Claire Emory, MBA, CFA, CFP®, Author at FIGuide

Online Learning: Budget for the Costs

Aug 11 2020

Some parents in online parenting groups are joking that they bought pajamas in preparation for the upcoming school year because they children will participate in online learning. They laughed over saving on back-to-school clothes since their children will not be in the classroom. But the truth is that learning at home, no matter the setup, may not save money. Parents who already homeschool know that there are costs associated with purchasing certain curriculums as well as buying supplies. If you haven’t done any financial planning for distance learning, here are some expenses to consider and factor in to your budget…

Outline an Investment Strategy Instead of Chasing Hot Investments

Jul 28 2020

To respond to requests for information about what people should invest in, The Motley Fool doesn’t offer a list of specific companies but instead outlines some rules of thumb that novice investors could follow.

Having an investment strategy is important. Rather than chasing what you think may be a hot investment, find a way to make the most of your resources and invest in a way that will make you feel comfortable and yield results. This is where a Fee-Only financial planner can help. If you aren’t comfortable with your investments, you can bring unnecessary on yourself. You may …

College Students and Their Families Face Tough Choices

Jul 21 2020

College students face some tough choices as they look to how they will continue their college education that was likely disrupted in some way by the pandemic during this past spring semester. Some classes are all online or partially online and some students can’t fully pursue their courses of study because of the need for people to keep their distance from each other.

Good Housekeeping offers some perspective and advice for families who are weighing their options for the fall semester and beyond. Since no one can really predict what will happen, students and their families have to consider …

Financial Power of Attorney: Are You Responsible for Covering Debt?

Jul 14 2020

A Live Chat with The Washington Post’s Color of Money columnist Michelle Singletary posed an interesting question about handling a parent’s debt. The person who wrote in to the chat has financial power of attorney and has had to move that parent into an assisted living facility. The parent had $3,000 in credit card debt that the credit card company is pressuring the adult child to pay off using monthly payments: “While his account had been closed for fraud, I didn’t see anything too suspicious. I called the cc company to discuss options. They offered me a 5 year payment …

Time-Honored Investing Advice Applies During a Pandemic

Jun 23 2020

In calmer, more predictable times some people find it difficult not to panic based on headlines. During a pandemic, the temptation to panic and make impulsive money moves may be even greater. Kiplinger.com offers advice to nervous investors in “How to Save Yourself from…Yourself.”

The article says “It is only a loss if you sell it. Markets go up and they go down, but over the long run, they have always gone up.” So, before you panic and decide to sell investments that could still grow over time, consider the long-term consequences to your portfolio.

And instead of …

Author - Claire Emory, MBA, CFA, CFP®