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Home Sharing to Cut Housing Costs
By Marge Schiller, CFP® Is your cost of housing too large a portion of your income today? Are you having trouble finding an affordable rental in your community? Or is your current home more space than you really need but you like it? If your answer is “Yes” to any of...
Savvy Ladies Celebrates 20 Years of Financial Empowerment at the Nasdaq MarketSite
On Monday, April 3, 2023, Savvy Ladies kicked off Financial Literacy Month with the first-ever Building Connection Breakfast, an event celebrating the 20th anniversary of the organization. The breakfast, hosted at the Nasdaq MarketSite–an iconic Times Square...
How Are Your Taxes Calculated? Tax Brackets, Explained
By Kelly Erb Figuring out your taxes can be complicated. Fortunately, there are loads of software packages and tax professionals who can help you. But if you’re trying to get a sense of what you might owe—or the size of a refund you might expect—here’s how to estimate...
Tax Returns: Who Needs To File?
When talk turns to taxes, it feels like everyone is filing a tax return—but do you need to? Here’s what to know about your tax filing obligations.
Major Changes Brought by the Secure Act 2.0 and How it will Affect Your Retirement Savings
By Jonathan Bird, CFP® The SECURE 2.0 Act is here to make a difference in the US retirement system, bringing forth a range of modifications to strengthen the retirement system and enhance financial preparedness for all Americans. SECURE 2.0 became law on December 29,...
Top Financial Questions from Black and African American Women, Answered
Jennifer Jonassaint, a Savvy Ladies Helpline Volunteer answers women’s financial questions submitted to the Free Financial Helpline In 2022, Black women earned 70% as much as White men, compared to a ratio of 83% for White women. The combination of racial wealth...
Financial Abuse Is on the Rise: What It Is and What to Do About It
By Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA®, CES™ While financial abuse affects both men and women, women are more frequently the victims. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 85% of domestic violence victims are women, and unfortunately, the number of incidents is...
How to Get Started on Saving and Investing
Are you thinking of getting started on saving and investing in 2023? Our Savvy Ladies Helpline Volunteers answer questions from the Dress for Success community on a special Ask the Expert session. Read some of the most frequently asked questions on saving and...
How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt
Overwhelmed by credit card debt? Read the advice from Savvy Ladies founder Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA below and create your own roadmap to get out of it! Want to learn more about credit card debt management? Take a free debt management course here! By Stacy Francis,...
Top 6 Tips for Improving Your Credit Score
By Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA According to myFICO, it’s important to note that repairing bad credit is a bit like losing weight: It takes time, and there is no quick fix. In fact, out of all of the ways to improve a credit score, quick-fix efforts are the most likely...
Financial Tips for the New Year
The Dress for Success community shared their top financial concerns as we head into 2023. Our Savvy Ladies Helpline Volunteers teamed up to help guide and answer their financial questions in a special Ask the Expert session. Savvy Volunteers Ravi Patel and Ross Krause...
What You Need to Know About Credit
By Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA You sit down in your mortgage broker’s office because you can’t stand the news. Your credit is so bad you will not be able to secure a loan to buy the dream home you just bid on. Can you imagine? After months of taking time off work to run...
Different Types of Debt: Which Should I Pay Off First?
By Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA At a recent get-together at my parents house, one of their friends was excited to tell me his company had given him a substantial bonus – one that far exceeded his expectations. Thrilled to have a financial expert at the party, he asked...
Budgeting for Beginners: Your Savvy Guide to Creating a Budget
Setting up a solid budget and staying on top of it is the key to taking control of your finances. We know this task can feel daunting. That's why we've created a guide with easy to follow steps you can take to start managing your cash flow, even if you're new to...
The Current State of the Economy and How to Protect Your Finances
During two recent free Savvy Ladies sessions, volunteers Richard Ibarra, CFP,APMA, CRPC and Keri Lai financial advisor, both from Ameriprise Financial Services LLC, as well as Amy Irvine from The Rooted Planning Group and Michelle McKinnon, Wealth Advisor at Klingman...
Financial Tips if You Plan on Joining the Great Resignation
By Sebastian Francis The Great Resignation, also known as "The Big Quit," is a recent trend of many workers retiring early or simply quitting their jobs to look for new ones. According to a US Labor Department Government report, over 20 million people resigned from...
Savvy Ladies Helpline Experts Answer Top Financial Questions for the Dress for Success Community
In the latest “Ask an Expert” virtual session for the Dress for Success community, tax law expert and Savvy Ladies Helpline Volunteer Matthew E. Foreman shed light on some of the most commonly asked personal finance questions. Missed the streaming? Read all the...
The Violence Against Women Act is Just in Time
On March 16th President Biden signed the Violence Against Women Act which was in legislative limbo since it expired two years ago. This is just in time, as Women's History Month is nearing a close. The law aims to prevent domestic violence, sexual assault, and...
Financial Abuse and Its Red Flags
By Sebastian Francis While Savvy Ladies recognizes Financial Literacy Month every April, every month is important when it comes to the role that finances play in prolonging domestic abuse and trapping women in unhealthy and often dangerous relationships. Financial...
Credit Card Finance Charge Calculator
Here’s how to get started taking control of your credit cards during the coronavirus. Put a list together of all your credit cards that have a balance due Document the balance of each card and its Annual Percentage Rate (APR) (the % of the interest you are charged for...
Get Divorce Savvy: Creating Your Own Financially Secure Life
In the fourth and last panel of our Get Divorce Savvy series, hosts Stacy Francis and Lisa Zeiderman welcomed panelists Rona Wexler M.A., ABVW/D, President, TheEmployabilityExpert.com, Emma Johnson, author, financial journalist, Founder of WealthySingleMommy.com,...