Blog
Wendolyn writes original content on a variety of topics related to personal finance. Here is where you find copies of published content created by Wendolyn Forbes with corresponding links to the publications.
Take Control of Your Finances: 4 Steps to Achieve Your Goals
Feeling overwhelmed by your finances? You're not alone. But achieving financial stability and fulfilling your financial goals is possible. Here are four simple steps you may take right now to make a significant difference.
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Why You Need an Estate Plan Today
Putting off an estate plan is a common, and potentially costly, mistake. Why leave your loved ones navigating legal complexities and emotional burdens when you can help ensure clarity and confidence instead?
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Personal Finance Wisdom from One Woman to Another: Lessons from My Journey
Each of us has the potential to enjoy a successful personal finance journey and none of us need to go for it alone. Following are notes on some of my stumbling blocks and ah-ha moments.
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Investing 101: Navigating the Exciting (and Slightly Scary) World of Investing
If you are new to investing, where do you begin? The following is a breakdown of six actionable steps you may take to enter the world of investing.
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IRA Contributions
2023 may be over but you still have time to contribute to your IRA and make it count for the 2023 tax year. Learn more here.
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Secure Your Loved Ones' Future: A Guide to Taking Control
Planning for the future can feel daunting, but preparing for our eventual passing is an act of care for those we leave behind. Read about steps you may take right now to empower your loved ones and secure your legacy.
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Personal Finance: Recovering from the Holiday Season Gracefully
How are you feeling about your spending habits right now? Did you go a little overboard during the holiday season? As you begin a new year, let’s take a deep breath and fearlessly consider solutions that may help you feel better.
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RMDs Before December 31st
What do you know about required minimum distributions (RMDs)? Learn more about RMDs and what to ask your financial planner to get the answer that applies to your personal financial situation.
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Three Hallmarks of a Successful Personal Financial Situation
What are three hallmarks of a successful financial situation? Will you recognize any of the three in your personal financial situation? Read on to learn more.
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How Tax-Loss Harvesting Works
Though no one really cares to lose money, harvesting losses from your brokerage account may provide the benefit of reducing your taxable income. Tax-loss harvesting offers pros and cons to investors. Learn more here.
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Have you ever regretted making a purchase? What did you do about it?
Have you ever regretted making a purchase? What did you do about it? Featuring a personal story by the author and four actionable steps you may take to check-in with yourself to avoid making a purchase you regret.
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BET on Yourself
When it comes to your financial legacy, BET on yourself. BET is an acronym representing three areas to consider.
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Financial Wellness: Year-End Review
Time for a RECAP. As we approach the year-end, look at your financial situation: are you where you want to be? Have you achieved your financial goals for the year? Where are there gaps? What are some actions you can take to fill the gaps?
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ACE Your Annual Review
The basic framework of an annual review includes a market update, a comparison of your portfolio performance against a benchmark, and confirmation of your time horizon, risk tolerance, and goals: ACE it.
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Choose Wisely: Basics on Roth and Traditional IRAs
Knowing the basics about the variety of account types available to help you reach your goals may help you make informed decisions about what may be an ideal fit for your personal situation.
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Is Debt Ever Good?
When used responsibly, debt may be a powerful tool. Conversely, if used irresponsibly, debt may impact more than a person's credit score. Two types of debt people often use are revolving credit lines and installment loans. Learn more here.
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Van Life and How A Vision Impacts Money Choices
What drives your decisions, particularly those around money? What is your vision? If you could distill it into a word or phrase, what would it be? For me, two words: van life.
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Simplified Employee Pension Plans for the Self Employed
A SEP plan may be ideal if you are a solopreneur and want to contribute a higher amount to your retirement account than what you may contribute to a traditional IRA.
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Women and Personal Finance: Is Simplicity Realistic?
Simplicity is seductive. Knowing how to do more with less is desirable for many. But when it comes to your personal financial life, is simplicity realistic? Rather than aim for simplicity, aim for synergy.
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One Size Does Not Fit All: A Roth IRA
What is a Roth IRA and why does it seem to be so popular? Qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA may be made tax-free. However, there are caveats and rules associated with Roth IRAs and you must understand how those rules may impact you.
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Women & Money: My Personal Experiences with Investing
Investing is more accessible now than ever. Here are some lessons learned from working with a financial advisor, enrolling in a 401(k) plan, and self-directed investing.
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As Seen on TV: Building a Habit of Saving Money
Money management involves a variety of habits and choices. As human beings, when we spend money, we may experience a bit of euphoria. But how long does it last? Is the buy worth it?
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Personal Finance for Parents: How I Taught My Children about Money
How do your children handle money? How do they earn, save, and spend it? How do you feel about their behaviors around money? As a parent, teaching personal finance to my children has been challenging. Here is what I have learned.
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How SECURE 2.0 May Impact You
You may have heard about SECURE Act 2.0. What is so special about it? Learn about a couple of ways in which SECURE Act 2.0 may positively impact those saving for retirement.
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Personal Finance: What I Wish I'd Known in my 20s
Recently, I was asked what types of personal finance advice I would give to a woman in her twenties. In consideration of that question, I decided to share the advice I wished I had received.
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Financial Professionals and Your Bottom Line
How does your financial professional get paid? Knowing the answer to this question is important because you may or may not be aware of potential conflicts of interest between you and your financial professional.
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How Much, When and Why: Answering Your Money Questions
How much money do you need to have save in order to have enough money when you retire? Here is some simple math to give you a ballpark figure to answer that question.
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Financial Success: Why Behavior Management Matters
Why does behavior management matters when it comes to financial success? Financial success is often the cultivation of positive behaviors repeated over time. Identify the behaviors you may want (and want to avoid) in this article.
Read MoreDeath and Finances: In the Event
There are two things you can count on in life: death and taxes. Though no one likes to think of either, each are inevitable. Read on about estate planning and why you probably shouldn't store your will in a safe deposit box.
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Getting Your Financial Affairs in Order
If you died today, who would take care of those who depend on you? Where would your money go? What would happen to your property? The decision and responsibility is yours. Read on to learn about steps you can take now.
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Financial TLC for the Holidays
All year long, you’ve read about budgeting, saving, and investing. Perhaps you are practicing some of the positive financial habits mentioned. But all of that is about to be tested because the holidays are now upon us. Time for some TLC.
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Your Financial End-of-Year Wrap-Up
How is your financial health looking these days? We are weeks away from the year 2023. Time for a RECAP. RECAP is an acronym to remind you to evaluate your retirement accounts, emergency fund, cash flow, assets, and plans for 2023.
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Saving Money for Retirement
Saving Money for Retirement by Wendolyn T. Forbes, CFP® Is an IRA right for you? If so, which one: traditional or Roth? What are the differences between the two types and where can you learn more?
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What To Do About That Hot Stock Tip
What To Do About That Hot Stock Tipby Wendolyn T. Forbes, CFP® Have you ever found yourself comparing your financial situation against another’s and feeling either congratulatory or jealous? In response, did you buy...
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Your Financial Health: Give Inflation a HAND
Your Financial Health: Give Inflation a HANDby Wendolyn T. Forbes, CFP®As of this writing, the Federal Reserve has increased the federal funds target rate by 0.75 to curtail inflation. What does this mean? First, we need to...
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You and Your Money: What Can You Do?
You and Your Money: What Can You Do?by Wendolyn Forbes, CFP®When it comes to achieving your financial goals, imagine you are looking at a gameboard and, from the start position, you SEE three paths. SEE is an acronym that...
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A RAD Reflection
Do you listen to podcasts? I listen to a variety of podcasts so when a common theme surfaces seemingly serendipitously, I pay attention. A few years back, one podcaster shared the idea of planning for the next year in the current year....
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Basic Principles for Investing
Basic Principles for Investing by Wendolyn T. Forbes, CFP®Investing money can be exhilarating and terrifying. We live in a time where there is a lot of information about investing and you, as an investor, have...
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Financial Well-being: 3 Ways to Destress with Debt Management
When I was a college student in the late 90s, I worked part-time at a women’s clothing store in the mall. Back then, many college students worked in the mall, and the pressure was on to not only sell merchandise but to ask people...
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You, Your Money, and a 401(k)
What do you think about money? How was money treated while you were growing up? Did you grow up with too little, too much, or not enough? How do you approach money now?Money is personal: what it means to you and how you use it.I grew...
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On the ROAD to Financial Health
Financial health includes recognizing the decisions you make about your money and how those decisions impact you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. For example, choosing to walk rather than drive positively impacts...
Read MoreOWN Your Money: Financial Empowerment and You
OWN Your Money: Financial Empowerment and YouBy Wendolyn Forbes, CFP®Your relationship with money may be like most relationships, complicated. In fact, just thinking about money may cause your shoulders to tense, stomach...
Read MoreYou, Your Money, and Your Mattress
You, Your Money, and Your MattressHave you heard of people stuffing money into mattresses? What about money floating around in a fire? The following two stories are legendary in my family and represent a few life lessons.My...
Read MoreInvesting and You: The Vortex of Volatility
Is now the time to buy? How can one be ready to invest when the stock market is down? Should I just sell everything and bury my money in the back yard?These questions come up during times of volatility and remind me of the importance...
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