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Articles by Wesley Watkis

• How the New Healthcare Bill May Affect Your Personal Finances
  The new healthcare bill, or more formally, the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act, is changing more than just the way country approaches health care - it's also changing the way most people look at their finances.
  Published 21Oct2010, viewed 329 times

• What the Healthcare Bill Means for Small Businesses
  One of the biggest outcries in the wake of the healthcare reform bill has been the impact it will have on small businesses. After all, big corporations have the infrastructure in place to offset many of the costs, and the average individual taxpayer is poised to get better coverage and gain more control over their insurance. At first glance, small businesses fall right into the middle, seeming to carry a heavier burden than many of them can bear.
  Published 14Oct2010, viewed 225 times

• Understanding the New Credit Card Laws
  Beginning in January 2010, credit card companies were required to conform to a new list of rules set out by President Barack Obama. These rules were the first in several decades to require lenders to supply their cardholders with information and options about managing their debt.
  Published 28Sep2010, viewed 262 times

• Finance Advice for New College Graduates
  Recent college graduates stand poised to begin a lifetime of smart financial decision-making. It doesn't matter whether you're graduating with a technology degree and no student loan debt or a teaching degree and debt that runs into the tens of thousands of dollars - now is the time to set the tone for your entire life.
  Published 26Sep2010, viewed 292 times

• Save Money with Higher Insurance Deductibles
  One of the best ways to save money or start saving for retirement is to come up with ways to reduce your monthly bills. That's because you can then channel that money directly into an account earmarked for an IRA, a brokerage portfolio, or even a simple savings plan.
  Published 22Sep2010, viewed 323 times

• How Long Should I Keep Financial Documents?
  Part of any good long-term financial plan requires a careful evaluation of past, present, and future fiscal status. Just as your physician's office keeps careful medical histories for you and your entire family, so to does your financial advisor work best with a careful record of your financial history.
  Published 17Sep2010, viewed 465 times

• Understanding Index Funds
  There are so many facets to the financial market, but understanding index funds is key to understanding your investments. Index funds tend to have fewer fees and fewer administrative costs than actively managed mutual funds, which makes them a fairly sound investment overall. Knowing what they are and how they work will let you make the decision about how to invest your money and how to look for the fund most likely to get you a great return.
  Published 24Jun2010, viewed 310 times

• Alternative Investments: Real Estate
  While most people look to their future by putting money in retirement funds or portfolios, an alternative investment is real estate. If you know the market and have the resources to invest, you can make a great return on your money. The real estate picture is shaky these days, but many areas are picking up and knowing where to buy can be a great way to increase your wealth.
  Published 19Jun2010, viewed 367 times

• Alternative Investments: Businesses
  If you are looking for an intriguing and complicated, yet fulfilling alternative investment, business ownership may be for you. Whether you are looking for a franchise to own, to invest in a company, to buy one outright, or to start your own, it's important to think through some things before handing over your money.
  Published 14Jun2010, viewed 307 times

• Financial Planning in Your 20s
  Financial planning is the process of meeting your life goals by properly managing your finances. Life goals are largely determined by the stage of life you are at. If you are in your 20s, you are just starting out. Being fresh out of college, starting your first job, and becoming responsible for your finances for the first time in your life can be overwhelming.
  Published 08Jun2010, viewed 300 times

• Financial Planning in Your 40s
  Financial planning in your 40s doesn't have to be about scrambling to make up lost time. It doesn't matter whether you've been planning for a few decades or if you're just starting to become fiscally responsible - there are a number of options available to you for smart financial success.
  Published 05Jun2010, viewed 187 times

• Retirement Plans for Small Business Owners
  Choosing to begin a small business retirement plan opens doors to savings and tax advantages for both the owner and the employees. Not only does a retirement package create an avenue to help your employees and yourself save for the future, but it may also help you to appeal to and retain competent employees. Funds contributed by the employer are tax-deductible, therefore lowering the employer's taxable income.
  Published 30May2010, viewed 393 times

• Moving Beyond Social Security for Retirement Planning
  Many of us either depend (or will depend) on Social Security to make up the foundation of our retirement income. Although this program will play an important role for many of us, it is important that we keep in mind the limits of what it can provide us and ensure we put in place elements to secure the rest of our retirement.
  Published 29May2010, viewed 522 times

• Financial Opportunities for Minority Owned Businesses
  A business begins with a great idea that will provide a product or a service to a community. Although every great idea deserves to be explored, not everyone has the same opportunity to develop his or her business ventures. Even though minorities currently make up 33 percent of our population, minorities own only 18 percent of the 23 million U.S. firms.
  Published 26May2010, viewed 394 times

• Reverse Mortgages and Retirement
  Contrary to popular hype, getting started for retirement late is not a crisis - as long as the right plan of action is put in place. One increasingly popular source of retirement income is the reverse mortgage. Although we typically think of a 401(k) or an IRA when we think of saving for retirement, a reverse mortgage allows you to access the equity you have already built in your home as a source of income.
  Published 20May2010, viewed 393 times

• The Truth about Debt Consolidation
  The appeal of debt consolidation is simple. You can combine all of your different payments into a single, lower payment, and get out of debt. If you listen to the advertisements on television and online, the results are faster, easier, and worry-free. If you're facing a large debt, this may sound like a great idea; however, the truth is that the overall cost may not be worth the short-term benefit.
  Published 18May2010, viewed 284 times

• Budgeting in a Bad Economy
  No matter what economic experts or the media tells us about the changing tides of fortune, almost everyone has felt the pinch of the recent economic slump. Investments in retirement accounts, a down payment for the home of your dream, and even personal savings are becoming more difficult to maintain.
  Published 16May2010, viewed 237 times

• Too Intimidated to Invest?
  One of the biggest factors that most newcomers to the financial world have to overcome is feelings of intimidation when it comes to investments. For decades, investment portfolios and the stock market have belonged to a very small percentage of the population: the wealthy, the heavily business-oriented, or those with a degree in economics. It has long been a field in which knowledge is power, and power translates to a nice, fat bank account.
  Published 14Apr2010, viewed 302 times

• Privacy Notices and Third-Party Sharing
  Regardless of whether you're a first-time investor or you've been playing the stock market for years, the first thing that almost every financial advisor will tell you to do is to take control over your own financial situation. That's because being in ignorance of things like your credit score, your interest rates on existing loans, or how your financial information is being shared can have a big impact on how you save and invest.
  Published 13Apr2010, viewed 283 times

• 5 Ways to Ensure Financial Stability
  The financially unexpected happens to people every day. Whether it is an accident, illness, or job loss that occurs, there comes a time in everyone's life when they are faced with unplanned costs. Gaining financial stability ahead of time will help you eliminate the stress that frequently comes with these events, regardless of your current income and lifestyle.
  Published 12Apr2010, viewed 329 times

• Saving for Retirement as a Minority
  One area that has recently been under study is the reason minorities aren't investing as much as they could. While there is an overall need to start planning for the future, particularly retirement, African Americans and Hispanics are among the groups that invest the least. Only 66 percent of African Americans and 65 percent of Hispanics working in companies that have retirement plans invest in the 401(k) options that are offered.
  Published 11Apr2010, viewed 396 times

• Setting New Financial Goals - and Sticking to Them
  Goal setting is an essential part of financial planning. No matter what it is you're saving for—retirement, a vacation getaway, or a down payment on a house—you have to know your destination in order to plan your journey.
  Published 08Apr2010, viewed 302 times

• Financial Planning: Taking Care of an Elderly Parent
  Most of the financial plans we make when we're young have to do with preparing for that golden someday when we no longer have to work. Whether that is a few years from now when you plan on amassing a ten-million-dollar fortune or thirty years from now when you plan on a more traditional retirement, the truth is that we all want to be financially comfortable as we age.
  Published 11Mar2010, viewed 780 times

• Should Financial Advice be Different for Men and Women ?
  Offering financial advice for women can oftentimes be a tricky subject. After all, we're taught to treat men and women as equals in all things related to business: education, employment, and advancement. In most cases, that's easy enough to do; we've long since passed the threshold where men and women are viewed as being capable of less as or more than one another.
  Published 21Mar2010, viewed 315 times

• Women, Divorce, and Smart Financial Decisions
  Divorce and its financial challenges are an issue almost no woman wants to face. After all, during divorce proceedings, not only is a woman considering the financial future of herself and her family, but she's also dealing with the emotional aftermath of the dissolution of a marriage. It can be a difficult time for everyone involved, and a messy financial situation will only make things worse.
  Published 25Mar2010, viewed 463 times

• Financial Advice for Single Women
  Financial advice geared toward single women is more important than ever before. Roughly one-quarter of all households are currently headed by a single woman, with family sizes ranging from no kids to more than it might seem financially feasible for one woman to raise on her own.
  Published 17Mar2010, viewed 491 times

• Women and Retirement: Start Preparing Now
  As much as we all hate to admit it, financial planning - for business and for personal use - has long been an activity that falls on male hands. Although the majority of women handle the day-to-day financial aspects of running a family, few of them spend the same amount of time on creating long-term plans. In fact, only about 41 percent of women participate in the 401(k) where they work, compared to almost twice that for men.
  Published 13Mar2010, viewed 307 times

• Couples and Money
  From the outside, couples have it all when it comes to money. Many relationships have two working heads of household, with a nice, padded double income to provide stability. Other relationships have one full-time professional and one stay-at-home partner, who can take care of the house and cooking on a budget. It seems like the ideal scenario.
  Published 11Mar2010, viewed 409 times

• Financial Investments for Low-Income Families
  It may seem like an impossible task to invest on a low income, but the benefits far outweigh the sacrifices. Unlike savings, which serve short-term financial goals like buying a new car or establishing an emergency fund, investments are intended to meet your long-term financial goals, including providing for a child's college education or your retirement.
  Published 09Mar2010, viewed 860 times

• Financial Planning for Renters
  Owning a home isn't for everyone, despite the popular conception that owning a home is a better choice. The truth is that there are a number of reasons that could be keeping you as a renter - many of which are sound and financially-viable. However, it is important to look at those reasons carefully to ensure you are making the best financial decision possible for both your short-term and long-term financial goals.
  Published 07Mar2010, viewed 919 times

• Financial Privacy and Identity Theft
  As more and more people rely on the Internet for banking, shopping, and everyday interactions, the dangers of online privacy only seem to grow worse. Nearly everyone has heard stories from a friend or relative who has either had their identity stolen or been a victim of online fraud. If you want to protect your finances and your credit rating, it's important to be aware of what identity theft is and what you can do to prevent it.
  Published 05Mar2010, viewed 590 times

• Investment Advice for Veterans
  While solid financial advice can help anyone, there are a few pieces of investment advice for veterans that you should know about. Having served in the military, there may be benefits that you are entitled to. Taking advantage of these resources is a smart investment tip. You've earned the benefits, so why not put them to use for your future?
  Published 31Oct2009, viewed 385 times

• Investing for Small Business
  Whether a sole-proprietorship, partnership, or a limited liability corporation, all small business owners know that they are already investors in their own business. With so much involved in the day-to-day operations of running a business, many small business owners place investing in the back of their minds. However, this can be a dangerous way to operate.
  Published 30Oct2009, viewed 281 times

• How to Continue Charitable Giving during a Recession
  Finding ways to continue charitable giving during a recession can be rough. Times are probably tough for you and your family, but they are equally hard for charities. Many of these organizations help people who cannot help themselves or who don't have enough money to meet their most basic needs. When the economy sours, these charities struggle to find the necessary resources to keep the help coming.
  Published 29Oct2009, viewed 284 times

• Investments For Beginners: What to Expect the First Year
  Whether you are in twenties and wondering how best to make your money work for you or in your forties and desirous of ensuring your retirement is safe, it's never too late to begin investing. Before you jump into the stock market with a "sure thing" tip from your neighbor, however, be sure to do your research and understand what you can realistically expect from your first year of investing.
  Published 28Oct2009, viewed 411 times

• Quick Guide to Foreign Markets
  Diversifying your investments is one way to strengthen your overall portfolio, and it's one of the most popular in today's economic climate. Aside from varying your investments between stocks, bonds, and cash accounts, however, another popular option is to invest in one of the 21 major stock markets that exist outside of the United States.
  Published 27Oct2009, viewed 337 times

• Pros and Cons of Dividends
  A dividend is a portion of a company's profit that is paid out to the shareholders, commonly in cash or stock. For investors, dividends present a great way to get periodic payouts on a high-yield investment. However, like all types of investments, there are drawbacks to any plan that routinely pulls out money rather than continues increasing revenue.
  Published 26Oct2009, viewed 1237 times

• Alternative Investments: Arts & Antiques
  While many people put their money into stocks and bonds, one way to enjoy growing your wealth is to get in on the alternative investments of art and antiques. Not only do you get to have fun of hunting for hidden gems, if you know what you are looking for, you can almost certainly sell your finds for a profit.
  Published 25Oct2009, viewed 340 times

• Financial Planning in Your 30s
  Financial planning is a good idea no matter how old you are, but your 30s are one of the best times to really focus (or get started) on a plan for the future. By now, you are probably more established in your life than you were a decade ago. You have had some time to build your career, ideally with a company-furnished 401(k) for retirement or some other long-term plan.
  Published 24Oct2009, viewed 439 times

• How to Recover Lost Retirement Funds
  The question on many people's minds these days is how to recover their lost retirement funds. It's happened to all of us—we invested our hard earned money only to watch the economy fall and our investments wither away. Even the low risk accounts are dwindling, making it hard to believe that we will have enough to retire on, much less meet our other financial goals.
  Published 29Sep2009, viewed 500 times

• Financial Advice: Risk vs. Reward
  When investing your money, it's important to take risk versus reward into account. Like so many other areas of life, the risky path has the most potential for a big payoff, but the safe route is all but guaranteed to earn you at least a little something. Knowing your personal risk tolerance level and using this in conjunction with where you are in meeting your financial goals will help you determine the best way to balance your investments.
  Published 27Sep2009, viewed 497 times

• Why You Should Avoid Investment Fads
  When choosing to invest your money, you want to invest wisely. Unlike saving money, which occurs when you put money away to grow while protecting your initial principle, investing money involves a certain amount of risk to your initial principle in order to generate a return on investment.
  Published 22Sep2009, viewed 299 times

• Everyone Can Benefit from Financial Planning
  If you worry about money, you are not alone nearly as alone as you think you are. A recent financial poll demonstrated that two-thirds of respondents felt anxious about their long-term financial situation, yet less than half of that actually seek formal help in making changes to their bottom line.
  Published 19Sep2009, viewed 391 times

• Financial Planning in Your 50s
  Financial planning in your 50s is all about enjoying what you have and looking forward to an even better few decades to come. If you are in your 50s, you are hopefully looking forward to soon reaping the goals of your hard work of investing and saving money. However, if you don't have quite the portfolio you'd always dreamed of having at this point, there's no need to panic just yet.
  Published 15Sep2009, viewed 332 times

• Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor
  As someone who has worked hard for your money and investments, you need to know what questions to ask your financial advisor. It's not enough to simply put your money into another person's hands without first understanding who the person is and how he or she works. Any investment professional you work with should be willing to answer your questions and be happy to take the time you need to explain your options and the market.
  Published 13Sep2009, viewed 430 times

• The Benefits of Setting Financial Goals
  If you don't know how much you are saving or when you will be able to retire, it's time to look at the benefits of setting financial goals. It's important to look at what your future plans are, how much you can contribute to them, and how you plan to manage and grow your wealth.
  Published 10Sep2009, viewed 341 times

• Online Investment Frauds
  Taking control of your investments has never been easier, but there are some online investment frauds you should know about. There's a wealth of information online about stocks, companies, and their investment potential. Finding which information is worth paying attention to and which information is deceptive, however, can be tricky.
  Published 09Sep2009, viewed 448 times

• Biggest Investment Mistakes
  In order to fall under the umbrella of the "financially responsible," most people know they need to start financial planning early, keep a diversified portfolio, and stave off debt. However, despite best intentions, these goals are not always easily accomplished. In most cases, the culprit is simply life getting in the way.
  Published 16Aug2009, viewed 366 times

• The Secret to Financial Independence
  When it comes to financial independence, it often seems that there are certain members of society who just have a better chance of succeeding than everyone else.
  Published 14Aug2009, viewed 254 times

• Moving Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck Living
  According to a 2006 survey released by the American Payroll Association, an estimated 65 percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. What's even more frightening than the idea that two-thirds of us are barely getting by is the fact that the findings were fairly universal across income levels.
  Published 13Aug2009, viewed 232 times

• The Truth about Online Investing
  Like any type of investment or financial plan, online investing is not without its supporters or cynics. The basic premise of online investing is simple; it is much like making investments through a traditional financial planning organization, but from the comfort and privacy of your own computer. When you do anything online, you get the convenience of working anytime, anywhere, and having an incredible resource'the Internet - at your fingertips.
  Published 12Aug2009, viewed 248 times

• Taking on Investment Risk
  When it comes to financial planning and understanding investment risk, many people adhere to the age-old adage, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." After all, it stands to reason: if a small investment has the potential to make a small turnaround, a large investment has the potential to make a large turnaround. And large turnarounds are where fortunes are made, so bigger equals better. Right? Yes, absolutely. And no, not necessarily.
  Published 12Aug2009, viewed 253 times

• Investing During a Tough Economic Climate
  In today's economic climate, it can be difficult to keep faith in financial planning and investing very high. That's because most people thinking about financial planning during a rough economy - first-time investors and veterans alike - all focus on how to salvage the ruins of their savings, and very little else. This is only natural, since the bulk of investments made five or ten years ago are reaching some of their lowest points.
  Published 12Aug2009, viewed 216 times

• Leaving a Legacy
  When we initiate estate planning, most of the focus is on the financial aspect of your legacy. Your will, trusts, and other bequests usually focus on who gets what, how much of it they get, and what they're allowed to do with it.
  Published 12Aug2009, viewed 221 times

• Financial Planning Advice for Teens
  Finances and budgeting are almost never taught in today's educational system. Although our kids learn advanced algebra and the history of economics, they rarely get the practice they need learn how to make a budget, stick to it, and start saving money as soon as they land their first job.
  Published 12Aug2009, viewed 240 times

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