One of the most debated financial questions of modern times is whether you should prioritize paying off your home mortgage over planning for your retirement.

The beginning of a new year is a great time to make financial changes we have long delayed or avoided. Here are 21 ideas that may help you manage your hard-earned money better.

What comes to mind when you recall holidays gone by? Do you have sweet memories of time spent with friends and family, or unpleasant memories of family and gift-buying stress- along with debt to start the new year?

Having been an entrepreneur myself for over 40 years, I know how much work starting and operating a small business can be.

One of the few things people know about Social Security is that contribution is mandatory, and when they get old enough to retire, they will receive a certain amount of money per month for as long as they live. An annuity has some similarities; when properly designed, it can provide guaranteed income in retirement and help reduce the risk of running out of money.

Financial planning without life insurance is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
For life insurance to make a difference in your financial plan, you must buy it and keep it.

With businesses closed, work hours reduced and jobs eliminated due to Covid-19, many people now find themselves in the grip of a financial crisis. Even before the pandemic, America had a savings and retirement problem. Statistics tell us that 45 percent of American workers have no retirement savings, and according to the Federal Reserve, over one-half of Americans could not come up with $400 in an emergency. The reality of these statistics is apparent right now.

I’ve already explained the differences between wise and unwise debt. Now, I want to talk more about debt — specifically home mortgages. Let’s discuss two beliefs about a home mortgage that could be detrimental to your financial health.

As a life planner, I like to have real discussions with people about their lives — where they are now, financially and personally, and where they want to be at the end of their lives. It continues to amaze me how many people don’t like to discuss the end of their lives, believing somehow that discussing their death will hasten it.