By: Laura Walton AFC® It’s easy enough to be a victim of fraud – see last week’s blog for the statistics. This week I want to talk about why we’re easy targets. Fraud is fascinating. Elizabeth Holmes, founder of the biotech company Theranos, raised nearly a billion dollars from high-profile private investors and venture…
By: Laura Walton AFC® The Nigerian prince email is old news. The latest generation of scams come in the form of fake websites and fake ads on social media and they’ve been surprisingly successful. The Better Business Bureau, FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and the Stanford Center on Longevity interviewed consumers who had…
Have you heard of Afterpay? Klarna?? I’m guessing you will. They’re upending access to credit by offering buy now, pay later options that are particularly appealing to millennials. Why millennials? Studies show they prefer using debit cards to credit cards to avoid building debt. However, debit cards are an instant draw on your funds –…
By: TK Irons It’s not too early to think about the tax return you’ll file next year. Here’s an opportunity you might not know about but, before that, a few general things on taxes: File Your Return Strategically The most eager filers finish their return early – 73% of Americans receive a refund. If that’s…
By: Laura Walton AFC® Some would say that’s what Dave Ramsey dispenses. He doesn’t hold back. “Credit cards? Stupid! Car payments? Stupid on steroids! Borrowing money on your house to put in granite countertops? SOMEBODY OUGHTA SMACK YOU! That’s just stupid!” Dave Ramsey has been ranting for 30 years. According to Kristen Bahler’s recent article,…
Scripps Media, a national broadcasting company, recently came to Tucson to film one of our 3rd Decade™ classes. While here, they interviewed Bob Swift and several class participants. The spot, titled “Unique class pays young adults to learn money management,” showed in 50+ television markets nationwide. Its 5:30 p.m. and most of the 20 and…
By: Laura Walton AFC® A December 2019 graduate of our 3rd Decade™ program wrote an opinion piece on her experience in the program. It appeared on Thrive Global, a website founded by Arianna Huffington to “help individuals, companies and communities improve their well-being and performance and unlock their greatest potential”. It’s a fun piece – read…
By: Laura Walton AFC® Yes, there really is a Camp Mustache! This financial getaway attracts those who are super interested in saving, investing and retiring early a la Mr. Money Mustache. Two graduates of our 3rd DecadeTM program attended Camp Mustache – here’s their story: “Our journey into Mustachianism started many years ago. What’s Mustachianism? It’s “a…
By: Laura Walton AFC® General Electric was the last of the original 12 stocks that made up the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Walgreens will take its place.That’s big news! Why the change and exactly what is the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) anyway? First, what’s an index? It’s a measurement of a section of the…
By: Laura Walton AFC® Treat yourself this weekend to some of the best originality Tucson has to offer! Cultivate is a pop-up market featuring local designers, makers, independent shops, and artists with an additional mission of cultivating community. Built on the very timely sentiment “that authentic relationships and face-to-face connections are essential for personal and creative growth,”…