financial goals Archives

Good, Bad And Ugly Types Of Debt

August 8, 2012
David S. Chang

Over the past few decades the debt of U.S. consumers has increased to more than $2.5 trillion, according to the March 2012 Federal Reserve Statistical Release. This is just consumer debt. If you include mortgages, home equity lines of credit and other real estate debt, that number increases to $13.5 trillion! Debt in general should […]

June 27, 2012
David S. Chang

Chances are if you are looking at planning for retirement, you have come across annuities as a potential investment product for retirement income. The proper annuity may enhance your investment portfolio, but it is important to make sure it is suitable for you. What is an annuity? An annuity is a contract between you and […]

May 2, 2012
David S. Chang

Finances are an important but often neglected topic in relationships. Studies have shown that money is the No. 1 reason why couples argue, yet talking about it is surprisingly a low priority. According to Fidelity Investments, less than half of couples manage household finances together and only 38 percent talk openly about retirement planning. It […]

April 18, 2012
David S. Chang

In the spirit of last month’s NCAA men’s and women’s basketball March Madness and Final Four, the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) created its own “Final Four” of Finance. More than 300 financial advisers through the Financial Planning Association (FPA) submitted their rankings of 32 important financial planning topics. The NEFE and FPA identified […]

April 4, 2012
David S. Chang

Setting up an investment strategy can seem incredibly complex. You can find plenty of information on investing from the web, magazines, news sources, books, seminars, and even tips from friends. Unfortunately some people spend a great deal of time on investment strategies that are more likely to reduce rather than increase their investment portfolios. A […]

February 15, 2012
David S. Chang

Benjamin Franklin once said “Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.” Although one cannot control death, one can control how to protect loved ones through life insurance. The proper amount of life insurance will ensure that they will have enough money to pay down debts, replace the loss of income and […]