Financial Tips to teach you Kids

Start Young

When it comes to advice on how to teach your kids about money, it’s hard to sort through the not-so-great stuff to get to the “oh, that’s helpful!” parts.

It’s unfortunate because experts say that it’s important to broach the subject of money with kids at a young age, but studies show that parents are more comfortable discussing bullying, drugs and smoking than family finances or investing.

“There’s no way to expect a child at any age to understand money unless you talk about it,” says Neale Godfrey, author of “Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Financially Responsible Children.”

So what should you talk about? Godfrey walks us through what she thinks are the five most important financial conversations to have with your kid.

Simple ways to save money.

Sometimes the hardest thing about saving money is just getting started. It can be difficult to figure out simple ways to save money and how to use your savings to pursue your financial goals. This step-by-step guide to money-saving habits can help you develop a realistic savings plan.



Financial Tips For Young Adults.

Unfortunately, personal finance has not yet become a required subject in high school or college, so you might be fairly clueless about how to manage your money when you're out in the real world for the first time. Look at eight of the most important things to understand about money if you want to live a comfortable and prosperous life.


Enhance your finance with these tips.

Maintaining and improving one’s finances can be a difficult task in today’s world. But it is not as impossible as it might seem. Reputed financial consultant David Justin Urbas has some valuable financial advice tips that anyone can follow for a better future.

How Can You Proactively Work Towards Financial Improvement.

Finances are one of the most important aspect of our lives as they directly impact our lifestyle and conveniences. Many of us tend to lose control of our finances, and suffer as a result. In order to stop that from happening, one can follow a set of simple tips. 

Read more: https://justinurbas.wordpress.com/2017/08/11/how-can-you-proactively-work-towards-financial-improvement/

Financial Advice To Help You Regain Control of Your Money

Saving money is a big challenge for many individuals today with rising expenses. Whether you’re struggling to pay the bills, or failing to save enough, things might be quite difficult for you financially. 

5 tips to help you save your first $1,000

Amassing $1,000 might seem like a reasonable enough feat, but the majority of Americans have yet to accumulate that much in a savings account. In a recent GoBankingRates survey, 69% of adults admitted to having less than $1,000 in the bank. Worse yet, 34% have no savings at all. 

David Justin Urbas - Why Do People Like Balanced Budgets?

I’ve spilled a lot of ink over the last decade talking about debt, deficits and sectoral balances. My broader points have been largely proven right over that time:
The US government does not operate like a household or business and operates with an inflation or currency constraint and not a traditional solvency constraint.
The US government was never at risk of a solvency crisis and its bonds were never at risk of default.

Government debt bolstered private sector balance sheets during the financial crisis and the deflationary bust and never posed a risk of hyperinflation.
US government debt does not compete with private sector debt in a loanable funds model and therefore never posed a risk of causing high interest rates.
There are a lot of moving parts in this discussion so we should be careful about generalizing. But I’ll try to keep this relatively simple.

Balanced budgets are attractive for an obvious reason – they imply fiscal responsibility. Running a persistent deficit implies fiscal irresponsibility. Of course, life is more complex than that. For instance, at the aggregate global level all balance sheets balance. Balanced budgets are the natural state of being. But we’re necessarily talking about a more micro case of governments and households so let’s dive deeper.

More at: http://www.pragcap.com/why-do-people-like-balanced-budgets/

11 Financial Advisor Red Flags That You Should Never Ignore

I'll preface this list by saying that most financial advisors are ethical and knowledgable professionals. But as with every profession, there are always exceptions. There are specific red flags in this industry that could be indications of a larger problem, such as unethical behavior. While most of these on their own may not be immediate deal-breakers, encountering one of these flags should set off warning bells. Red flags can present themselves at any time: during the first interview, in the beginning of your relationship or even years into the partnership with your advisor. If you come face to face with one of the below situations take notice, evaluate the relationship as a whole and most important, trust your gut. If something feels wrong, it probably is.

They talk more than they listen. This is especially true in the first interview. They need to tell you about their practice, but the primarily focus should be on you. Not asking about your goals, needs, risk tolerance, history, family and fears means they are not trying to get to know you, and what is best for YOU.

They promise they will beat the market. If they can beat the market, why are they still working? They should be focusing on growing their own wealth (and living on their private island!). As the Efficient Market Hypothesis describes, the market is extremely proficient at pricing securities. Thousands of analysts study the market so when new information appears, the market reacts quickly by increasing or decreasing prices. While it does happen, it's rare to consistently outperform the market (there's only one Warren Buffett).

More at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizfrazierpeck/2017/05/15/11-financial-advisor-red-flags-that-you-should-never-ignore/#dc5e9e06cb1b

David Justin Urbas - Top Reasons You Should Avail Financial Advisor Services


Finances are one of the key aspects of our lives, which needs effective management and handling. Many of us face financial difficulties in our day to day lives, as we cannot find the balance between income, savings and expenditure. If your finances have deteriorated and you require a helping hand, hiring a reliable financial advisor is your best bet. They can work with you to understand your current financial situation, and help you make informed decisions for the future. They can offer the best advice regarding property and other investments, tax returns, and other financial matters. Financial advisors work with a large variety of clients, from individuals to businesses. You can rely on them to secure your finances for a better future.

Financial advisors have extensive knowledge and expertise about handling personal and professional finances. They can suggest the right decisions to take, in order to reach your financial objectives. If you are in debt or wondering if an investment is too risky, you can communicate your concerns, with able and experienced financial advisors. Going with an independent financial advisor is a preference for many, as their services are a lot more flexible and cost-effective. David Justin Urbas is one such notable US based financial advisor, who offers various services, including everyday money management tips.

Let us look at some of the top reasons for hiring qualified financial advisors - 

1. Save more - Financial advisors can help you save more, every week, every month and every year. These little savings can go a long way into securing your future finances.

2. Get free of debt - If you are currently facing debt, getting in touch with a financial advisor is a sound decision. They can implement strategies to rid you off your debt, and help you start afresh.

3. Meet financial objectives - If you have short or long term goals that you are struggling to achieve, financial advisors can show you the right way to do so.

4. Secure your business - Expert financial advisors can help business owners who are struggling with financial burdens, can minimize risks, handle costs more efficiently, and boost their profit margins.

5. Be worry free - If your finances are the cause of your worries, consulting with an advisor can be of help. They can suggest the right steps to take, in order to ensure healthy finances, for now and for the future.

6. Intelligent investments - Investing is an area which should one should be extra cautious about. Advisors work with clients to help them make the most intelligent investment decisions. They will also tell you which investments are risky and should be avoided.

7. Stay happy - If your finances are in order, you are worry free and happier. All-inclusive financial management and qualified advice from advisors, can help you enjoy your life.

8. Better retirements - When you eventually retire, ensuring your financial security is a major task. If you require financial advice during or following your retirement, get in touch with an experienced independent advisor.

These are some of the key reasons for hiring financial advisor experts. If you require help regarding your finances, they are ready with the appropriate solutions.

David Justin Urbas - Is The Advisor Talent Shortage Just A Mirage?

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In most financial advisory firms, compensation for employees is more than 3/4ths of a firm’s total expenditures. Which means trends in compensation can have a very significant impact on the profitability and success of an advisory firm business. And the urgency of advisory firms to control compensation have become acute in recent years, as a projected wave of advisors retiring and a dearth of young advisor talent suggests that advisor compensation will rapidly rise, squeezing the margins of most firms.

Yet the latest industry benchmarking studies from Investment News and FA Insight find that, despite the fact that the headcount of financial advisors has already declined by 15% in the past 6 years, advisor compensation growth has remained remarkably sluggish, with little evidence whatsoever of an advisor talent shortage.

Instead, the industry studies find that the largest advisory firms are competing for talent by paying healthy salaries, supported by incentive compensation that allows them to be flexible in a bear market, and using their offer of a career track as an incentive to attract the top young talent. In the meantime, the firms are paying very modest raises, counting on the top advisor talent to satisfy their hunger for financial success by climbing the firm’s career track ladder from support advisor to associate to lead advisor, and ultimately to partner.

More at: https://www.kitces.com/blog/2015-compensation-trends-in-financial-advisory-firms-does-the-sluggish-growth-of-average-financial-advisor-earnings-mean-the-young-talent-shortage-just-a-mirage/

Independent Financial Advisor Can Help You Plan Ahead with Confidence

Managing finances and maintaining a favorable financial condition are challenges that are faced by everyone from individuals to businesses of all sizes. Many of us are confronted with tough decisions while maintaining the balance between their income and expenditures. Savings are another crucial aspect that must be a priority for a better financial future. If you are struggling to manage your finances, you can benefit from the reliable services of professional advisors. Based on your current financial situation, sources of income and spend, they can formulate custom financial strategies.

Most of us have short or long term financial objectives, which we try to achieve with our hard work and dedication. Maybe you want to own a new property or vehicle, or finance your child’s future education, or just save up for a comfortable retirement. You might be worried that there needs to be enough savings for an important medical procedure, or want to go on a trip around the globe in the near future. All these wishes and necessities leave a significant impact on you financially.

Managing Finances Effectively with Help from Qualified Experts

Whatever you earn might be just enough to maintain a quality lifestyle, and a chunk of it goes out for taxes which need to be filed. If you are a small business owner who is finding it hard to generate profitability and ending up spending a lot on operations, your finances might be in disarray.

Seeking help from a qualified and experienced advisor might be an intelligent decision to get the blueprint for effective financial management. It is no secret that all our lives are different, and so are our financial needs and standards of living. A financial expert can offer the right advice, which is customized based on your financial needs. They can determine whether an investment is a risky proposition, and suggest the best financial steps moving ahead. Notable financial experts such as David Justin Urbas work with individuals and businesses around the USA, offering quality financial advice and management services.

Let's look at some ways you can benefit by consulting professional financial advisors - 

1. Financial experts work with clients and business owners to understand their financial needs.
2. They create customized financial plans to ensure and maintain the financial situation of clients.
3. They conduct extensive research to find and suggest the best investment opportunities and insurance options for clients.
4. Financial experts provide the best options of wealth management, as well as savings, savings, retirement, investments and insurance.
5. They can help individuals and businesses with tax preparation, filing tax returns, managing investment returns and estate planning.
6. Advisers can help you with making subtle lifestyle changes and financial decisions, which can prove substantially beneficial in the future.

Independent financial advisors are approachable and can be consulted without any hassle on part of individuals. They are better at creating custom financial plans, as opposed to representatives from financial advisory firm. DO ensure that the advisor of your choice, provides services that comply to legal regulations of financial services.

The right advisor can turn your financial destiny around, and move you towards a more secure future. 

Yes, You Can Run a Business and Still Have a Life! Here’s How

When you work for someone else, your responsibility is to do a few of the tasks needed to keep a business running. When it’s your business … you do everything. All the time. At least at first.

Lots of new business owners work around the clock. They neglect their health, families, and friends. These can be pretty dark times. Exciting! Yet dark.

I’ve been there. When you first strike out on your own, it’s exhilarating. You control your time! You no longer answer to a boss! You can work from anywhere! You’re no longer limited to two weeks of vacation!

But this also means you work a lot harder. You invested all this time and money into an idea and you’ll do everything you can to see that investment pay off. So what’s another 60-hour week? What’s another vacation where you’re always on your laptop?

It doesn’t have to be this way, but it usually starts out this way. After some trial and error, I’ve found a way to run Gen Y Planning that allows me to have a life outside of work. Yes, you can be an entrepreneur who goes to the gym three times a week. You can work from home and still find time to leave the house every day. You can make time to meet with clients and make time for your family and friends, too.

More at: http://genyplanning.com/2017/04/19/yes-can-run-business-still-life-heres/

How Millennials Are Doing Money Management Differently

We’re no stranger to how different life looks for millennials when compared with previous generations. The internet and mobile technology have fundamentally changed how we carry out our personal and professional lives.

Money management is another part of daily life that’s getting a makeover now that millennials are coming of age. From earning to investing money, Generation Y is doing things a bit differently.

Little Faith In The Stock Market

One of the most significant differences between the millennial generation and Baby Boomers is the former’s aversion to risk. Millennials are likely to purchase a more comprehensive healthcare plan even if it means higher monthly premiums. They’re also much less likely to invest in the stock market than previous generations.

If there’s a generalization about millennials that seems to hold water, it’s that they’re more skeptical than previous generations and more likely to keep their savings in a checking account or even cash. Thanks to their general mistrust of the government’s fiscal direction and the average corporation’s profit-first mentality, millennials tend to avoid investing in the stock market altogether, fearing the risk won’t pay off.

More at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahlandrum/2017/04/28/how-millennials-are-doing-money-management-differently/#391b89d823d8

Some Good Advice From Justin Urbas Can Help You Out

If you are an individual who is looking for some financial guidelines, getting in touch with experts is a good idea before you take any major decisions. Finances ensure your security and that of your family and property. If you intend to take a major financial step, it’s consequences might be beneficial but might also backfire on you. Consulting with a skilled and experienced financial advisor will help you make informed decisions, that ensure a better financial future for your personal or business finances. They can offer the right advice, including when and where to invest, how to improve earnings or savings and how to maintain a balanced financial status.

Financial advisors work with clients to get a clear understanding of their short and long term financial objectives. Accordingly, they devise flexible strategies and create a blueprint for clients to follow. Affordable and reliable financial advisory services can secure your future and leave you worry-free. You can avail services from reputed advisors like David Justin Urbas at reasonable rates. Financial advisory experts do a complete assessment of your current financial situation, and provide suggestions to help you out.

What Can Qualified Financial Advisors Do For You?

1. Advisors consult with clients to get an idea of their financial condition
2. They gain information about their individual financial objectives
3. Then they educate the clients about various investment options, and their associated benefits and risks.
4. Advisors will list the appropriate financial services that they provide for clients.
5. Advice is provided regarding financial decisions concerning life events like education, marriage, property purchases (or sales), divorce settlements, child support and retirement.
6. They also recommend changes one should make in their current or future lives in order to ensure good finances.
7. Advisors can research and find the most lucrative, high-profit investment options for clients to consider.
8. They offer advice regarding taxes, premiums and handling any debt related issues
9. Advisory services are available round the clock for users who want instant assistance.

If you are in need of advice for your finances, you can get in touch with a reputed financial advisors. Do ensure that they have significant past experience of working with other clients.

5 Things To Look For When Picking A Financial Advisor

As I wrote previously, the financial advisor ecosystem can be surprisingly complex. Nearly anyone can call themselves a financial advisor, financial planner, or financial coach, with minimum qualifications required. Consequently, it's important to be careful and thoughtful when selecting a professional to help you save, grow, and protect your savings.

Here are five things to consider when shopping for a financial advisor.

Education and Experience

Review your prospective advisor's educational background and experience to learn why that particular person may be uniquely positioned to help you with your financial situation. In particular, seek advisors who have demonstrated they can actually apply their knowledge to develop an optimal strategy for you.

More at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerma/2017/01/04/5-things-to-look-for-when-picking-a-financial-advisor/#42cf5b441fc4

Are You “Good with Money?”

You hear that phrase a lot—when someone is referred to as being “good with money.”

What does it mean?

It means:

Paying your bills on time

Being able to put something aside

Maybe investing it

Fully funding your retirement accounts

Retiring comfortably

David Justin Urbas - 4 tips you should know to repay the student loans faster

If you have graduated just, or you are taking a break from study, or you have started repaying the student loans already, knowing some tricks to reduce your burden is necessary. Check out the following strategies suggested by David Justin Urbas for repaying the student loans faster.

Know the loans:

When it comes to repaying the loans, keeping track of your lender is important. Along with it, you should have idea on the repayment status as well as balance, of your loans. You should possess all the billing statements and paperworks done for this purpose. All these documents will help you to stay updated about the loan and the amount you have to pay.

Know how much grace period you have:

The grace period for a loan depends significantly on its nature as well as the lender. It can be described as an interval between you left the school and make the first payment. Stay updated about how much time you do have before the first payment and prepare yourself for it. Ensure that the first payment is not missed.

Keep contact with the lender:

To repay the loan without any hassle, keeping contact with the lender on regular basis is necessary. If you have changed your email address or phone number, let the lender to know it. Otherwise, the lender may not be able to contact you whenever necessary and it can cost a lot later.

Know the right repayment option:

In most of the cases, you generally get a standard 10 year repayment plan. But, always repaying the loan will be difficult. In that case, you can look for other options too. You can try extending the repayment period. It can lower the monthly payments on regular basis. On other hand, if possible you can opt for repaying the loan faster. If possible, try to pay higher amount each month so that the total loan can be repaid quickly.

Sometimes, you may face problems to repay the loan because of unemployment, or any other unexpected financial issues. In those cases, do not get panic and look for legitimate ways for postponing the payment.

Retirement Plans: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Saving for retirement means navigating a potential minefield of high fees and bad advice. Billy Eichner and Kristin Chenoweth share some tips.

WHY LANDLORDS NEED LEGAL EXPENSES COVER INSURANCE

As a landlord, maintaining a positive relationship with each of your tenants will naturally be high on your list of priorities. Unfortunately, this is not always possible and you may at times find yourself at loggerheads with tenants or locked into an unwanted dispute.

In the worst cases, these disputes could lead to you having to pursue legal action against your tenants – a situation no landlord wants to find themselves in. However it’s essential to prepare and protect yourself against such eventualities to ensure you’re not left with any unwanted legal bills.

Whether it’s chasing unpaid rental arrears, or evicting a problem tenant – there are a number of reasons you may require legal assistance when it comes to your property. For peace of mind and security, it’s important to cover yourself with legal expenses insurance.

More at: http://financialadvicenow.co.uk/landlords-need-legal-expenses-cover-insurance/

Five Tough Questions Everyone Should Ask Their Financial Advisor

Choosing a financial advisor can be a daunting process. After all, you’re handing your hard-earned wealth over to someone who is virtually a stranger. The process doesn’t have to involve guesswork or nervousness, however.

The right financial advisor will be completely transparent and give you a clear sense of how they can be used as a tool to create a worry-free financial future, rather than adding to your nervousness. Thankfully, this can be accomplished with the right research and asking a few tough questions.

Just like you’d inspect a car and speak with a car dealer before driving off the lot, you can get a deep sense of your advisor before making the leap. In my decade of serving as a financial advisor, I’ve seen how many individuals could have avoided mistakes with bad advisors just by asking a few questions beforehand. Just because you’re not an expert in finance does not mean you can’t come prepared.

More at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2017/03/14/five-tough-questions-everyone-should-ask-their-financial-advisor/#7ea09840640f

3 reasons why you should be financially educated before investment

For building wealth, the most essential thing you need is financial literacy. Only the financial education can ensure that you are utilizing the money fruitfully and are being able to enjoy financial security. As per David Justin Urbas and other financial expert's, there is no alternative way to get the maximum return on your earnings. Here are some top reasons indicating why you should put emphasis on financial education.

Be able to analyze the investment advises thoroughly: 

You may receive a number of investment options from you friends and families or from internet. However, each investment option may not be equally effective. Moreover, at every source of investment options, you will not get full information. As a result, there is always a risk that you are investing on the wrong scheme.

Getting overwhelmed with conflicting investment options is another major problem for the young investors. Some financial experts suggest to diversify the investment for reducing risk whereas the others recommend to ensure a secured return regularly. The dame conflicting opinions are found for payment of debts too. There are many financial advisors who prefers paying all the debts in advance. On the flip, some advisors consider that the good debts should be leveraged for building wealth. However, receiving so many conflicting advice is quite frustrating for the first time investors, unless they are not financially educated. If you are aware of the multiple investment options, only then judging all these advice critically will be possible.

Know the same size does not fit every investor:

You may be attending a number of seminars or trying to find out the secrets of successful investment from different magazines, but it should be remembered that the same size does not fit all. Investment tips available on these websites may not be always effective for you. In most Thus, believing on these advice blindly is not at all a good idea.

The need of every investor is different from others and thus, the generic advises will not work for you. Building wealth through investment will be possible only if you discover personalized ways for investing the assets. It again indicates how important the financial education is. When you have idea on the options available, you will be able to modify the advice provided by financial experts as per requirement instead of following those blindly. To get the best solution, educate yourself with different investment strategies, listen to the advisors, analyze your own requirements and tolerance to risk and lastly shape the advice in your own way. Only it can help you to achieve financial security.

Know to handle financial issues:

Many people think that following suggestions of financial advisors will reduce the risk for them. But, the truth is, there are always some risk associated with the financial decisions. Before you use one of these techniques, know its possible outcomes and prepare yourself for those.
Prioritize your financial responsibilities and decide about your financial future. As per David Justin Urbas, along with financial education, it will also help you to take right decisions.

David Justin Urbas - Can Tight Labor Markets Inhibit Investment Growth?

The slide in investment spending evident in this chart has had a substantial impact on the pace of gross domestic product (GDP) growth in recent years and is also behind the slow pace of capital accumulation that has been a major factor in the slow labor productivity growth postrecession .

The other notable aspect of chart 1 is that employment growth has been robust during most of the recovery, and that growth remains robust. That sustained performance has taken the economy to the point where measures of labor market performance can be reasonably described as “close to a state of full employment.”

Continued strong employment growth could sensibly support a relatively bullish story on investment going forward. As the table below shows, “high-pressure” labor markets—defined as periods when the official unemployment rate falls below the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate of the “natural unemployment rate”—tend to be associated with strong levels of business fixed investment spending.

More at: http://ritholtz.com/2017/03/can-tight-labor-markets-inhibit-investment-growth/

David Justin Urbas - 698 Counties Affected by Trump’s Plan to Eliminate Three Agencies

“In rural Appalachia, people are so poor that there is a federal program dedicated to lifting them out of poverty. Through the Appalachian Regional Commission, the government pitches in on projects that these rural communities badly need but can’t quite afford — everything from fixing roads, to building computer labs, to training workers, to opening health clinics.

These efforts have become so widely admired that in recent years Congress launched, with bipartisan backing, sister agencies to help other rural regions stuck in generational cycles of poverty. Together the programs spend about $175 million each year bringing jobs and opportunities to places that long have felt left behind.

President Trump, who won rousing victories in these same parts of rural America, would eliminate that funding.”

More at: http://ritholtz.com/2017/03/698-counties-affected-trumps-plan-eliminate-three-agencies/

6 fundraising options from Justin Urbas that every startup should know


Fundraising is one of the most difficult tasks that every new entrepreneur needs to do. The new business owners do not have much credibility in market. Thus, despite presence of a number of investors, these businesses often face difficulty to gather adequate financial resources. Here, Justin Urbas, has suggested few ways that you can use for having a sound fund.

Identify the right investors:



Identification of the right investors and approaching them in proper way is the first step of fundraising. It is true that for news ventures, getting right investors may be difficult. However, you can look for the investor among the followings-

  • Your family and friends- First start the search within your known circle. It will be great if someone from your family or friend can help you to run the business.
  • Search the angel or hedge investors: These investors often prefer investing on new businesses. You can seek help from these angel or hedge investors too for collecting money.
  • Know the potential strategic partners: There may be many companies which can be your potential strategic partners.These businesses can invest something more than money on your organization. You can look for such strategic partners too for raising fund.


Behave professionally when you are approaching to investors:



Professional behavior is another key to convince the potential investors for investing on your business. The task will obviously be difficult initially. On the first meeting, investors may not show interest to provide you financial support. However, in that case also, you should follow up these investors regularly. It may happen that later you can get positive sign from them.

Know your USP: To attract the investors, stating them clearly about the USP is necessary. If you have something new to offer, attracting investors will be easier. Before approaching investors, know it and present in proper way so that they find you reliable.

David Justin Urbas - FINANCING A CAR PURCHASE

Buуіng a саr іѕ uѕuаllу the ѕесоnd biggest іnvеѕtmеnt іn a person’s lіfе, аnd fіnаnсіng thе purchase оf a car is commonplace now dауѕ, еѕресіаllу іf the vehicle іn question is оf аnу ѕubѕtаntіаl vаluе. For mоѕt people, buуіng a nеw оr uѕеd саr of аnу wоrth оutrіght fоr cash simply isn’t possible, аnd ѕо саr finance gives you the орtіоn to рurсhаѕе, and ultimately own a vеhісlе thаt уоu may nоt оthеrwіѕе bе аblе tо, muсh like hоw a mоrtgаgе is taken оut tо рау fоr a hоuѕе.

Northgate has provided a lot of useful information below that will hopefully enable you to understand the processes involved in a car purchase.

Source of Finance

There are a number of dіffеrеnt sources to аррlу fоr, and obtain car finance, with thе obvious one bеіng from thе vehicle dealership іtѕеlf, but уоu соuld аlѕо obtain fіnаnсе frоm thе mаjоr bаnkѕ аnd online financial institutions аnd соmраnіеѕ.

More at: http://financialadvicenow.co.uk/financing-car-purchase/

David Justin Urbas - You Need To Lose Money To Make Profits

Do you remember your first investment loss? What did it feel like? It was a long time ago and I know so much now but I don’t think I will ever forget the first time I lost money.

I wanted to invest some money I had saved up but knew nothing about investments. A friend of mine hooked me up with her sister who was an insurance agent. She sold me a life insurance policy with a cash value that was a good “investment”. The cash value was guaranteed by the insurance company. It sounded good to me and I signed up. I was a young single woman at the time with no kids. Years later when my rent went up unexpectedly, I went to draw on this cash value and couldn’t. I studied up on what I invested in and was furious that I was sold a policy that wasn’t suitable for me and wasn’t really an investment. Lesson learned.

More at: http://www.wholeheartedway.com/investment-planning/lose-money-to-make-profit

THE TOP 3 MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS ON YOUR CREDIT SCORE

Looking at your credit score can sometimes lead to scratching your head and wonder what exactly it is that you’re looking at.  Instead of nice, little, separated sections of informative insight all you see are weird pie charts, words you’ve never even heard of, and now you’re thinking about pie. Yum… pie.

Your credit score doesn’t have to be confusing, however.  It’s all a matter of knowing exactly which parts you want to focus on.  Once you have a clear picture of what exactly you’re looking at, you can get a greater understanding on exactly what it is you need to look out for.

Here are some of the most important factors on your credit score and why.

More at: http://financialadvicenow.co.uk/top-3-important-factors-credit-score/

David Justin Urbas - Never Say Never To An Investment

Many people think I know of a “great investment” or that I have a favorite that I use over and over again. I have been in the financial services industry now for over 30 years. (Yes, I am old.) I do have certain favorites that I prefer -for myself. My risk tolerance, my tax bracket and my goals are different from yours. That said I keep an open mind when I am working with clients. I I want to find the best investment for them, and I will use anything that I think is appropriate.

Because my clientele is not in the 1%, I am very conscious of fees in each investment. This is one of the reasons why I rarely recommend a variable annuity. I find it hard to get past the high internal fees that are in annuities.

In a casual conversation with a young woman, we chatted about Vanguard funds, and having a good estate plan, and then she popped the question- What do you think of Variable Annuities? I went off in a litany of reasons why I think they are a bad idea. She listened intently and then told me that she was married to a much older man and that he had an annuity and it was giving them both growth possibilities and income, and they liked the tax deferral feature.

More at: http://www.wholeheartedway.com/investment-planning/never-say-investment

David Justin Urbas - ARE YOU READY TO INVEST IN A NEW HOME?

If you’re tired of renting your only other choice is to buy a home or a condo. It’s not always an easy decision and depending on your credit and your employment status you may find it difficult to get yourself into a home. These are a couple of the factors that will, in the long run, determine if you are in fact ready to invest in a new home.

Buying a home isn’t an event to take lightly. It may be cheaper than renting, even your house payment may be cheaper monthly than what you pay for rent, but you’ll have other expenses that you don’t as a renter. Here are some things to help you determine whether or not you’re ready to own your own home.

How’s Your Credit?

When you apply for a home loan the first things the bank is going to look at are your credit score and your credit report. They want to see that you don’t have a lot of debt so that they have a better chance of you continually making your payments on time. If you know you have bad credit then you should start on the path to credit repair before you work on owning your own home.

More at: http://financialadvicenow.co.uk/ready-invest-new-home/

David Justin Urba - What You Need to Know to Invest in Peer-to-Peer Lending

Peer-to-Peer Lending, commonly referred to as P2PL, is exactly what it is: a person-to-person lending. It is an alternative to traditional credit lending for small loans.

Peer-to-Peer has become a great option for people who need a personal loan and people who want to lend it to them. Peer-to-Peer Lending is a type of micro lending.

P2PL companies, such as Lending Club and Prosper, manage peer-to-peer lending online in these major three steps:

More at: http://www.wholeheartedway.com/investment-planning/invest-in-peer-to-peer-lending

David Justin Urbas - Get Income for Life Without a Job

As we all get older and experience the ups and downs of the economy, we worry about job safety. In this fast paced world, the age of the 30 year career and gold watch and pension has gone out the window. What will the future look like? If we are dependent on social security alone, it is a dismal picture. A life after a glowing career that ends in poverty isn’t very attractive and the 7 figure next egg to replace lost income seems out of reach. That’s when I get these comments:

I will work until I die.

I can always find a job.

I will probably get a disease and die before I retire.

My kids will help me out financially.

These are all fear based comments that don’t really address the issue. There is a collective consciousness that work equals income. Work does equal income but we can also get income from other sources and this is undervalued when we review all of our potential sources of income as wage replacement. Take a look at these income producing income sources that aren’t earned income:

More at: http://www.wholeheartedway.com/investment-planning/get-income-without-a-job

David Justin Urbas - GETTING LOANS TO GET OUT OF DEBT

Nobody likes to be in debt. It’s mentally uncomfortable, and it can also give you a pathway with far fewer options than if your financial situation had gone more according to a profit-oriented plan. And there are limited options for getting out of debt. One of the more secure ones, depending on your circumstances, is to deal with loans.

And there are a few types of loans to approach, including personal loans, small business loans, and school loans. And then there are the options of combining credit cards into a new account with a lower interest rate or even considering bankruptcy as a legitimate option. Each has its pros and cons.

Personal Loans

Getting personal loans in order to pay off debt can either be very rational or a bit risky, depending on who you’re working with. There are lots of companies that do personal loans or even debt consolidation in order to help you organize and repay your debts, but if the interest rates aren’t low enough to make it worth your time, you should probably look to other means. Making mistakes in repayment after working with some businesses can have severe consequences as well.

More at: http://financialadvicenow.co.uk/getting-loans-get-debt/

David Justin Urbas - When Good Habitual Patterns Keep Your Poor

I attended a Enrolled Agent’s conference recently and there was a good discussion of the various ways people charge fees. Now EAs like other small business owners consistently undercharge for their services. I liken this to other habitual patterns that we do thinking that it makes our life easier. It may make it easier to do financial tasks but it also makes us less wealthy. Check out some of these habitual patterns that you may identify with:
Use the same mortgage broker to refinance your loan even though you can get a better rate elsewhere

Put your savings in the same bank as your checking even though you can get more interest in a money market mutual fund
Buy another rental property even though the one you have is not making money
Dollar cost average into the same mutual fund that has been losing money for you for years
Don’t change the beneficiaries on your accounts post divorce so you don’t have to be reminded of that unpleasant experience

More at: http://www.wholeheartedway.com/investment-planning/when-good-keep-your-poor

David Justin Urbas - Will 'Financial Neurosis' Destroy Your Retirement Dreams?

I’m a wealth manager, not a psychologist (although I did some grad work in the field). Very simplistically, the term “neurosis” relates to an inability to adjust aspects of behavior to one’s current reality. In my practice I use the term “financial neurosis” to describe current financial decisions that are mired in the lifestyle of a prior stage of life.

A recent example from an uber-wealthy client comes to mind. He’s an older gentleman who has a small dish on his desk with scraps of paper. Upon closer examination I noticed the scraps were postage stamps that were not cancelled, cut from envelopes. Reacting to my obviously not-so-subtle look of surprise, he responded with a half grin: “my parents were children of the Depression; I never know when I might need to steam off those stamps. I know it’s crazy and even though I know I’ll never use them, I find them comforting.” No further discussion was necessary. It’s great when self-awareness allows us to enjoy our own quirkiness!

More at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robclarfeld/2017/02/21/will-financial-neurosis-destroy-your-retirement-dreams/#43fe68df100a

David Justin Urbas - 4 tips you should know for increase your savings after retirement


When it comes to plan for retirement, starting earlier always gives you multiple benefits. Ideally, from the initial years of your career, you have to start for retired life. However, there are few tips suggested by David Justin Urbas that can help you to boost the savings for retirement.

Start today:

If you have not started saving money for the retired life yet, start it now. The more you will invest in early days, better return you will get. Along with it, you can reinvest the assets strategically so that it helps to earn more.

But, most of the young professionals do the same mistake, i.e. they do not have any well formulated plan for the retired life. Thus, at first, you have to make a savings plan. While doing this, write down all financial goals. Then track the expenses and find out how you can save money. Remember, each small decision to cut down the expenses can help you to save money in long run.

Know the three financial stages of your life:

The experts say that financial condition of a person can be divided into three stages. These are- accumulation of assets aggressively, growing assets slowly before retirement and finally spending the accumulated asset after retirement.

How you will accumulate the assets and how you will invest these assets to increase the income, vary along with the financial stage.

However, the overall objective of savings is building the residual income and invest on property or business so that it can generate a sound amount of passive income. It, in turn, will help you to bear the living expenses after retirement.

Invest more than spending:

During the initial years of career, most of the people do the same mistake. They spend more than the investing on right things. Usually the young people prefer choosing an expensive lifestyle. It, in turn, leads to violation of the first rule of savings, i.e. accumulation of assets.

Such tendency never lets young professionals from being rich. If you do not want to get trapped in this situation, start saving money early. More asset you will be able to create during the first years, better will be the returns receive later.

From the very first day of your career, make a budget and control the expenses. Also, make sure that you do not have to pay for any debt. Paying is acceptable for those debts only which you have taken to buy assets like your own house.

Invest to make yourself financially educated:

Enhancing the rate of accumulating wealth is another technique for gaining financial stability in retired life. You may be benefited from the market condition also. But , before that increasing financial intelligence is necessary.

Before investing on the market, you can make yourself financially aware by reading books and doing research on internet. As soon as you will learn how to invest strategically, the chances of having a financially stable life after retirement will increase more. Finally, David Justin Urbas suggests to know and manage the risks effectively also for getting a comfortable life after retirement.

David Justin Urbas - 5 Easy Tips for Dating on a Budget

Having limited funds doesn't mean that you can't sweep your date off her feet. With a little preparation and some careful planning you can impress your sweetheart with a fun, creative date that she'll always remember. Skip the 5-star restaurant and get ready to make your sweetie swoon with these 5 easy tips for dating on a budget.

Dating Tip 1: Do Your Homework

The key to dating on a budget without looking cheap is to do your homework and be dialed in to what your significant other's interests are. If she loves to read do some research to find a quaint used book shop. Spend some time browsing the old books (most of which will be offered for very little money). Afterward you can afford to discuss your favorite authors over coffee and wrap it up with a free public reading by a poet or novelist at a library or university nearby. With a little planning you'll surprise your sweetheart and come off as extremely thoughtful, not extremely cheap - a great tip for dating which can win her heart and save you money.

More at: http://www.financialfreedomnow.org/5-easy-tips-for-dating-on-a-budget.html

David Justin Urbas - 3 great tips you should keep in mind for saving money in 2017

The long term improvement in your financial well being can be achieved only if you can bring long term changes to the expense pattern. Here, David Justin Urbas has suggested few ways which you can follow to have a wealthy year.

Start with making a budget:

Without having a clearly defined budget, the chances of taking wrong money decisions reduce. In order to save significant amount of money each month, you have to track the regular expenses and plan for future spending in advance. When making a monthly budget, try to set limits on unnecessary expenses that restrict you from achieving the targets. Along with regular savings, try to keep a little portion side for seasonal expenditure. Urbas suggests to learn some money management tips also to save significant amount of money.

Limit use of expensive credit cards:

Huge debt of credit cards is another reason that restrict people from saving money significantly. In some credit cards, the interest rate is quite high. So, when you are purchasing with these cards too much, you have to pay for the past instead of future. Thus, before starting to save, reduce use of expensive credit cards. Rather, look for those which have lower interest rates.

Be less wasteful:

For increasing the savings, you have to live below the means. It does not mean that you have to follow cheap lifestyle. But, try to be less wasteful, i.e. ensure that you have good value for the purchases. In addition to this, search opportunities using which you can increase the income slightly. Even a hike of $100 in your weekly income can make significant differences in savings.

Creation of an emergency savings fund is another move that you have to take in 2017. To many of us, it may sound odd. But, when you have such a fund ready, handling unexpected expenses will be easier.

David Justin Urbas - TOKEN INVESTMENTS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE STOCK MARKET

If you don’t already know, you might be shocked (and perhaps even angry) to learn that most if not all regular pension fund operators who represent workers invest that money which comes in as pension fund contributions into the stock market. This happens in more places around the world than what one might initially think, but it still doesn’t make it any less disturbing.

I mean shouldn’t workers at least have a say in what their pensions are going be invested in? What makes it even worse is the fact that workers are effectively forced to put some money away for their pensions, which in itself isn’t a bad thing, but shouldn’t workers at least have a say as to where their money is going to be invested?

More at: http://financialadvicenow.co.uk/token-investments-alternative-stock-market/

David Justin Urbas - Leave It To Me – Please!

People are really weird sometimes. I’m sure we all know that, just read the news any day of the week, but it does come as a bit of a shock when somebody you thought you knew really well does something a bit peculiar. Let me tell you what happened.

My good friend, Steven, is normally a reasonably hard working, average kind of a bloke. Still single, sells bank mortgages, loves a pint of beer with his mates and gets out occasionally to a football game. He has a small flat just behind the Rosemary Gardens in Canonbury. He’s had a few girlfriends, nothing permanent, and even though he gets a reasonable wage, he never seems to have any spare money for a holiday, or to buy a car.

I called on him the other day. It was a Saturday morning. He answered the door dressed in a tiger suit. I mean a real, professionally made tiger suit. I was speechless for about a minute as all sorts of things flashed through my head.

More at: http://financialadvicenow.co.uk/leave-it-to-me-please/

David Justin Urbas - Don't Miss Out On Big Tax Savings From College Expenses

I'm preparing my taxes right now and want to find every deduction. With a child in college, I'm almost giddy at the idea of saving even more money.

Uncle Sam will give you a break if you're paying for various college expenses. All you have to do is note them on your tax forms and you can reduce the amount of taxes you owe. It may even qualify you for a refund.

There are three main write-offs for college expenses, according to the IRS. Here's what they entail.

More at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnwasik/2016/03/18/big-tax-savings-from-college-expenses/#4fd5a85625fd

4 money management tips from David Justin Urbas for newlyweds



Just after starting new life, usually people choose two ways- either they continue spending in their own way or start sharing all the responsibilities with the other. However, in either cases, getting things into order is not so easy. To avoid the difficulties to manage financial responsibilities after marriage, follow the tips shared by David Justin Urbas.

Share your financial information with the spouse:

The first step of managing finance, after marriage is sharing all the financial information with your spouse. Let him or her know about each and every account you have and the debt you have to pay. Also try to know the spending behavior of your partner. If possible, make a plan on how both of you will carry the monthly expenses.

List down the goals:

The next thing which you have to do is writing down all your expenses. It may be any big purchase or anything other that will require huge investment. Once it is done accurately, both of you will have an idea on how much of your earnings needs to be saved.

Make a budget:

Creating a budget and sticking to that is the basis of successful financial management. When you have an estimation of your future expenses, create a budget. Different online tools and templates are now available online. You can use any one of those to create your own budget.

Decide who will pay the monthly bills:

After marriage, you may have to bear the joint expenses. In that case, making any one responsible for paying the bills will make things easier. You can have a joint credit card too for paying common expenses such as grocery bills and internet bills.

Surely you will want to stay in a financially secured position in future also. Though the expenses may increase slightly after marriage, you should continue saving for retirement. Also revise your insurance policies with the partner to get more benefits.

David Justin Urbas - SIGNS THAT YOUR CREDIT IS DOING GREAT

It’s easy to tell when your credit is doing badly.  Perhaps you’ve had some late payments, or your debt became so overwhelming you had to seek a credit repair service, or request debt relief. But how can you be sure if it’s doing well?  There are a few telltale signs that consistently appear if you’ve been doing the right things.

If you’ve been paying your payments on time, keeping a low balance, and not overspending, chances are you may just be doing great.  Here are the signs that you’ve been doing a fantastic job.

Your Score Has Increased

Doing a check on your credit score once a month can reveal whether your credit score is doing well or not.  If you see that it is slowly increasing, then this means you are absolutely doing a great job.

A good score is considered 700 and higher.  So if you see your number starting to rise towards that range then you can be sure that this is a fantastic sign that your credit is doing well!  You can give yourself a big pat on the back and soak it up.

More at: http://financialadvicenow.co.uk/signs-credit-great/

David Justin Urbas - Are You Financially Resilient? 5 Signs To Look For

During the past year I’ve had the pleasure to get to know some amazing people who got punched in the mouth by life events in 2016. They shared one essential trait to help them persevere – resilience. Resilience is the ability to “roll with the punches” and deal with life events. From a personal finance perspective, here are a few key indicators that you have the resilience to prepare for the four-letter word “life” in 2017:

You have a financial life plan

The process of creating resolutions for change is very popular in the month of January, but it seldom results in lasting change. However, there is a big difference between a resolution and an authentic plan. As far as our personal finances are concerned, it takes more than strong resolve to navigate important decisions related to our money. You should never underestimate the importance of goal setting. Financially resilient people use goals to stay focused on what matters the most while preparing for the things that could potentially throw those plans off track.

More at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/financialfinesse/2017/01/15/are-you-financially-resilient-5-signs-to-look-for/#c66556b6622c

David Justin Urbas - Interest Rate Scare!

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Everyone was expecting an interest rate increase… but it didn’t happen.
Now what?

For Banks:
They can’t raise the rates on those variable rate mortgages and other loans

For consumers:
You continue to get low interest rates

Considering that consumers are saving more and have more in the bank (or credit unions) than ever before. Why save?

More at: http://www.wholeheartedway.com/cash-credit/interest-rate

David Justin Urbas - 5 Ways To Get Small Loans For Specific Purchases

There will be times in life when you don’t have quite enough money to get something specific that you need to improve your quality of life. You know that you earn enough to pay for something in the long term, but on short notice, your finances just don’t cut it. So what do you do? You get a loan.

And because you’re aiming for something specific (like a car or a house, for example), the approach to getting that loan is more definite, and you can look to things like private loan companies, local banks, friends and family, specific financing options, and even potentially from the government.

Private Loan Companies

For short, quick loans where spectacular credit isn’t all that big of a deal, you can look into third party private loans for small amounts without too much worry. There are probably thousands of these small lenders, and they often have a specialty or niche that they deal with to keep their business organized as well. Some smell lenders specialize in small business loans, or loans for car down payments, for instance.

More at: http://financialadvicenow.co.uk/5-ways-get-small-loans-specific-purchases/

3 budgeting tips from David Justin Urbas for every small business owners

The start ups usually run on a limited budget, though they have a lots of things to do- from paying back loans to investing in new infrastructure. There is only one way to accomplish all these, i.e. saving money from wherever they can. Here are some tips from David Justin Urbas that can help you to utilize the financial resources perfectly.

Know your risks: Certain level of risk is associated with every type of business venture and each of these impact your organization financially. Thus, before making budget, it is important to know, what are the risks associated with your business and to what extent those can affect financial resources. Also take into account the expenses like health hazards for employees, expenses required for natural disaster and many more. Distinguishing between the long term and short term risks is also important for making budget effectively.

Estimate the expenses: Once all the risks to your business are identified, start listing down the expenses and estimating those. If your organization runs on project to project basis, you should predict expenses for each of those. However, there is always a chance that the actual expenses will be more than the anticipated cost. While making budget, you should be ready to meet these extra expenses. The best way to ensure this, is overestimating the expenses.

Be attentive to the sales cycle: Businesses go through busy and slow periods alternatively. If there is an off-season, you should take the expenses of that time into account. Apart from this, during these off-seasons, invest in such way so that your organization becomes prepared for the next sales boom.

During initial days, the businesses require investing a lot for different purposes. David Justin Urbas says that you should plan for these expenses early enough so that the financial risks can be mitigated.

How to have a richer life: know 4 tricks from David Justin Urbas

Leading a richer life requires just little planning in advance and readiness to save money regularly. Below are some tips from David Justin Urbas that can help you to plan and save money early for a happy retired life.

Review the expenditure from the very first job: To get a richer retired life, you should start saving money as early as possible. At first, you have to review the current expenditures. If there is any opportunity for cutting down the expenses, utilize it.

Create a list of all your financial assets: The next task you require doing is creating list of all the financial assets, apart from pension funds. Also, try to identify the potential sources of income that can help you in future. Once the list is done, you will get an idea on the approximate fund available to your hand.

Review the returns: Assessing the investments you have made and determining returns you are getting on those, is another important task that you have to do to plan for the retirement. The financial advisors suggest to check regularly whether you are getting adequate return or not. Along with it, you should look for scopes to invest the financial resources in such way so that more return can be obtained.

Assess your ability to take risk: Sometimes, you can get large return on the savings just by investing that in slightly risky way. However, before doing this, you should remember that such attempts can not bring great results always. So, before investing the fund in such way, consult with a financial advisor. It will help you to reduce the chances of mistakes.

If you are on the verge of retirement, try to move the assets to cash. In the first few years of retirement, having a healthy fund will be effective to mitigate the  negative effects of income downturn.

David Justin Urbas - How To Get Past The Resistance To Hire A Financial Advisor

If you own a car, chances are you don’t wait until the engine explodes to maintain it.  If you own a home, you likely attend to normal maintenance and repairs rather than waiting until the paint has peeled off the walls or you can see the sky through your roof before taking action.  Yet, when it comes to your financial life (and I am talking about the entire scope of life goals planning, cash flow management, risk management, retirement planning, investments, college planning, estate planning and tax planning) you hide your head in the sand and avoid the “scary” stuff at all costs.  And why not? These topics likely aren’t within the scope of your personal expertise. Believe me, I get it!

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you think through this big topic:

  1. What is MOST important to me and my family?
  2. What is the LIKELY result if I continue to ignore these issues?
  3. What would I EXPECT from working with a qualified financial advisor?