Posts by Sarah Fisher:
A Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional (FPQP) has a proven expertise in the arena of financial planning, which helps them better advise their clients. They are different than most paraplanners because the average paraplanner rarely has a formal certification. Paraplanners are part of a financial planning team and often do most tasks associated with financial planning services. However, they do not usually take the lead in terms of client relationships. Read more
Certified Risk Managers (CRMs) are financial professionals with training in risk management, which comes in handy when helping clients chart a financial future. The CRM designation is one of the most important designations for risk managers working in the finance, insurance, accounting and legal fields. The CRM designation isn’t required for a risk management career, but it can make risk managers more marketable to employers, especially in fields like insurance and finance. Here’s how to become a CRM, why it may be important and how it stacks up against other certifications. Read more
The Chartered Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation conveys an insurance professional’s expertise in one of seven different insurance topic areas. It’s a valuable certification if you are an agent, sales manager or work with insurance agents often. Here’s how to get a CIC certification, how it differs from other certifications and how to know if it’s the right move for your career. Read more
The Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) certification helps Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) demonstrate an expertise in all aspects of wealth management. A PFS is someone with a CPA who also… Read more
Universal basic income (UBI) is a program often proposed by futurists and progressive politicians. It would provide a basic allowance for everyone in the city, state or country and could make a big… Read more
There are two key education tax benefits that can help families who are paying for college: the Lifetime Learning Credit and the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC). In general, it may be wise to… Read more
A “nest egg” generally refers to retirement accounts. It’s the money you save for the future so that you have something to fall back on when you retire. Oftentimes, growing your nest egg is the… Read more
Fixed expenses cost the same amount each month and are usually paid on a regular basis. One example of a fixed expense is rent. Variable expenses can change based on the day, week or month. Although… Read more
To benefit from insurance coverage, you’ll need to pay a premium. A premium is a payment to your insurer that keeps your coverage in place. Insurance companies determine your premium by deciding what… Read more
When developing your investing strategy, you may find yourself seeking some help. Yet between financial planners, financial advisors and money managers, it can be tough to pick the right resource for… Read more
A retirement plan is a savings account you set up during your working years that helps you support yourself once you reach retirement. These savings plans come in many forms, including the 401(k),… Read more
Variable annuities are commonly used to save for retirement, as they combine investing and long-term income payments into one product. They also operate on a tax-deferred basis, meaning you won’t… Read more
More than 44 million Americans owe a combined $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. As a result, it’s currently the second-highest consumer debt category, behind only mortgages. The good news? There… Read more
Medicare for All is an increasingly popular proposal to expand health care access. But what’s being proposed and how would it work? There are many different perspectives on what the U.S. should do… Read more
Economic indicators are key stats about the economy that can help you better understand where the economy is headed. These indicators can help investors decide when to buy or sell investments. For… Read more
An amortization table shows the schedule for paying off a loan, such as a mortgage. Learn how to make and use one to determine your own loan payoff schedule. You could use the amortization table for… Read more
Both gross income and net income can refer to an individual and a business. For individuals or employees, gross income is the total pay you earn from employers or clients before taxes or other… Read more
A subordinated loan is debt that’s only paid off after all primary loans are paid off, if there’s any money left. It’s also known as subordinated debt, junior debt or a junior security, while primary… Read more
If you’re lucky enough to win the lottery or have a pension plan, you may need to decide whether you want to take your earnings in a lump sum or an annuity. And if your goal is to maximize your… Read more
There are several stock markets around the world. The New York Stock Exchange, also known as NYSE, is the largest stock exchange in the world; the NASDAQ (also located in New York City) and Tokyo… Read more
Donald Trump recently released a list of his economic advisors. Only four of them are economists. The other advisors are wealthy real estate moguls and financial and corporate executives. The… Read more
People around the country have discussed the pros and cons of America becoming a cash-free society. While the vast majority of businesses still take cash, we could soon see more and more companies… Read more
If you’re thinking about retiring, you may want to consider how leaving the workforce might affect your adult children. Many millennials live at home with their parents. And a large percentage of… Read more
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to spend a ton of money on food in order to live a healthier lifestyle. In fact, it’s possible to make nutritious meals and save money on groceries at the… Read more
Co-signing your friend’s loan might seem like a nice thing to do. But it can put many things in your life at risk, including your finances, your credit score and even your friendship. While it’s… Read more
