Should My IRA Charge Me a Maintenance Fee?
Narrow Bridge Finance reader Yvonne sent in a question about IRA fees for her account at Meryl Lynch. She received a letter that said her annual account fee would be going up to $100 per year, and that...
View ArticleHow Often Do You Plan For Your Retirement?
There are so many people out there that see retirement as a distant future event and feel that they don’t even need to start thinking about it until 20 years down the road. In fact, it is common for a...
View ArticleWhy Couples Need a Weekly Family Business Meeting
This post comes to you from Narrow Bridge Finance. You can view the original post at Why Couples Need a Weekly Family Business Meeting. If you are married, live with a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner, or...
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November 2014 Earnings and Investments Update
This post comes to you from Narrow Bridge Finance. You can view the original post at November 2014 Earnings and Investments Update. Happy turkey month everyone! I hope you had a fun Halloween and are...
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How to Setup an HSA
This post comes to you from Narrow Bridge Finance. You can view the original post at How to Setup an HSA. When I started my new job in September, I had the option to sign up for either a Preferred...
View ArticleWhat Do You Need to Know About Your Company’s 401(k) Plan? - Narrow Bridge...
This post comes to you from Narrow Bridge Finance. You can view the original post at What Do You Need to Know About Your Company’s 401(k) Plan?. Have you ever taken a look at your 401(k) plan and...
View ArticlePPP002: Pay off Debt or Save for Retirement? - Personal Profitability
Thanks to listener Erin for asking our first audio question for episode two of the Personal Profitability Podcast. She asks if she should pay off her student loans first before she starts saving for...
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What is the Right Time to Buy and Sell Index Funds and Mutual Funds? -...
Investing can be very intimidating to get started. While it is not a good idea for the typical investor to buy individual stocks, mutual funds and index funds are a great way to buy into the market for...
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PPP006: How Do I Automate Retirement Contributions when Self Employed? -...
Today Erin in Seattle asks us how to handle her retirement contributions when self-employed. Lucky for her, there are retirement accounts just for self employed individuals. Concepts Discussed Rollover...
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June 2015 Earnings and Investments Update - Personal Profitability
A month after my big Europe trip things are getting back to normal, which means busy and hard at work. I am nearing launching a new project in addition to my regular side income projects. Read on to...
View ArticleA Look Back at Personal Financial Statements - Personal Profitability
About a year ago, I wrote about the importance of having a personal income statement, personal balance sheet, and personal cash flow statement. I then tied it all up with a look at what personal...
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Take a Loan on your 401(k)? - Personal Profitability
photo © 2007 Eric | more info (via: Wylio) A reader sent in this question from the contact form: I was wondering what your take is on borrowing from a 401K to pay off credit cards. Everything I’ve...
View ArticleRolling Over Your 401(k) - Personal Profitability
Now that I have settled into my new job, I have to deal with the financial side of leaving a job. It is something that many people put off, but when you get a new job it is important to make sure your...
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Monsters - Personal Profitability
This post was written by Jason, the proprietor of Live Real, Now, a blog focused on spending–and saving–in the real world. It was written for a blog swap run by the Yakezie personal finance blog...
View ArticleInterview: Jacob at My Personal Finance Journey - Personal Profitability
This is an interview with fellow Yakezie member Jacob. He is the author of My Personal Finance Journey, a source great personal finance information with Jacob’s unique twist. If you like what you read...
View ArticleInvestment Strategy by Age - Personal Profitability
If you are in your 20s and your parents are near retirement, do you think you should have different investment strategies? Of course you should! The Early Years Through your twenties and well into your...
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The Five Minute Retirement Plan - Personal Profitability
A new finance tool, the Five Minute Retirement Plan, does what the name implies. In only a couple of minutes, the site will create a free, customized retirement plan based on your age, current assets,...
View ArticleUnderstanding “Need” vs “Want” - Personal Profitability
Have you ever heard someone say how much they “need” something that is a complete waste of money? They need their gym membership, they need their SUV, they need their daily latte. We all know that it...
View ArticleHow Should a Young Person Get Started with Investing - Personal Profitability
Your first job. Such a big milestone. For the first time ever, you are financially independent. You have moved on from being a broke college student to a successful young professional. Don’t get too...
View ArticleHow To Pay Yourself First - Personal Profitability
Personal finance folks often throw around the term “pay yourself first.” It is a bit big-headed of us to assume you know how to do that. Here are some steps you can take to put the most popular finance...
View ArticleShould I Max My 401(k) or my Roth First? - Personal Profitability
I recently wrote about paying yourself first, and one astute commenter had a great question about the value of maxing your Roth IRA first or your company’s 401(k) plan first. The Question Thomas asked,...
View ArticleHow to Set a Savings Goal - Personal Profitability
We just discussed how to make saving a habit, but a lot of people do not know how much to save. Since you know how to save, today take a few minutes to decide on a saving goal and put a savings plan to...
View ArticleSix Steps to Take Now to Retire a Millionaire - Personal Profitability
So you want to become a millionaire? The path isn’t easy. Those seeking millionaire status are going to have to make some extreme lifestyle changes to get there, and here are six ways to start....
View ArticleAm I Taking Advantage of all the Benefit Plans My Employer Offers? - Personal...
We can make plans for side-income and income from hobbies all day, but unless we are self-employed full time, our employer is the source of our primary income. Your employer often gives you a lot more...
View ArticleHow to Start an IRA (or Roth IRA) - Personal Profitability
You always hear us finance bloggers telling you to invest for your retirement. We use big words like 401(k), 403(b), IRA, and Roth IRA, but usually assume you all know what they mean and how they work....
View ArticleHow to Save for Retirement if Your Company Doesn’t Offer a 401(k) - Personal...
Everyone gets excited when they start a new job. New opportunities, new challenges, and new retirement plans. Unless there are not… Some jobs don’t offer a 401(k) or other type of retirement plan, but...
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Personal Financial Statements: Balance Sheet - Personal Profitability
When we work hard to earn more and spend less, we are not just doing it for our health. The idea of accumulating wealth is an important part of your finances, but it can feel elusive over time. When we...
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Rolling Over Your Old 401(k) - Personal Profitability
If you have any financial accounts anywhere, you have probably read about rolling over you old 401(k) retirement account to a new company that will “charge less” and help you “earn more.” While I am a...
View ArticleHow Long to Keep Your Taxes and Bank Statements - Personal Profitability
I have a file cabinet at home with bank statements dating back to when I opened my first checking account when I was sixteen years old. Nine years later, I wondered if I still need those bank...
View ArticleHow to Start Retirement Savings in Your 40s - Personal Profitability
Last week, John shared a great post on saving for retirement. Reader Diana took the post to heart, and she left us with a heartfelt comment about getting started saving for retirement in your 40s. I’m...
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The Ultimate Guide to Making Money with Lending Club - Personal Profitability
I have been using Lending Club since 2009 to try to make the best return on my investment. I have been able to easily beat bank savings accounts, and can often beat the stock market. My current annual...
View ArticleImportant Investment Accounts You Should Have - Personal Profitability
Getting started with investing can be intimating, but it doesn’t have to be. If you start with one of the basic types of investment accounts, you have the right foundation to save for your future....
View Article6 Reasons Financial Advisors Are Scarier Than Dating Taylor Swift - Personal...
The 23 year old singer broke into the spotlight with poppy, catchy songs a few years ago. As she rose to fame for her music, she also gained a reputation for being a serial dater. The celebrity list...
View ArticleHow Can I Start Saving For Retirement When I Can’t Afford It? - Personal...
In my second video blog post, I share a strategy to start saving for your retirement when it feels out of reach. You can get started with only $1 per work day. How did you start saving for retirement?...
View Article7 Unexpected Uses for Banks - Personal Profitability
Most of us think about banks for checking and savings accounts, tellers and ATMs, but don’t know about the wide array of services some banks offer. In my time working in a bank, I learned a ton about...
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Create a Basic Retirement Plan - Personal Profitability
Most personal finance experts agree that you will need about 80% of your monthly income replaced during retirement. To make that possible, it is important to save and invest throughout your working...
View ArticleWhat is 1% Today Worth in Retirement? - Personal Profitability
I regularly share my thoughts on automated investing and putting money away for retirement. In some posts, I’ve discussed how much to save each pay period. 10%, 15%? More less? I always say to just...
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4 Simple Steps To Help You Get Started Saving For Retirement - Personal...
I spoke with individuals on a daily basis for a number of years who were terrified about starting to save for retirement. It usually went back to a number of similar reasons, but what they all had in...
View Article4 Tips to Retire Wealthy - Personal Profitability
How often do you think about retirement? If you are anything like me, you think about the future quite a lot to ensure a long, stress free life. If, however, you are like most of the U.S., then you are...
View ArticleGet Rich By Doing It Slowly - Personal Profitability
Have you ever had the urge to get rich? To go out to eat whenever you wanted, buy that perfect cottage on the lake, and travel to every possible country you can think of? It sure sounds nice doesn’t...
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March 2014 Earnings and Investments Update - Personal Profitability
I just returned from the first of my wedding related trips, this one to Santa Barbara, and I’m excited for the adventures ahead. I just shared a new post on travel hacking, and have to say I’m loving...
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3 Simple Ways to Save For Retirement on a Budget - Personal Profitability
A few months ago I talked about what to do if you felt that you could not afford to save for retirement and it spurred some good discussion for many that are facing that challenge. Another factor that...
View ArticleWhat To Do With a Public Employee Retirement Account? - Personal Profitability
A reader sent me a note asking for ideas on moving to a new job after working for the State of Colorado, where the retirement plans are run by an organization called PERA. PERA works sort of like a...
View ArticleHow Public Employee Retirement Accounts Work - Personal Profitability
This post comes to us from Kim Riccardi at Colorado PERA, the Public Employee’s Retirement Association of Colorado. A Narrow Bridge reader recently asked this seemingly simple question: If you leave...
View ArticleShould I Buy Stock in the Company I Work For? - Personal Profitability
Millions of people in the United States work at public companies with stock available for purchase. Some of these companies give employees stock for free, others offer company stock to employees at a...
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How to Save for Retirement When You’re Self-Employed - Personal Profitability
As someone who has been self-employed for a little over two years there is quite a bit I have learned. However, the thing I continue to come back to is that no one is going to do anything for me,...
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September 2015 Earnings and Investments Update - Personal Profitability
Fall is here in Oregon. The clouds have returned, the drizzles have begun, and winter is not far off. That means a lot is happening in my life in the coming months. What I’m Up To In the last month,...
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January 2016 Earnings and Investments Update - Retirement – Personal...
Three… Two… One… Happy New Year! I hope your 2016 is off to an amazing start so far, and that you’re on track for your best year yet. Here’s how things shook out for my December, and a taste of what...
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June 2016 Earnings and Investments Update - Retirement – Personal Profitability
Summer is upon us, and that often means a “summer lull” for online workers. I don’t have time for a lull, however, so I’m working at full throttle for my first full month working from California. Let’s...
View ArticleGetting Going on Retirement Savings - Retirement – Personal Profitability
We all want the ability to retire at some point in our lives. While the definition of retirement may be different for some of us, we want financial freedom when we are older to do what we want. Young...
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