want a lawyer that makes you feel like you’re a priority. If your prospective lawyer is difficult to get ahold of early in the decision process that’s a strong indicator that you may want to look elsewhere. Your lawyer is not going to magically become more responsive once they have your money.

    Attention to detail

    Whenever you’ve made the decision to hire your lawyer make sure to pay special attention to your contract. Many lawyers will have minimum fees that’ll be charged for services even if you don’t take advantage of them. So, take out that red pen and come to an agreement about specific fees before you sign your name on the dotted line. Never be afraid to ask questions about certain parts of their contract.


  • Why Insiders Recommend You Drop What You’re Doing and Sign Up For This Bank Account Right Now!

    Why Insiders Recommend You Drop What You’re Doing and Sign Up For This Bank Account Right Now!

    It’s time to take control of your banking. It’s no longer necessary for you to make another trip to the bank during your busy day. Online banking can give you all the benefits of traditional banking and more.

    Make Things Easy

    There’s nothing worse than having to spend your lunch break in line at the bank because they don’t have hours that fit your schedule. That’s just one example of why signing up for an online banking account can make your life easier. Modern online accounts can also easily connect you with your landlord to pay rent or with your best friend to pay them back for buying you dinner. Another often overlooked perk of having an online banking is the fact that you don’t have to switch banks no matter where you move. Online banks are with you no matter where you go.

    Let Your Money Make Money

    Nontraditional companies are rapidly joining the online banking marketplace. From Cell phone companies to stock trading app development companies- the online banking marketplace is greatly expanding. These companies can provide you with simple, but impressive benefits because of their lack of traditional overhead. For example, Robinhood has recently launched a “banking account” that offers up to 1.8% APY on unused funds. T-Mobile also announced its intention of launching an online banking account that offers up to 4% APY with special terms.

    Get Rewards You’ll Use

    Many cards provide you with new redeemable rewards each week, month or quarter. When it comes to online banking, you are in high demand. That’s why banks develop partnerships with all types of retailers to pass the rewards on to you. The great thing about these rewards is that they’re often for places that you’d regularly shop anyway. They feature deals from companies like Airbnb, Five Guys, Staples, Nordstrom Rack, Advanced Auto Parts and dozens of others.

    Transfer Money With Security

    Online banking easily sets you up with the ability to transfer money cost-free. Zelle is an online service that’s joined up with multiple banks to securely transfer money to people and businesses alike. This is the first time you’ve had the ability to pay multiple types of sources from one app and from anywhere in the world. Secure money transfers have long been one of the main staples of traditional brick and mortar banks. But now they’re not the only ones able to offer this concrete feeling.

    It’s Not All Sunshine

    If you prefer having a person to have a live conversation with when banking, online banking doesn’t provide that. However online banking does provide a multitude of other ways to have your questions answered. Frequently their extensive FAQ sections will answer questions you didn’t even know you had.

    If you’re a person who gets mostly paid in cash online banking accounts can be a bit of a hassle. ATM’s can be difficult to find- making traditional cash deposits difficult. Also, if you need cash in a quick pinch, you’re limited to paying fees from other banks ATM’s, or getting cash back from other retailers.


  • Money Market Savings Account: How They Can Work for You

    Money Market Savings Account: How They Can Work for You

    If you’re interested in getting your money to work for you, then you should think about getting a money market savings account. Maybe you’ve heard about these types of accounts but you’re not sure if it’s right for you.

    Today we’re looking a bit deeper into MMAs and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about these financial opportunities.

    Money Market Savings Account

    The Difference

    A savings account, on average, doesn’t have particularly high-interest rates. Compared to a money market account, a savings account is much lower in terms of contributions and minimum balances. Generally speaking, anyone can open a savings account and can afford the minimum balance and deposits.

    On the flip side, a money market account is, on average, going to offer much higher interest rates. That’s because an MMA is more like a combination of a checking and savings account. These accounts tend to have much higher minimum balances. Generally speaking, MMAs are for people with higher income levels than average.

    Why Open an MMA

    There are some upsides to opening a money market account. Notably, these accounts are insured and protected, and you can feel assured when you deposit upwards of thousands of dollars into them. People often prefer to deposit large sums in MMAs because of the higher interest rates they tend to have.

    If your bank or credit union offers a high-interest rate on an MMA, consider moving your savings into such an account.

    Another reason people like MMAs is because they offer access to your funds in a pinch. You can write up to six checks per months from an MMA, and you can use a debit card for those funds up to six times per month. That makes them ideal for covering larger transactions that occur infrequently.

    What to Look For

    Generally speaking, when you’re looking for a good MMA, you want to find the one with the best interest rates. If the rates in an MMA are comparable to your savings account, you can safely ignore it. Likewise, if the interest rate is much higher, invest your money there.

    On the same track, try to find an MMA that doesn’t have monthly fees. There are plenty of MMAs out there that don’t charge monthly fees and offer great interest rates. As such, there’s no reason for you to pay more just to have your money grow!

  • Top Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor Today

    Top Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor Today

    The start of a new year offers a great opportunity to step back, look at your finances and see how things are going. There are a lot of really great questions to ask your financial advisor in this period to see how your investments are shaping up. While the new year is just an arbitrary date, it makes a nice clean break and gives us a chance to think about our finances in a new light. What are you financial goals for 2019? How can you make them realities? Let’s get into the top questions to ask your financial advisor today.

    Top Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor Today

    How High are the Fees You’re Paying?

    The new year is a great time to reexamine your investments and see how high the fees you’re paying are. After all, your advisor is here to help you. If their cost is higher than their usefulness, it’s time to think about getting a new financial advisor. What better time to examine these costs than at the start of the year? If the advisory fees are satisfactory, move on to the fund fees, transaction fees and account fees you’re paying.

    It’s important to know where your money is going. You don’t want a ton of fees piling up and eating away at the money you’re trying to invest. If some products you’ve got in your portfolio aren’t winning you back enough money to merit their costs, it could be time to think about cutting them loose. Make sure your advisor knows this is a serious concern of yours!

    How Much Risk Should You Be Taking?

    The general rule of thumb is that the younger you are, the riskier and higher-return your investments should be. Then, as you grow older, your investments should be transferred more and more to safer, lower-return funds that won’t put you at risk of losing your nest egg.

    Other considerations, like your income, your financial goals, your risk aversion and your comfort level can all affect this advice. Your financial advisor should have a good grasp on what kind of saving you prefer, and what type you would rather stay away from. Maybe your risky investments have been paying dividends, but the climate for them is shifting so you transfer to safer funds. Or, maybe your safe investments are moving too slowly to get you where you want to be in time for retirement, so you should diversify.

    Whatever the case, the beginning of the year is a great time to examine your finances and your saving strategy. Maybe it’s time to shift into high gear and double down on your plan of attack. Or, maybe it’s better if you ease off the throttle and get more cozy with saving in slower increments. In either event, your financial advisor will have advice tailored to your situation.

    What Employer-Sponsored Benefits Could You be Taking Advantage of?

    Set aside a plan for how you can make the most of your employer-sponsored plans. If your employer offers plans like 401 (k) retirement matching, medical savings accounts and the like, these could be great ways to maximize your finances. Medical savings accounts offer a great way to save money for medical expenses without incurring the usual income taxes on your wages. Similarly, 401 (k) accounts offer a great way to let your money grow without being taxed at the usual rate.

    If your employed offers any type of matching, make sure you’re hitting the maximum amount that you can afford. For instance, if they offer 6% matching, it’s in your best interest to put the full 6% into your savings if you can afford it. This matching plan is essentially free money for you when you go to retire, so you should absolutely be taking full advantage of it!

    What Else Can You Get?

    Make sure you have a good understanding of what your advisor’s firm offers you in terms of services. Most firms offer a robust suite of financial services, such as estate, banking or tax planning. If you’re leaving behind a sizable amount of money and assets when you go, you might be interested in making sure these are properly taken care of. Likewise, your taxes may be very complex due to your investments and holdings. These are things your advisory firm might be able to help you with!

    Your advisor will surely be glad to help you discover which of their firm’s services you’d benefit from. You may even find some services you didn’t realize you needed help with!