Free Military Resources
[M]ilitary specific issues including military pay, living on/off base, education, programs and more. Many fail to take full advantage of opportunities available. Learn to...
How to Ladder Your CDs (Certificate of Deposit)
CD laddering is an effective investing strategy to produce consistent returns relatively higher than a standard savings account without completely sacrificing liquidity....
Understanding Risk and the Fundamentals Behind Insurance
Introduction to RiskAn introduction to the concept of risk, the types of risk and how we manage those various risks through financial planning.Ways Of Managing Ri...
Your Guide to Understanding Auto Insurance
Introduction to Auto InsuranceA basic overview of auto insurance policies.Property CoverageThe property coverage part of your personal auto policy covers repa...
Everything You Need to Know About Life Insurance
Introduction To Life InsuranceYour primary purpose with life insurance is to ensure that, in the unfortunate event of your passing, all of your obligations are taken...
Cheater’s Guide to Homeowners Insurance Policies
Introduction to Homeowners InsuranceThere are multiple risk exposures in home ownership. Not only is the potential loss or damage of the residence a factor, but there...
Your Key to Financial Independence: Understanding Net Worth
What is Net Worth?A brief introduction to net worth.Net Worth Planning ProcessNet worth is determined by subtracting your liabilities from your assets. ...
Free Financial Resources About Real Estate, Mortgages & Home Equity
[T]hese free financial resources about real estate, mortgages and home equity are provided by the FTC, a reliable and unbiased advocate for consumer rights. Below...
Learn About Credit: Getting, Building & Using Credit
[T]hese free financial resources about getting, building and using credit are provided by the FTC. Below are the descriptions with links to each item on the FTC...
Consumer Awareness: Identity Theft, Scams, Fraud, Privacy, etc.
[T]hese free financial resources about identity theft, scams, fraud, privacy, etc. are provided by the FTC. Below are the descriptions with links to each item o...
Get Smart About Debt, Bankruptcy & Foreclosure
[T]hese free financial resources about debt, bankruptcy and foreclosure are provided by the FTC. Below are the descriptions with links to each item on the FTC...
Cars, Big Purchases & Warranties: Read Before You Buy
[T]hese free financial resources about major purchases are provided by the FTC. Below are the descriptions with links to each item on the FTC site. The...
Tips on Money Management & Giving Donations
[T]hese free financial resources about money management are provided by the FTC. Below are the descriptions with links to each item on the FTC site. Th...
Electronic & Online Banking, Confused? Read On
[T]hese free financial resources about online, e-banking, etc. are provided by the FTC. Below are the descriptions with links to each item on the FTC site. &nb...
Introduction to Estate Planning
[D]espite its importance in financial planning, estate planning is generally underestimated and misunderstood. The articles below will help you develop a solid understand...
Getting Ready for College? Use These Checklists!
[P]reparing for college can seem overwhelming. We not only worry how we'll afford it, but we're not sure where we want to go, what we want to study, what paperwork we nee...
Can’t Afford College? Consider Federal Student Aid
[W]hether for ourselves or our children, how to pay for college is a common question that many of us have. Thankfully there are multiple options. Our federal government...
40 Money Management Tips For College Students
[T]his manual is another excellent resource from the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) that focuses on many aspects of managing finances. Though the...
Financial Benefits & Opportunities of Military Service
[P]eople join the military for many reasons and under different circumstances. When thinking about joining, some may wonder if military service provides enough fina...
Introduction to Money Management
[M]oney management is the cornerstone of every financial plan and the foundation for every financial future. Even with optimal risk management through insurance, a solid...
What is Financial Planning?
[T]he goal of financial planning is to help define and achieve life goals through effective management of finances and risk. Financial planning is a process, not a produc...
Ever Use Net Worth to Set Goals? You Should
Part of: How Does the Net Worth Planning Process Work?[N]et worth allows us to assess our current financial situation and allows us to set short and long-term go...
Know How to Calculate Net Worth? Learn Now!
Part of: How Does the Net Worth Planning Process Work?[C]alculation of net worth can be done with a variety of tools. Though many tools exist, they all mus...
How Does the Net Worth Planning Process Work?
[N]et worth is determined by subtracting your liabilities from your assets. The product is a real assessment of your current financial situation. Net worth and cash...
How to Develop and Use a Net Worth Plan
Part of: How Does the Net Worth Planning Process Work?[N]et worth can be positive or negative. Negative net worth is not necessarily bad. Many famili...
What is Net Worth?
[N]et worth is a valuable tool for analyzing your current financial situation, setting realistic goals and measuring progress along the way. Essentially, net worth...
What is Cash Flow?
[C]ash flow is arguably the most valuable money management tool. It is used in concert with net wealth and balance sheets to develop a successful money management plannin...
Objectives of Money Management
[S]uccessful money management is the foundation of any financial planning. Without it, no matter how great our investing or retirement plans, they'll likely fail. Money...
What is Liquidity?
[L]iquidity is the ability to quickly convert assets into cash without negatively affecting their value. Your need for liquidity in an investment depends on the purpose...
How Do You Make Financial Decisions? Make ‘Em Better
[D]ecision is a critical aspect of personal finance. Our past, present and future are a result of decisions we've made and will make. We've all been taught to learn from...
Money Saving Articles
[T]hese links from About.com explore different ways to save money and live more efficiently, which is a large part of effective money management. [circle_list] Frugal...
Investing Articles
[T]hese investing articles cover topics like investing fundamentals, ETFs, day trading, commodities, basic economics and more. The links below will direct you to the arti...
Money Management Articles
[T]hese money management articles cover multiple topics including debt and credit management, saving money, banking and general financial planning. The links below will d...
Retirement Planning Articles
[T]hese links from About.com explore retirement planning strategies, tips and money management concerns during our golden years. [circle_list] Retirement Planning Mo...
Introduction to Education
[A]n education is one of the most valuable investments we can make. It is an investment that endures recessions, cannot be destroyed and provides countless benefits. ...
Long-Term Investments
Part of: Investment Time Horizon Typical Characteristics of Long-Term Investments: High Risk, Low Liquidity, High ReturnHigh RiskWhen it comes to some high risk...
Short-Term Investments
Part of: Investment Time Horizon Typical Characteristics of Short-Term Investments: Low Risk, High Liquidity, Low ReturnLow RiskRisk is mitigated over longer per...
What is Investment Time Horizon?
Part of: Investment Time Horizon[W]hat is the difference between long and short-term investments? Time horizon is critical when it comes to investment choice. The d...
Understanding Investment Time Horizons
[T]hinking about investing? When starting to invest you'll need to establish your goals, assess your risk tolerance and decide on your investment time horizon. Your inves...
Introduction to Investing
[F]rom Wall Street to commodities, from derivatives to mutual funds, from currency to precious metals and minerals, from picking stocks to collecting baseball cards. T...
What are the Objectives of Estate Planning
[W]e've discussed the importance of a solid estate plan and how estate planning can help you in other articles, but there is more to it. A comprehensive estate plan wil...
How Important is Estate Planning? More Than You Know
[E]state planning is the single most overlooked part of a financial plan. Many assume that they are not wealthy enough for a financial plan or too young to worry about it...
What is Estate Planning and How Can it Help Me?
[A]n estate is composed of everything the individual has rights to. This can include property, business interests, investments, joint ownership, life insurance owned by...
Importance of Understanding Risk When Investing
[A]ccepting risk is acknowledging the possibility of losing some or all of the investment principal. High risk typically means high volatility. When something is high i...
Averse to Risk? Most of us Are
[R]isk aversion is a trait common to most individuals. This is why we buy insurance. Most people must be compensated for accepting additional risk. This is wh...
How Much Does Risk Cost? It’s too Expensive to Ignore
[R]isk is expensive. Most people are risk averse. Both people and companies must be compensated in some way for accepting more risk. This is why individuals with p...
What are the Steps in Managing Risk?
[W]ith financial planning our goal is to minimize the cost of risk. Our primary tool in minimizing this cost is insurance, which transfers risk in exchange for payment (...
Ways of Managing Risk
[T]here are four main ways to manage risk: risk avoidance, risk transfer, risk reduction and risk retention. Each is applicable under different circumstances. Some ways o...
Introduction to Risk
[R]isk is uncertainty. Risk is the variability around an expected outcome. The larger the variability, the higher the uncertainty, the larger the risk. Risk is per...
What is the Time Value of Money?
[M]oney now is worth more than money later due to growth potential and the erosive effects of inflation. This is one of the most important concepts in personal fina...
Homeowners Insurance Policies: Coverage A
Coverage A, Dwelling, attached structures coverage: Dwelling and attached structures are included. Structures under construction as well as building materials located on...
Homeowners Insurance Policies: Coverage B
Coverage B, Other structures, separated structures:Covers all detached structures, i.e. storage shed, detached garage, fence, gazebo, etc. Under HO3, combined covera...
Homeowners Insurance Policies: Coverage C
Coverage C, Unscheduled personal property:Covers personal property that is owned and used by the policyholder. Property does not have to be located at residence, but...
Homeowners Insurance Policies: Coverage D
Coverage D, Loss of use:Covers costs of losses when dwelling is unable to be occupied. This can be due to either damage or partial damage to the home, evacuation due...
Homeowners Insurance Policies: Coverage E
Coverage E, Personal liability:Covers costs up to liability limit for defense costs, accidental damages and other related costs resulting from damage to property or i...
Homeowners Insurance Policies: Coverage F
Coverage F, Medical payments:Covers medical expenses for third-parties injured both on the premises (with permission) and off the premises. Injuries on the premises...
Coverages Available for Homeowners Insurance Policies
[H]omeowners policies provide six main types of coverage, labeled A-F. Other minor coverages are often written into the policy. Coverages are typically based on dwelling...
Introduction to Homeowners Insurance
[T]here are multiple risk exposures in home ownership. Not only is the potential loss or damage of the residence a factor, but there exists the possibility of damage to d...
Details of Universal Life Insurance Policies
Premiums: Flexible First year premium is required, but much flexibility exists thereafter as long they remain within annual minimums and maximums.Savings Accumulatio...
Introduction to Universal Life Policies
[U]niversal life policies are third in popularity behind whole life and term insurance policies. Like whole life policies, universal policies also offer lifetime co...
Details of Whole Life Insurance Policies
Premiums: Continuous, Limited-Pay, Single Premium Continuous: Level premiums are paid through age 100 or until the insured dies. Limited-Payment: Premium payments are l...
Introduction to Whole Life Policies
[W]hole life insurance is the most common form of cash value insurance policy. It bundles death protection with cash value accumulation. Whole life policies offer c...
Introduction to Cash Value Life Insurance
[C]ash value life insurance policies differ from term policies in many ways. The major differences are that cash value policies offer permanence and cash value accumulati...
Explore Options and Features of Cash Value Policies
[C]ash value life insurance policies differ from term policies in many ways. There are also several different types of cash value policies, resulting in much more variety...
Understand Options and Features of Term Policies
[T]erm life insurance policies can vary greatly depending on which options and features are selected. This allows the ability to customize a policy depending on the...
Introduction to Term Life Insurance
[T]erm insurance is the most basic type of life insurance. It is a 'pure protection' policy because it only provides a death benefit and accumulates no cash value....
Should You Buy Life Insurance for Your Kids?
[S]ome insurance companies offer life insurance policies for children. Though a small percentage of families are in the position to consider buying life insurance for th...
Introduction to Life Insurance
[T]he primary purpose of life insurance is to ensure that, in the unfortunate event of your passing, all of your financial obligations are taken care of. If you're single...
Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Coverage
[U]ninsured motorist coverage is another type of coverage available as part of a personal auto policy. Uninsured motorist coverage allows the insured to recover dam...
Intro to Medical Coverage for Car Insurance Policies
[T]he medical payments coverage part of a personal auto policy covers the costs of medical services for anyone in the insured's vehicle. Limits on this coverage are typic...
Intro to Liability Coverage for Car Insurance
[A]uto liability coverage is the part of your personal auto policy that provides protection against others' claims due to bodily injury/death and property damage to other...
Intro to Property Coverage for Car Insurance
[T]he property coverage part of your personal auto policy covers repair and replacement costs for your vehicle. Understand that this type of coverage only covers the insu...
Introduction to Auto Insurance
[I]n terms of property-liability insurance, auto insurance is the most familiar to the general population. With the number of accidents that occur each year, it is...
Can We Put a Value on Human Life?
[T]his concept primarily related to the topic of life insurance. We've mentioned that we cannot place a value on human life. It is important to understand tha...
Participating vs. Non-Participating Insurance Policies
[T]his concept primarily related to the topic of life insurance. Both types of insurance policies, term and cash value, can act as either participating or non-parti...
What is Insolvency Risk & Why Does it Matter?
[I]nsolvency risk refers to the possibility that an insurance company is unable to meet its financial obligations. This possibility emphasizes the importance of insurer r...
Indemnity vs. Non-Indemnity, What’s the Difference?
[I]nsurance can be broken down into two groups, indemnity and non-indemnity. For example, property insurance is indemnity insurance while life insurance is non-inde...
Introduction to Liability Insurance
[A]dditional liability protection may be added to supplement homeowners and auto insurance policies. These supplemental personal liability policies are commonly referred...
Life Insurance Terminology, What Does It All Mean?
[T]erminology is the study of term insurance... just kidding. Bad joke? Now you know how my wife feels. Moving on... It is important to understand the terminology used t...
All About Universal Life Policies
Introduction to Universal Life Policies Universal life policies are third in popularity behind whole life and term insurance policies. Like whole life policies, universa...
Exploring Whole Life Insurance Policies
Introduction to Whole Life Policies Whole life insurance is the most common form of cash value insurance policy. It bundles death protection with cash value accumulation...
Learn All About Cash Value Life Insurance
Introduction to Cash Value Life Insurance Cash value life insurance policies differ from term policies in many ways. The major differences are that cash value policies o...
Exploring Term Life Insurance Policies
Introduction to Term Life Insurance Term insurance is the most basic type of life insurance. It is a pure protection policy in that it only provides death benefit and ac...
Does Insurance Seem Confusing? Learn the Concepts
Understanding Risk Risk is uncertainty. Risk is the variability around an expected outcome. The larger the variability, the higher the uncertainty, the larger the risk....
Introduction to Insurance
[I]nsurance is a very broad and complex topic, but in essence, a simple concept. Insurance is about the management of risk. When buying insurance, we're paying to c...