Articles

My birth date isn’t in question. I was born on November 25th and have the original birth certificate to prove it. But I have always been told – and therefore repeated for years – that I was born on Thanksgiving Day. Since the actual date of the Thursday in November that’s Thanksgiving changes each calendar year, I had no reason to question that which sounded like fact.

And because there were the family stories regularly told - that confirmed when I came into the world, that I was smaller than the drumstick that sat on my grandparents’ dinner table and that my parents had Thanksgiving dinner at the hospital, I was convinced. For years I even endured my cousin Teddy’s taunting under his breath at the Thanksgiving dinner table as the food was being blessed that I was “such a turkey” because I was born on Turkey Day. I duly believed his pronouncement despite my Mother’s tender entreaties: “No you aren’t a turkey; you’re a Thanksgiving blessing, sweetheart.”

Have we been good stewards of our personal money or have we just looked to reap the benefits from being on auto pilot? The current financial meltdown is an opportunity to do things differently with your personal money. For Women of A Certain Age – I’m Valerie Coleman Morris.

There’s nothing like a financial crisis to get everyone’s attention. And the current money meltdown is the biggest bear market of the 15 we’ve had since the crash of 1929.

Looking for ways to save your hard earned cash? Let’s talk about what I call “Loose Change” habits – small amendments in attitude and spending - that can add up to significant savings. For Women of a Certain Age, I’m Valerie Coleman Morris.

Have you taken a look at your financial picture lately? Now's as good a time as any to see what your portfolio's doing for you. WITH THE FAMILY IN MIND for Women of a Certain Age, I'm Valerie Coleman Morris. It can sound so mysterious and daunting: reassess your portfolio. So let's break it down. First of all - what's really in that word "portfolio"? If you own more than one security or financial instrument - meaning things like stocks and bonds - you have a portfolio. You build it by buying more securities and other financial investments like mutual funds.

What should you be doing to get your financial life in order if you’re in your 50’s?

Ladies, welcome to crunch time! You’re at least halfway through your fifth decade of life – and that marks a milestone in more ways than one – but regarding your money it means you need to do with your money what you’re doing with your mind and body: firm it up – in general but your retirement options specifically. And here’s the reason why. Because at this age

How do you know when you’ll have enough money to retire. For every one of the 79 million Baby Boomers in North America – that’s the question being asked even as we try and figure out a new word for the old thing called “retirement”.

As you try and answer “when” you’ll have enough – there are some disciplines to remember. Ask yourself how well you’ve practiced them.

My last surviving aunt will be 80 years old this year. My Aunt Eva and her husband have been married 54 years. He’s been in poor health for quite a while and is battling a number of illnesses including diabetes. But it’s been the last couple of years that have brought some new challenges for them when it comes to simple tasks around the house.
These challenges unleash my Aunt Eva’s quiet humor.

Just in time. In anticipation of the first Baby Boomers getting Social Security next year, there's a new way to "super-size" your 401k.

The new super 401k plan is being called the cutting edge of retirement planning. But you have to be the kind of person who's able to let go and give much of the control of your money over to the plan administrator. History shows - remember those things called defined benefit pension plans - the employees weren't doing a very good job managing their investments.