By: Laura Walton AFC® You can probably guess what they are but how long do you think it takes, on average, to recover from them? The findings are from a poll sponsored by New York Life and featured in a recent blog from Barry Ritholtz: Ritholtz goes on to make an important point: people tend…
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…
By: Laura Walton AFC® Last month was Second Hand September. Those who participated pledged not to buy new clothes for 30 days. Compared to 15 years ago, we buy 60% more items of clothing each year and keep each item for about half as long. The result? The average American throws away approximately 80…
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: Gabriela Grodzki Approximately 19.9 million students enrolled in an American college in 2018. At the developing ages of 17-18, students are asked to commit to a four-year path and oftentimes a debt that haunts their lives for years afterwards. A college decision plays a crucial role in one’s career path and financial health. Accordingly,…
By: TK Irons Okay, for some reason, certain people grasp this concept right away, and others need to hear it a few times to keep it all straight. I hear people getting mixed up* when speaking about various investment accounts. You’ll pretty much always have three main components to think about – the company,…
By: Laura Walton AFC® The things we say when we realize we’ve made a poor decision. Daniel Gilbert, Harvard professor of psychology, told Shankar Vedantam of Hidden Brain that 15 years of research hasn’t uncovered a way to improve our decision-making skills. Why not? He cites three weaknesses: (1) We’re not good at imagining…
By: Laura Walton AFC® We’ve been celebrating the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s moon landing and one interview caught my attention. In 1988, Terry Gross of Fresh Air interviewed Brigadier General Chuck Yeager, the World War II fighter pilot who became the first pilot to break the sound barrier. In 1947, Yeager flew the X-1…
By: Laura Walton AFC® Socially responsible investing is a priority for individuals who are concerned about the sustainability and ethical impact of companies they invest in. The term “triple bottom line” suggests that in addition to financials, environmental and social factors should be considered when evaluating a company’s worth. Financial returns have long been…
By: Laura Walton AFC® Or two, or three. After three years of experiencing the unexpected, I came across a newspaper article about a new foundation in town featuring a smiling picture of the founder. I read that they were providing FREE investment advice and classes for those who might not otherwise have access to a…