Financial Corner

You’ve no doubt heard reports of personal data being stolen and used for financial fraud – anything from online shopping on your credit cards to actual theft from your financial accounts. This problem won’t go away anytime soon – but you can take steps to defend yourself.

Election Day is little more than a few weeks away. As a citizen, you may feel the results will affect many aspects of life in this country. But as an investor, your situation probably won’t change after the votes are counted.

If you’re a caregiver, possibly for a loved one dealing with an illness such as Alzheimer’s disease, you’re probably already facing some significant emotional and physical challenges – so you don’t need any financial ones as well. Yet, they are difficult to avoid. What steps can you take to deal with them?

Right now, the pandemic is causing chaos and uncertainty for colleges and students. But it won’t always be that way. And if you have children who will be heading off to school in the next few years, you’re probably thinking about more typical concerns – such as expenses. How will you pay for the high costs of higher education?

When you retire, you’ve learned a lot about all sorts of things, helping you avoid some of the mistakes you made earlier in life. However, you may still be susceptible to financial missteps specifically related to your retirement years. How can you dodge these errors?

When you retire, can you afford to help your loved ones?

Labor Day is almost here. Of course, this year, the holiday may have a different impact, given the employment-related stress and disruptions stemming from the coronavirus. Yet, it’s good to recognize the value of work and its importance in achieving your life’s goals. But if you’re going to retire comfortably and reach your other financial objectives, you also need to invest – and your investments need to work as hard as you do.

It’s that time of year again, where, if you work for a medium-to-large employer, you’ve got some decisions to make because it’s open enrollment time. Of course, depending on your situation, you may have been working remotely for a while, but, even so, you will likely have the opportunity to review your benefits package and make changes. And you’ll want to make the right moves, because your choices can have a big financial impact on your life.

You won’t see any greeting cards celebrating it, and it’s not likely to be on your calendar, but in just a few weeks, National 401(k) Day will be observed. And this type of recognition may be warranted, too, because 401(k) plans have become key building blocks for a big part of people’s lives – a comfortable retirement. Are you making the most of your 401(k)?

Each year, on the first Sunday after Labor Day, we observe National Grandparents Day. Although it’s not as widely recognized as Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, if you’re a grandparent, you probably want to do whatever you can to help your grandchildren on their journeys through life.

The COVID-19 pandemic has unsettled the country’s employment picture for months and will likely continue to do so for a while. However, the nature and terminology of this disruption vary greatly among individuals – some have seen their jobs disappear, others have been “furloughed” and still others have been offered an early retirement.

The investment world contains different types of risk. Your stocks or stock-based mutual funds could lose value during periods of market volatility. The price of your bonds or bond funds could also decline, if new bonds are issued at higher interest rates. But have you ever thought about longevity risk?