Latest articles by Deborah L. Meyer, CPA/PFS, CFP®
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Which Debt Is ‘Good Debt’ and Which Is ‘Bad Debt’?
debt management Not all debts are created equal. Some help you get ahead. Others should be avoided at all costs. Here’s how to tell the difference and how to handle your own debt situation.
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Be a Budgeting Expert: How to Track Spending with a Detailed Budget
Budgeting Want to go beyond the Envelope Budget? Try this free budgeting spreadsheet to draw up your own plan and get a firm grip on where your money is going. We’ll walk you through each step.
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The Envelope Budget: How to Make It Work for You
Budgeting An oldie but goodie, the envelope budget is a great place to start for beginning budgeters. Here’s how it works.
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Don’t Be a Budget Hater
Budgeting Budgets don’t exist to make your life miserable. In fact, they’re there to make your life better. My own budget evolution shows how having a spending plan can help you and your family build the life you really want.
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Building Wealth as Parents During Uncertain Times
retirement Parents have a lot weighing on their minds right now. Here are three truths they can rely upon, and three ways to shore up their finances during this time.
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5 Causes of Marital Money Stress (and How to Fix Them)
retirement Financial frustrations can be major sources of tension in any marriage. Here are some practical tips and strategies to work through the most common money issues together.
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Pessimists Never Prosper: Try an Abundance Mindset Instead
Investor Psychology Even if you're a perpetual pessimist, there are ways to channel your thinking into a more positive direction, and that can help reap benefits for yourself, and for society in general.
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4 Simple Habits to Build Wealth Faster
savings Sure, making a lot of money helps, but research shows there are four behaviors that can be even more important to building true wealth.
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Emergency Funds Can Have a Surprising Downside
Making Your Money Last If you're only saving for emergencies, you’re missing out. Go beyond that with an opportunity fund. My family tapped our opportunity fund twice last year, and it changed our lives.
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Budget Travel Tips Straight from a Financial Planner's Own Family Trip Abroad
Travel Here's what my family of five actually paid for three months of travel to Spain and how we kept our costs low. We aren't rich, but we know how to carefully plan and budget. Follow our tips to help make your own dream happen.
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Don't Let Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda Derail Your Dreams
Travel If you have a big goal, what's stopping you? Don't let life get in your way. Instead, do what my family did: Quit waiting for someday, and just do it.
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Health Insurance Too Expensive? A Cheaper Option to Investigate
insurance They aren't for everyone, but health care sharing programs are a faith-based alternative to traditional health plans that can save some people money. This type of coverage worked as a stopgap for my own family.
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Are You Underestimating Your Need for Disability Insurance?
insurance Long-term disabilities are probably more common than you think: About one-third of us will experience one before age 65. But before you buy insurance, learn the ins and outs of long-term disability policies.
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When 'Rules of Thumb' for Life Insurance Aren't Appropriate
insurance If you are one of these three types of people, going by the usual insurance "rules" could cause you to buy too much coverage, not enough coverage or the wrong type of policy.
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5 Ways to Maximize Your Charitable Giving
taxes A donor advised fund is my go-to charitable giving vehicle for many reasons, but there are a few other ways to gift to charities and do the most good ... for them and for you, too.
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Why Stock Market Volatility Has Officially Arrived
Markets Looking at what’s going on in the economy reveals the reasons why the markets have entered a period of wide swings.
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How to Set Goals for Yourself and Make Them Happen
savings Do you want to change careers in 2018? Devote more time to volunteering? Or how about saving $50,000 over the course of the year? Here's how to set an attainable goal and really stick with it.
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What the New Tax Overhaul Means for You
taxes Here are some important changes that it could pay to anticipate.
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House Hunters: Learn from My Rookie Mistakes
Smart Buying When I bought my first home in my 20s, I had worked hard and saved for a down payment. But I didn't do all the homework a buyer should do. Looking back years later, here are seven financial tips for house hunters today.
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Do Not Let Money Ruin Your Marriage
spending We all bring our own attitudes about spending, saving and sharing into our relationships. Some styles work great together, and others are destined for disaster. The key to making it work is communication.
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A Deeper Dive into 529 College Plans
529 Plans If you're confused about the difference between 529 college savings plans and prepaid tuition plans and all their ins and outs, you're not alone. But here's some help.
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Quiz: How Well Do You Know 529 College Plans?
529 Plans Do you know which kind of savings plan has no market risk? Do you know whether you'd lose money if your child didn't go to college? How about the rules on where they can go? We’ve got the answers.
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Debunking the Myths of 529 Plans for College Savers
529 Plans Like saving for retirement, you can never start too early on saving for college. Take a quick true-and-false quiz to see if you grasp the power of 529 plans.
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Smart Ways Entrepreneurs Can Finance Growth Using Debt
business No one likes debt, but it can be the difference between a failed venture and a thriving business. From 12-month-interest-free business credit cards to crafty loan strategies, entrepreneurs have options.
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