Financial Planning
Financial Planning
A Military Spouse’s Quick Guide for Managing Family Finances
Military family financial planning is vital for the success of the military family mission. Although it is a partnership between the service member and the spouse, it often works best if one person is the “point person” to manage the everyday financial activities.
How to Manage Your Holiday Spending
There is nothing better, nothing more joyous, than giving during the holidays. The sparkling eyes of children under the tree tearing into packages on Christmas morning; the laughter at grandma’s house as gifts are opened. It all makes your heart swell with joy—except for the holiday spending.
Along comes January and the bills and that joyous heart suddenly drops.
Military Saves Month: Tips to Pursue Your Goals
It’s April, and that means Military Saves Month! At First Command, we believe service members and their families deserve a financial future worthy of their service. The primary service we offer military families is financial coaching. And at First Command, financial coaching means we’re going to start by helping you develop a financial plan, which is really your roadmap for five, 10, and 15 years from now.
Empower Yourself Through Finance
From a young age I have loved numbers.
I suspect this passion for numbers contributed to my interest in finance. By the time I turned 15 and had my first W-2 job working as a dishwasher, I was ready to start investing in the stock market.
What a different world it was back in 1987. Back then, there was no discount broker, no online, no internet. There were only full service brokers where you had to stop by your broker’s office or phone them and place your order that came with a commission usually in the $30-50 range per trade.
My first investment was made on Oct. 19, 1987, a day in the investment world known as Black Monday, because the Dow Jones Industrial Average would go on to shed 22.6% of its value in one day.
With a New Year, Comes New HOPE
It’s finally 2021, and I think I can speak for everyone when I say we are glad 2020 is in the rearview mirror.
Just because the year has changed, though, does not mean the trying circumstances of the past year have relented. Last year brought unprecedented hardships across all walks of life, and those challenges to our health, economy, and way of life will persist for the foreseeable future.
Making Family Finances a Priority in 2021
Happy New Year! I know many of us have been waiting to say those words for quite some time. With our lives upended in 2020, it’s a relief to see hope on the horizon for an end to the global pandemic. Not only can we start to look forward to normalizing our daily lives, but this is an optimal time to start planning for the future.
First Command’s Tips for Holiday Spending
No matter how you celebrate the holidays, you undoubtedly think of it as a special time of year. There are so many festive activities that mark the season: Parties, home decorating, baking, watching classic holiday movies, taking time off from work and school to enjoy the company of friends, and big family gatherings with all the traditions that go with them. The holiday season is also a time to reflect on the year gone by, re-energize by connecting with loved ones and make plans for the year ahead.
Due to the pandemic, many typical holiday activities are not feasible this year. Gift giving, in particular, will be different. More gifts will be mailed and opened remotely rather than in person. And it’s natural to expect that holiday spending and gatherings will be scaled back. But with minor adjustments, you can preserve your gift-giving traditions while also being mindful of financial considerations.
4 Ways to Repair Your Credit Score
Credit scores rule the world. At least it feels that way, doesn’t it? They’re like these tiny little dictators, running around, interfering with every home sale, rental application, vehicle purchase, and more.
It feels obscure, but did you know that your score isn’t random? Though it might feel like it at times, it’s not like disobeying your parents as a kid and waiting to see which consequence you get today. The score is calculated, and it fluctuates both ways on the spectrum.
AWTR Show #778: Resume Business Building Academy + Feature Interview with First Command
Today we will hear from Kara Varner about her resume writing business and then we have a sponsored interview with First Command’s CEO and Associate Director.
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