Student loan debt continues to be a burden for many borrowers who sought out a college degree. Whether they got that degree or not, many former students have mountains of debt with no relief from higher paying jobs in sight. Combined with the growing costs of a 4-year degree and rapidly increasing cost of living, having debt like this can significantly hinder your financial freedom. Things like buying a house or saving for retirement seem impossible for many borrowers. But the Biden administration has put in place a three part plan to give relief to borrowers. What is Student Loan Forgiveness ..read more

Benchmarks are essential to evaluate when you are investing your hard-earned money for your future. A benchmark measures and analyzes a given portfolio’s allocation, risk, and return.  Individual funds and investment portfolios will usually have established benchmarks for standard analysis. So a variety of benchmarks are used to understand how a portfolio performs against various market segments. A portfolio with a specific market segment is important when using benchmarks. An index is a selection of securities that help provide a glimpse into the broader stock market. For example, its c ..read more

Whether you donate to your favorite charities regularly or you are looking to start your donation journey, getting your donations in order before the end of the year is always a win-win situation. There is no doubt that giving away money or time to help others in need can help make you feel good. But did you know that giving money to charity can also help your wallet? The benefits of donating to charity are almost endless. Charitable giving tends to make people happier and more fulfilled than spending money on themselves. It helps people put money towards causes they care about, as well as h ..read more

Are you brave enough to say something? Are you the type of person who will tell someone that they have spinach in their teeth, knowing they are about to go into an important meeting? Or would you choose to let them continue on their way without saying a word? How about seeing a person walk down the street with a price tag hanging on their clothing, wearing mismatched shoes, or their clothes are inside out? What about a small piece of tissue stuck to the tip of their nose or a blood-sucking mosquito on their cheek? Would you swat it away or watch silently as it goes to work on their cheek? Wh ..read more

There are many different budget systems out there. A zero-based budget is when your income minus your expenses equal zero. Simply put, it means that every cent of your money is budgeted and accounted for.  How to plan a Zero-Based Budget When planning a zero-based budget, there are a few things to consider. First, knowing your income is the most important, as this is your spending money. Next, you should track your expenses before you start budgeting. A few months is best, but one month will also do, as you need to see and track how you are spending your money currently. And last, you w ..read more

F/m Investments & Genoa Asset ring the Nasdaq Stock Market’s Closing Bell in honor of the launch of US Treasury Benchmark ETFs. Congratulations, Peter Baden ..read more

Many of us ponder and question whether our retirement savings will be enough. But unfortunately, when it comes to saving for retirement, most Americans fall short. Reports from the Federal Reserve find about a quarter of all Americans have no retirement savings at all, and many others are concerned about being able to meet their retirement goals. So, if you haven’t started to a retirement savings, don’t despair, it’s never too late, and with some help and guidance, you can begin developing your personal retirement strategy regardless of where you are in life or how much you can invest today ..read more

Everyone has a different relationship with money. It could be due to your childhood upbringing or how your career played out as an adult. Some of us are predisposed to spend our cash frequently, while others prefer to save every penny. No matter your relationship with money, it affects your everyday life and future. If you want to manage your money better, examining your relationship with money can be helpful. Once you figure out how you naturally spend and save and what your future goals are, it can be easier to figure out how to do these things in a way that is both beneficial and natural ..read more

The boom of jobs moving to remote work during the pandemic has both companies and employees preferring the work from home life.  And while there are so many benefits to working from home, how do you keep a healthy work life balance, when you live where you work? While most people report enjoying remote work more than working in the office, isolation and productivity issues often arise. It can feel lonely, not leaving the house or having coworkers to socialize with at lunch. It can also be difficult to separate home and work from one another. Whether or not these are areas in which you s ..read more

A verified social media account seems like it should be reserved for celebrities. But if you are a business owner, entrepreneur, or creating a personal brand, it may be time to start thinking about verifying your social media account.  The little blue checkmark seen beside “important people” on social media can represent many things. It can mean a certain reputation, mainly one in the public eye. Or even a level of respect. But in reality, that little blue check mark means authenticity, which can be the difference between knowing if an account is fake or real. The Benefits of Verifying ..read more