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10 Financial Tasks To Complete Before 2020 (Yes, You Have Time)
Here we are, already to the end of 2019! The end of a year and the start of a new one is when most people decide to clean up and implement changes in some areas of their lives. Whether it is financial or health-related, starting the New Year off with tasks completed feels good! Here are ten financial tasks that can make a difference to you now, and later:
15 Lessons of Marriage and Money
My wife Cassie and I recently celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. Looking back, our wedding day was perfect; it was filled with our favorite people, an outpouring of love, celebratory well-wishes, dancing, laughing, and was a perfect start to our journey as Mr. and Mrs. Williams. It has been a blessed journey with lots of highs and a few lows. Thankfully, due to communication, commitment, and compromise, we have not endured any financial lows, but rather just financial hiccups. Here are a few things we have learned in our 15 years of marriage…
Dare to Dream: Your Success Depends on It
Dreaming and goal setting are interrelated; first, you dream about what you want, then you determine how to obtain it. Our dreams should help guide us to make the right choices at the right time and in the proper manner. But merely dreaming about something is not enough; we must set goals to achieve it. In psychology, goal setting refers to a successful plan of action that we set for ourselves.
Attitude of Gratitude
In the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, this week’s post is on the subject of gratitude. I know the words “grateful”, “thankful”, and “appreciative” are tossed around often, but have you taken the time to think about what you are truly grateful for?
Black Friday
It’s that time of year where we spend quality time with family, eat copious amounts of food, and give thanks. Oh, and, I must not forget the anticipated or overrated shopping frenzy that is Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Here are five tips to help you develop a game plan and not overspend:
The Gift of Time and Presence
With only a few days left this year, it seems like there are a million things to do with little time to do it. Thankfully, my wife takes on the majority of the planning, prepping, and executing of our holiday celebrating, but I am still exhausted come January 1st. Why do I start off many new years feeling overextended? Why do some people start the new year over budget or stressed from the holidays? According to experts, Americans report:
Saving, Spending, and Truth
In 2005, my wife, Cassie, and I relocated to Philadelphia for my career with a global investment firm. At only 26 and 25 years old, we were wide-eyed with excitement for the opportunity to take our professional careers to the next level. In a relatively short amount of time and with lots of long hours, we were making nearly four times more than the median household income in the United States. That is a substantial amount of money in a short amount of time.
Your Values and Money
Values
This is a word we hear often, but what does it actually mean? According to dictionary.com, “’Values’ is a person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life.”
Is A Fixed Income Annuity Right for You?
In today’s low-interest-rate environment, there are fewer fixed income alternatives for retirees seeking income. With rates on traditional staples such as CDs and money market accounts at or near all-time lows. Fixed-income annuities are an alternative to consider for retirees seeking income and safety. The issuing insurance companies back the claims-paying ability of all annuities. Once thought of as only a standalone retirement income solution, a fixed-income annuity is now commonly recognized as one of many components of a retirement portfolio.
VALUES, MONEY, AND THE UNTHINKABLE
I have always been interested in money, and at the age of nine, my mom remembers me saying I was going to live in a big city and work with people’s money. Other career aspirations came and went, but the one that stayed strong was financial service. As my interest in money and markets increased, so did my thirst for success and to make a lot of money. Despite being raised in a rural, blue-collar town where having lots of money is not necessarily a thing, I knew I wanted financial independence by landing a six-figure compensation plan early in my career and become a multi-millionaire before reaching retirement. At the time, I did not put much thought on my values surrounding my dream, but instead, I simply focused on the steps to attain my dream.
