If you're like most Millennials, you have a lot on your plate. (And you're trying to do it all, too!) It's wonderful that you're so driven, but trying to juggle a bunch of financial priorities at once can quickly get complicated. After all, most of us only have so much cash to go around each month. When we're working toward more than one financial goal, how do we know what to put at the top of … [Read more...] about Should I Build Up Savings or Pay Down Debt?
Debt Repayment
How Do I Calculate My Net Worth?
YOUR NET WORTH = WHAT YOU HAVE – WHAT YOU OWE It’s that simple. A few times a year, I take a moment to calculate my net worth. I pull up my spreadsheet, log into my accounts online, and enter the balance of each of my retirement accounts, savings, investments, etc. I don't own a home, but if you do, make sure to include its approximate value. Then I enter any debt that I have. For you, … [Read more...] about How Do I Calculate My Net Worth?
Couples And Money: Avoiding The Two-Income Trap
About half of my clients are couples, and they often ask me what they could improve with their finances. My suggestion: View “your money” as “our money” and start planning as a couple. I realize that you may have spent the last 10 years of your adult life as a single lady (cue Beyoncé), and you didn’t have to take into account anyone else’s money habits — or their money … [Read more...] about Couples And Money: Avoiding The Two-Income Trap
Student Loans: Pay As You Earn, IBR, ICR, PSLF, and OMG This Is Confusing!
Congrats! You just finished college, or grad school, or law school, or business school! Now, it’s time to figure out what student loan program you’re going to choose to pay back your student loans. If you have a reasonable amount of student loans in relation to your income, then you will most likely want to choose the 10 year standard repayment method so that you can pay them off … [Read more...] about Student Loans: Pay As You Earn, IBR, ICR, PSLF, and OMG This Is Confusing!
How to Prioritize Student Loan Debt While Working Towards Other Financial Goals
A common question that is brought up by my Gen Y clients is: what do I do about my student loans? The problem is that there isn’t a simple answer. It really depends on a few things: The amount of student loans in relation to your income; if the loans are public or private; the interest rate on your student loans; and the other goals that you’re trying to achieve. Prioritizing … [Read more...] about How to Prioritize Student Loan Debt While Working Towards Other Financial Goals