Should You Redeem Your Savings Bond? Use This Calculator to Find Its Value
Purchasing U.S. savings bonds can be one of the safest ways to earn money on your savings, as a savings bond’s value is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. They can also offer tax advantages over similar products, such as a savings account or certificate of deposit (CD).
Although you might not earn a lot of interest, the guaranteed return can make them an important part... Continue reading
Quicken Stories: Robert Hill, COO
Robert Hill started his career as an entry-level software engineer. Today, he’s the COO of a med-tech firm and a father of five. According to Robert, Quicken has been an integral part of helping him provide for his family. Read his Quicken story to learn how planning, tracking, and actively managing your finances can help you grow your net worth and support your life goals.
Humble beginnings... Continue reading
Preparing for a Recession: Embracing Your Personal Finances
COVID-19 has brought on a global recession, according to S&P Global. With much of the world sheltering-in-place to stop the spread, economies have slowed to a crawl. Americans alone have filed more than 30 million unemployment claims.
While COVID-19 might be unlike anything we’ve faced in our lifetime, recessions aren’t. Preparing for a recession requires a few key steps now so you can help... Continue reading
How to Improve Your Financial Literacy
April is financial literacy month. Officially kicked off by the federal government in 2004, financial literacy month is designed to raise public awareness around financial literacy and how we manage our money. And there’s at least one good reason to set aside an entire month for talking (and learning) finance: Money can really stress us out. A 2018 study by FINRA Investor Education Foundation... Continue reading
How to Spring Clean Your Finances
While the end of the year and subsequent new year’s resolutions may be one of the most popular times to review your personal finances and set new goals, it’s important to check in throughout the year. The start of spring aligns with the end of the first quarter of the year, a good point to spend a few hours and spring clean your finances. After you’re done with the household chores, that is. ... Continue reading
The Best Personal Finance Software to Reach Your Goals
Personal finance software can help you better understand and manage your finances. But finding the right program can depend on your goals and preferences.
Whether you want help managing your investments, tracking your income, or building a budget that sets you up for retirement, personal finance software can take on much of the heavy lifting.
Many options let you connect and sync your financial... Continue reading
How to Make a Budget and Support Your New Year’s Goals
New year, new you—new budget? As a time of reflection, renewal, and goal setting, the new year is a perfect opportunity to start a budget for the first time—or to take a look at your budget with fresh eyes.
Consider what’s worked, what’s changed, and how to make a budget with your annual plan and goals in mind.
How to Make a Budget That Works: Start With Your Goals
Some people are spurred to... Continue reading
The Keys to Small Business Expense Tracking
Most small business owners don’t set out to become bookkeepers or accountants, but it’s part of the job when you have to wear all the hats. Whether you’re a part-time consultant, manage rental properties, or are growing a small business, keeping a close watch over your expenses can be important.
You can use your records to better understand your business, and they can be a necessity to back up... Continue reading
Why You Need a Weekly Budget
Do you need a weekly budget in addition to your monthly budget? Here are three big benefits to consider.
A monthly budget is an intuitive default—but a weekly budget might be the better option.
Not to say you shouldn’t use months to frame your budget. Most bills are due once a month, you might get paid once or twice a month, and budgeting software often starts you out fresh each month. But if your monthly budget is your big-picture strategy, the weekly budget planner is your tactical plan that... Continue reading
12 Must-Have Features of Budgeting Software
A debt problem at its core is a budgeting problem. This is one of the most important lessons in personal finance: you can’t save your money if you don’t know where it’s going. In other words, you need a budget.
In fact, 74% of Americans now track their expenses with a budget. But just realizing the importance of a budget isn’t the same as properly executing one. Between retirement accounts,... Continue reading
