Perspectives & Insights Article

With a new year comes New Year’s resolutions, and although we start the year with good intentions, oftentimes many resolutions fall by the wayside. Some of the most common resolutions include losing weight, spending more time with family and friends, learning a new hobby and getting organized. Taking care of oneself should be at the top of everyone’s New Year’s resolution list, but for many of us we feel the need to take care of others before taking care of ourselves.

In today’s society there is no such thing as simple, especially when it comes to families. Complicated family structures are becoming more prevalent, with a decline in the so-called “traditional family.” According to Pew Research, only 46% of children are living with two married parents in their first marriage, compared with 73% in 1960; one in six children are living in blended families (Parenting in America, Dec. 2015). With these newer unique family structures, come questions and complexit...

To keep or not to keep, that is the question. Good record keeping is essential to making your financial life easier and can save you money and time in the long run. But in regards to record retention, how long is too long? Some original documents should be kept permanently (think birth certificate and social security card), whereas others can be shredded after seven years (bank statements and canceled checks), and still others have much more unique retention lengths.

Life is filled with stress, and both financial and emotional change in the workplace and at home ― expected or not ― can certainly increase your anxiety level. According to the American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America™ survey, money and work remain the two most commonly reported sources of stress, and losing or changing a job can be found at the top of any “life’s biggest stressors” list.