Latest articles by Erin Wood, CFP®, CRPC®, FBSⓇ
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To Afford Retirement, Take Inspiration from ‘The Golden Girls’
Roommates, a part-time job and renting out your vacation home could be ways to save early in retirement to cover more expensive years later on.
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Want to Earn More Money? Consider These Five Ways
Instead of simply vowing to save more money, why not commit to earning more? You could ask for a raise, try a side hustle or switch to a bank offering a higher savings rate.
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Holiday Spending: Is It Time to Cut Back on Christmas Presents?
Family expectations, consumer culture and a reluctance to talk about money can lead to overspending, but there are ways to cut back without losing the spirit of the season.
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Do You Know a Financial Hoarder? 4 Steps to Untangle the Mess
Accumulating assets for the sake of accumulation can leave behind overwhelming chaos for heirs. Ignoring the problem will only make it worse.
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6 Myths of Homeownership
Feeling stressed by the housing market? You might be surprised to learn that owning a home isn’t the only, or even the best, path to financial security.
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Chasing Athletic Scholarship Dreams Can Be a Costly Mistake
Paying for College Camps. Equipment. Travel to tournaments. Recruiting fees. It’s expensive to have a high school student-athlete in your home. But who doesn’t dream of a full-ride scholarship to your child’s dream school? Here’s an athletic scholarship reality check to help you make the right spending choices for your family.
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Should You Ask for a Raise? How to Tell When It's Time
careers In today’s job market, employees are calling the shots, making it a great time to negotiate a higher salary. A financial planner explains how to figure out if you are being paid enough, overcome any apprehension about asking for more money and approach salary negotiations like a pro.
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COVID’s Financial Toll Isn’t What You Think
Coronavirus and Your Money From a grandma’s retirement in ruins to a troubled teen inheriting too soon, COVID’s effects will last for generations. While nothing can prepare you for the pain of losing someone you love, a financial planner explains how preparation can lessen the financial devastation.
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Emerging Financially Healthy After a Gray Divorce
Divorce Divorce is hard, but a divorce later in life presents a unique set of challenges. A financial planner shares what to consider as you plan for – and eventually embrace – your next act.
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A Family Member in Prison? You are Not Alone
personal finance The painful stigma and financial hardship of having a family member in the prison system can last for generations. A financial adviser offers her personal perspective and some resources that could help.
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Adopting a Child: Financial Advice for Hopeful Parents
Starting a Family How much does it cost to adopt a child? That depends on which method you use, as there are several different paths to parenthood. And there are several ways to help pay for it too.
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The Priceless and Expensive Journey of Infertility Treatments
personal finance A financial planner who has lived through this journey herself lays out an overview of what couples who are struggling to have a baby can expect, in Part 1 of a four-part deep dive.
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Pass on Your Wealth Wisdom
personal finance Sharing what you’ve learned about getting ahead in life financially is a worthy endeavor that can pay off mightily. This “wealth responsibility” can change lives, even your own.
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Thanks, Granny: Money Quirks (Good or Bad) Can Be Inherited
personal finance To learn about your own financial strengths and help eliminate your weaknesses, trace your family tree.
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How to Navigate Emergency Funds in Urgent Times
savings COVID-19 has revealed cracks in many people’s financial plans, and emergency funds have never been more important.
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Opportunity Cost or Opportunity Lost: What’s Your Risk Tolerance in a Down Market?
investing There's a cost in every choice you make. To make the best choices for yourself, you need to look at what you're getting and what you're giving up, and then factor in your own personal values.
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Keeping Your Head Above Water While Watching the Economic Wave
Markets Sometimes, at certain points in an economic wave, we see a frenzy of unwise financial behavior. Overconfidence, underconfidence, neighbor envy, media overload, all add to a lack of wisdom. How do you keep your head about you?
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The Secret to Finally Meeting Your Financial Goals
retirement This year work smarter, not harder on yourself and your finances. Here are some interesting behavioral strategies to try, including temptation bundling.
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How to Check Your Financial Baggage for the New Year
savings If you're already faltering on your financial New Year’s resolutions, here's a way to get to the root of the problem and learn a little about yourself along the way.
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Give Story – Not Stuff – for the Holidays
retirement Your financial plan is about more than making money and getting stuff. It's built around your values, goals and relationships. Shouldn't your gift-giving be the same way?
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Wealth Shame: When Wealth Changes Your Life (and Not Everyone Else's)
retirement Defined as a real or perceived distance when you make more money than your family or community of origin, wealth shame can be a painful transition.
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Youth Sports Vs. College Costs – What's a Parent to Do?
college In a word: prioritize. Work with your child to find what is most meaningful and what makes the most sense. Then concentrate your budget dollars accordingly. My tried-and-true postcard test can help.
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To Define Your Retirement Goals, Take the Postcard Test
Making Your Money Last You've got to really know yourself to understand what's important to you, where you're going and how you can get there. A simple test could help shed some light on your path.
