Posts by Sarah Fisher:
A Series 52 certification lets professionals trade municipal securities. Also known as the Municipal Securities Representative Qualification Examination, it’s one of the first steps toward a career as a licensed municipal securities representative. Here’s what the Series 52 covers and what its exam entails. Read more
The Series 82 gives its holder the authority to conduct private securities transactions, among other activities. The exam is also known as the Private Securities Offerings Representative Exam. Private securities are investments only available for a select group of investors. Here’s how it all works. Read more
The vast majority of American workers pay in to the country’s Social Security system through payroll taxes. These taxes provide retirement and disability income, as well as death and survivorship benefits. Still, not every worker is required to pay them. Read on to see if you’re exempt from Social Security taxes, and what not paying them can mean for your future retirement. Read more
Millions of Americans retire each year and the financial services industry is trying hard to meet demand. To that end, many advisors have specialized by earning professional certifications that… Read more
With millions of people living into their 70s, 80s and 90s, the costs of healthcare, long-term care, aides and nursing homes are straining finances in many families. In response to this chronic… Read more
A certified financial education instructor, or CFEI, has undergone advanced training in teaching money management skills to people from all walks of life. To earn a CFEI designation, candidates must… Read more
If you’re a business owner, you’ll most likely be facing many complicated decisions when it comes time to retire — after all, selling a business is a major life event. To help you navigate this… Read more
Retirement planning is a worthwhile effort at any stage of your career. But if you’ll soon need to decide when to start drawing Social Security payments, having a plan is urgent. A National Social… Read more
An Accredited Wealth Management Advisor is a wealth manager specializing in high-net worth clients. It’s a designation bestowed upon experienced advisors working with high-net-worth clients. Also, it… Read more
Assisted living facilities and nursing homes differ in many ways, including the type of care provided, cost, and offerings for residents. You or a family member may need more help in retirement than… Read more
CAN SLIM is an investing strategy which represents seven characteristics typically present in well performing stocks before. As a result, those traits typically manifest right before a stock sees its… Read more
A Fraternal Insurance Counselor Fellow (FICF) is a specially trained insurance professional and member of a national network of counselors. But in order to get the FICF designation, you have to… Read more
A Certified Financial Transitionist (CeFT) is trained to help clients navigate through major life events and the financial transitions that accompany them. The CeFT is the industry’s first… Read more
For many people, investing isn’t just about smart financial decisions. They also want to allocate their resources in a way that is consistent with their personal values or religious principles. Many… Read more
Retirement planning is one aspect of personal finance that every advisor should know well. Correspondingly, there are dozens of professional certifications advisors can add to their bona fides and… Read more
The Lifetime Learning credit is a tax credit for college expenses, though it can also be claimed for tuition paid for graduate courses, vocational schools and continuing education courses. The credit… Read more
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… 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… 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,… 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
