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The New Year’s Resolution You Shouldn’t Overlook: Checking Your Net Worth

By Kate Pettique | January 9, 2024

As we bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, many of us embark on the journey of setting resolutions for the coming year. While popular resolutions often revolve around health, fitness, and personal development, there’s one crucial aspect of our lives that deserves a spot on the resolution list: our financial well-being. Checking in on your net worth, particularly at the beginning of a new year, is a habit that can significantly impact your financial health and set the stage for a prosperous future. Click here to download our easy-to-use Net Worth Worksheet. Understanding Net Worth: Net worth is a comprehensive measure of your financial standing, calculated by subtracting your liabilities from your assets. Assets include everything you own, such as real estate, investments, and savings, while liabilities encompass debts and other financial obligations. Monitoring your net worth provides a holistic view of your financial health, offering insights into your progress towards financial goals and helping you make informed decisions. A Couple of Things to Remember: If the value of your home has increased, so have your assets. For a current housing valuation, visit with your real estate agent. Also, realize that while the increase is good for your net worth, it may impact your property taxes down the road. Take note of your investment strategy. If your portfolio has increased, your asset…

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Parents and children looking at a new home with a real estate agent.

Top Tips for Buying a Home Right Now

By Mary Heerwald | June 22, 2023

Buying a home is a significant milestone and a major financial commitment. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or experienced in the real estate market, the process can be both exciting and overwhelming. To ensure a smooth and successful home-buying experience, it’s crucial to be prepared and informed. We’re here to take a look at the top tips to help you get ready to buy a home, guide you through the process and empower you to make the best decisions for your personal situation. Establish Your Budget: Before embarking on your home-buying journey, it’s essential to determine your budget. Evaluate your financial situation, including your income, expenses, and existing debt. Consider consulting a mortgage lender to get pre-approved for a loan. This will provide a clear understanding of how much you can afford and prevent you from falling in love with a property that is beyond your means. Define Your Needs and Wants: Create a list of your priorities and requirements for your future home. Distinguish between your “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves.” Consider factors such as location, house or lot size, number of bedrooms, amenities, and proximity to schools, workplaces, and transportation. Having a clear vision of your needs will help you narrow down your options and streamline the search process. It also helps to take a look at things like flood zones to make sure you’re…

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Budgeting for Summer Fun With the Kids in Your Life

By Mary Heerwald | May 31, 2023

Whether you have your own children, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, or other kiddos in your life, summer can be an expensive season. Day care, camps, travel, summer classes and entertainment are just a few of the costs that need to be planned for. Here are a few of the tips from the experts (cue parents!) to alleviate some of the financial stress and maintain the fun vibes of summertime. Research shows that kids learn the most about money matters from watching their parents. Including them in your budgeting process takes the mystery out of how much it costs to enjoy the summer. As you know, it doesn’t just magically get funded! A good exercise is to ask your kids to write down how much they think it costs to go on vacation or go to camp. Then spend some time walking through a budget that includes all expenses. Start by asking them to list categories for the budget. This might include clothes for camp, gas costs for traveling, air fare, eating out, or movie tickets and other entertainment. Don’t forget the little items that add up like sunscreen, sunglasses, and snacks. Once you have identified the categories, it’s time to involve your young adults in the research to get the best deals and discounts. Is that cheaper airfare worth it if the schedule requires you…

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