Family
Nanny Tax 101
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI do not make it a habit to eavesdrop, but the girls at the table next to me at the smoothie bar this morning were so loud and animated, there was no way around it. They were all international students, pushing the benefits of babysitting...
5 Things You Should Know Before You Buy a Stock or Fund
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA, Founder Savvy Ladies Are you considering buying a stock or fund? A friend of mine is an aspiring author and eventually wants to leave her corporate job. Over bouillabaisse and freshly baked baguettes the other night, she announced that...
The Savvy Guide to Coupons
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAThink coupons spell cheap and cheesy? So did I, until a couple of weeks ago the woman in front of me in line at the grocery store used a whopping sixteen of them, saving over thirty dollars. This, with hardly any effort! I just had to ask...
5 Quick Fixes for Your FICO Score
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAAn old friend - a real estate agent in the Midwest sent me an email this morning with a topic she suggested I post in my blog. With real estate prices at record lows, many aspiring homeowners are looking her up. Many fulfill both the down...
The Fear Factor: The True Cost of Emotion-Based Investment Decisions
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAI am very intuitive, said a new client over raw food downtown yesterday. Thank goodness I can finally eat Sushi again. While I was pregnant this food was strictly off limits. Anyways, my client told me that she always listens to her gut...
How the Recession Can Help Your Finances
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAA newsflash from travelzoo.com just plopped down in my inbox. Apparently, this weekend, flight fares between New York and the West Coast run as little as $99, round trip. Now, with two little kids, spontaneous travel is not as easy for me...
Opportunity Cost and Holidays: Should You Stretch Your Budget for a Longer Vacation?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFADuring the latest Savvy Ladies teleconference, the topic of conversation was much rosier than the typical ones these days (unemployment, recession, and ways to cut spending). One member had just quit her job to realize a long-lost dream: to...
Selecting Your Beneficiaries
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAOne of my best friends is going through a divorce. Over the phone last night, she provided an endearing account of her efforts to make a clean break and start over. Apparently, she even remembered to take her ex out of her will. This...
Cash Crunch in Your Forties: Your Children’s Future or Your Own?
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAThis dreadful dilemma was the main topic of discussion at a recent Savvy Ladies event. And the economy being what it is, alas, it is one to which far too many of us can relate. We all want what’s best for our children, so what could...
Use the Wallet-Half-Full Approach and Make Your Financial Dreams Come True
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAThe book “Unwinding the Clock. Ten Thoughts on Our Relationship to Time” sat on my bedside table for months after a friend gave it to me. This past weekend, I finally got around to reading it – and I liked it much more than I thought I...
How to Make Savings Easier Done Than Said
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been blown away by the number of people who’ve decided that now is when they’re going to start saving – and, as a consequence, looked me up. I met with three just this morning! Unfortunately, no matter how much they want to, many...
Spousal IRA 101
by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFAA woman approached me after maternity yoga last night. My husband is stoked about this child, she told me, and when my maternity leave is up, he would like to be a stay-at-home dad for a couple of years. I already know this means he won’t...
