Saving and Investing

The Role of Career Planning in Financial Planning

by Sophia Bera October 11, 2017

When I work with financial planning clients, I tend to ask a lot of questions that don’t seem to be directly related to money at all. Where do you want to live? Do you have any upcoming travel plans? Do you like your job? Here’s the thing: most decisions you make in your life are […]

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Retirement savings for the self-employed

Retirement Planning if You’re Self-Employed or a Small Business Owner

by Sophia Bera September 27, 2017

Many people refer to retirement savings plans as “401(k)s” even if they’re not, because so many financial advice articles out there focus heavily on 401(k)s. The reality is that there are a variety of ways to save for retirement, and the options you choose can depend on what kind of company you work for, or […]

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Hacking Your HSA

by Sophia Bera July 19, 2017

If your health insurance plan is a High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), you may be eligible to contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA). Unfortunately, HDHPs and HSAs confuse a lot of people, and it’s important to understand how they work so you can use them to your advantage. HDHPs are attractive to many people because […]

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Hacking Your Roth IRA

by Sophia Bera July 12, 2017

You know the often-suggested retirement savings checklist: If your employer offers a 401(k), contribute enough to get a match. Max out a Roth IRA if you qualify. Go back to your 401(k) and work toward contributing the maximum of $18,000 per year. Generally, you fund these accounts for the long-term, because early withdrawals can lead […]

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The Best Financial Tools, Apps, and Calculators I Recommend All the Time

by Sophia Bera June 28, 2017

Managing and automating your finances has never been easier. There are so many online and mobile tools available (most for free!) that setting yourself up for financial success involves little more than 30 minutes of set-up and a few minutes of monitoring a month. You’re more likely to meet your financial goals if those goals […]

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Personal Finance Blogs and Podcasts to Add to Your List

by Sophia Bera June 14, 2017

Summer’s a quiet time for financial planners. Lots of clients worry about money in January after setting New Year’s resolutions, or in April when taxes are due. For now, everyone’s going on vacation! But summer is a great time to learn about personal finance. You’ve got time to fill on long flights, after all! And […]

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529 Plans and How to Save for Your Child’s College Education

by Sophia Bera May 10, 2017

At Gen Y Planning, we work with a lot of clients that are thinking about having kids in the next few years, or already have young children. As you can imagine, I get asked about saving for college a lot. With the cost of college going up about 5% a year, today’s newborns can expect […]

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4 Legal Ways to Lower Your Tax Bill

by Sophia Bera March 8, 2017

By now, you might have completed your tax returns for 2016 … and for some of you, the joy of getting your taxes out of the way is lessened by how much you owe the IRS. If it makes you feel any better, a big tax bill is a sign you made a lot of […]

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17 Quick & Dirty Money Moves You Can Make in 2017

by Sophia Bera January 11, 2017

It’s a new year, and you are pumped to make some changes to your finances. Only you don’t know where to start and you’re afraid to make a mistake. You’ll totally get around to it, though … once you’re done with a bunch of other chores you just remembered you had to do right now. […]

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You’re 30 — Stop Doing What You Did in College

by Sophia Bera September 7, 2016

I’m a big fan of automating your finances as a way to grow your wealth. After about 30 minutes of set-up, your money is whisked into different accounts, and you’re less tempted to spend your savings because you don’t really see that money. But every year (or whenever you experience a big life change like […]

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