Month: April 2019

Positive impacts of stress on your financial wellbeing

• An anxious mind tends to think about the possible solutions to the looming predicaments. Ergo, when you are stressed with bills in your house, the brain develops a scheme that will provide cheaper alternatives that are cost-cutting, hence more savings. The survival instincts that kick in when worry occupies can be very effective reality checks to your expenditure.
• Stress gives you the motivation to work harder and earn more money. When you are concerned about your life after retirement, or about how you will provide for your children sufficiently, you become driven and strive to generate more income so as to be financially stable later on in life.

Negative impacts of stress on your financial wellbeing

• Stress has a negative impact on your physical and mental well-being; the two key components of human productivity and hence ability to earn. The decreasing mental

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Fortunately, the threat of the regulation had already started to change the way financial institutions do business. Some firms have moved away from their higher-cost products and toward making their fees easier to explain to clients.

Investors should always keep a close eye on how much they’re paying, since a fee of 1 or 2 percent can have a surprisingly large cumulative impact on their financial future if it’s charged yearly.

For example, did you know that mutual fund returns in 401(k) plans are normally reported as net returns, meaning that fees for managing your investments are subtracted from your gains or added to your losses before calculating the annual return. Other costs, such as administrative and record-keeping fees, are often divided among plan participants but are not explicitly listed on individual investment statements. This lack of transparency is frustrating for investors.

Investors should also ask detailed questions about how … Read the rest

A recent study released by UBS shows that 58% of women worldwide defer long-term financial decisions to their spouses. This study included nearly 3,700 high-net-worth married women, widows and divorcees in nine countries. The results of the study showed that 85% of women were responsible for the day-to-day finances; just not the long-term.

What is really interesting is the generational span of this survey and, most notably, the generation most likely to allow someone else to control their decisions: millennials! Millennials are a generation well known for promoting equality and empowerment. Unfortunately, the survey results indicate the helicopter-style parenting millennials were raised with, where someone else is always ensuring their well-being, has bled into the financial realm. Fifty-nine percent of millennial women aged 20 – 34 are more likely to allow their spouse to take the lead compared to 55% of women over 50. The general excuse from the younger … Read the rest

There are several corners of your financial life that can be simplified through consolidation. Retirement accounts are one of those areas. If you’ve worked for several employers during the course of your career, you’ve probably acquired a few retirement accounts along the way. Accumulated assets left in a former employer’s retirement account are still yours, but they sometimes offer less investment flexibility. If you like the idea of having fewer accounts to keep track of, or if you prefer to actively manage your retirement dollars, consider consolidating stray 401(k) and IRA dollars by rolling them into a centralized retirement account. There’s a lot to consider when it comes to rollovers so it’s important to weigh all of your options carefully. (Consider a direct rollover, as withholding tax and tax penalties may apply for cash withdrawals.)

Credit cards and debt are two other areas where consolidation may be wise. Is it … Read the rest