Financial Steps to Take When You Are Ready to Retire

Retirement is an exciting proposition for many people, but it requires meticulous planning and considerable financial responsibility. In order to set yourself up for retirement, you need a sound financial strategy. Here are the financial steps to take when you’re thinking about retiring in the near future.

Commit to a Budget

Budgeting has long been the central component of financial planning. In order to save up for retirement, you’ll need to spend the coming years earning significantly more than you’re spending. While you’re likely used to maintaining at least a loose budget, your pre-retirement years call for a renewed commitment to rigid spending limits.

Check How Much You’ll Have to Pay in Taxes

When considering how much money you have invested for retirement, don’t forget to account for the taxes that you’ll have to pay down the road. Some accounts will allow you to withdraw money without paying taxes. 

Others, like a traditional IRA, will see your withdrawals taxed as regular income. If you fail to acknowledge these future taxes, you could make some dangerous miscalculations regarding your retirement finances.

Calculate Your Post-Retirement Spending

In order to determine if you’re ready for retirement, you need to calculate how much money you’re likely to spend in your twilight years. If you’re committed to a costly mortgage or severely in debt, then you’ll have to take this into account. Only when you know exactly what your expenses will be can you make a confident plan for retirement.

Pay Off Your Debts

Eliminating any outstanding debts is a great way to set yourself up for a steady retirement. Interest rates can seriously cut into your retirement savings. By paying everything off before you stop working, you give yourself a clean slate. This will give you a wonderful sense of freedom as you embark on your retirement.

Save Up for Unexpected Expenses

Don’t forget to account for unforeseen expenses that could crop up after retirement. You never know when an accident or unexpected incident could force you to dig deeper into your savings. Even if you’re on Medicare, there are some medical care options that your insurance won’t cover. To play it safe, it’s best to have a sizable rainy day fund set aside.

Planning for retirement is all about safeguarding your financial health. If you take the steps mentioned above, you should be able to ease into a carefree retirement.

4 Counseling Apps That Will Get You Results Today

Are you in need of a safe space to vent your feelings? Maybe you just need a friendly voice to bounce your hopes, fears, frustrations, and plans for the future off of. If this is the case, you may wish to talk to a therapist. Here are 4 of the very best new counseling apps that will get you great results.

1. LARKR

LARKR is an excellent app that has been designed to provide you with therapy when you need it the most. This handy app will connect you directly with a professionally licensed therapist via the medium of a video chat that is streamed live. The idea here is to get you to help with as little delay as possible.

The service provides expert help with LGBT couples counseling, anxiety, mood disorders, addiction issues, depression, PTSD, and many others. You can get expert-level therapeutic counseling from an expert whose specialty is the problem you are suffering from.

LARKR provides a session that lasts for 50 minutes. The total cost is $55 per session. The billing process has been specially streamlined to allow you to apply for reimbursement from your insurance company if you are qualified. This makes the service even more convenient and easy to afford for people who are on a tight budget.

2. Talkspace

Talkspace is a handy new therapy app that is designed to be very accessible and even more affordable. You can use the app to obtain unlimited chat therapy for a total cost of $32 per week. You can also elect to receive weekly video chat therapy or a special course of couples' therapy.




Talkspace is one of the original therapy apps on the market and still one of the most well-reviewed. The app allows you to connect with a licensed therapist to whom you can send messages at any time of the day or night. You are not guaranteed an instant response, but you can rest assured it will be read and responded to before too long.

One of the perks of using this particular app is that you are free to choose the type of message you send. This means that you will be able to send a carefully nuanced query or a long, garbled plea for help. Whatever you decide on will be read by a licensed therapist who will make sense of it and send you a detailed response.

3. Basis

The new Basis app offers a bit more relaxed and informal type of talk session. The total cost is $35 for a 45-minute session. You can speak to someone over your cell phone or through a video session. A slight drawback here may be that the service does not make use of officially licensed therapists or medical experts.

However, what you get from using the Basis app is a relaxed and informal verbal session that has been developed by professional psychologists who hail from Ivy League college Stanford. You don't have to schedule your talk in advance. You can reach someone from the app at any time of the day or night, including weekends.

4. Better Help

Better Help may perhaps be the most popular and influential therapy and counseling app on the scene. The service can cost between $35 and $70 per week to make use of. This may seem a bit steep. However, the aid and counseling that the app provides have been vetted and reviewed very positively by some of the nation's leading therapy experts.

You can message, chat by video, talk on the phone, or converse via messenger as many times a week as you choose. You can always count on reaching a licensed therapist who is ready to talk.

It's Time to Talk it Over Online

You can't always get away to see a therapist in person. You may have a hectic swing schedule at work. There may be issues with relatives that keep you in one place watching over them. Whatever the reason is, if you can't get away, these four friendly apps can be a lifesaver. The time to make the best use of these handy apps is now.

4 Ways to Get Good Mortgage Rates on a Low Income

Having a low-income does not prevent you from buying a home in today’s market. You can find the property that suits you best for a deal that fits within your budget. Lenders look at more than income when approving a loan, so do not be discouraged and feel like you need to keep renting a home or apartment. 

When searching for properties, you want to use some of the tips mentioned below to ensure you get the best mortgage rate as a low-income buyer.

Research Lenders

You might be surprised at how many lenders accept buyers with low-income. With more options, you don’t have to choose the first offer, and you can find ways to reduce down payment requirements and lower your mortgage rates. 

When completing applications, be sure to put the same information on all applications, including the type of property you are interested in purchasing, the size of the down-payment you can make, and the kind of income you have.

Good Credit Score

Having a low-income does not mean your credit score is low. By managing your bills and making payments on-time, you can find reasonable mortgage rates on a new home. You can request your credit score and history for discounted prices or even free-of-charge (this will vary from person-to-person). 

Go over your debt ratio and see what can be paid down and what accounts you should close. If there are any inaccuracies on your credit report, dispute them immediately.

Public and Private Programs

Some government agencies and private lenders have programs available for low-income buyers. These programs develop criteria that buyers must meet and award loans with reasonable mortgage rates. 

The qualifications vary, but some of the most common requirements include being a first-time buyer, purchasing a specific type of home, such as single-family homes, and the property’s location.

Trusted Real Estate Solutions

Buying a home can present many challenges, especially for low-income buyers. The good news is that there are realty solutions that you can take advantage of to ensure you are getting a great deal on single-family homes, including low mortgage rates. 

The companies will keep you well-informed throughout the purchasing process, from contract requirements, local rules and regulations, and more. A reputable realty solutions company will ensure you have all of the facts you need and go over the best options for you and your family.

The tips above can help you with the buying process and get you one step closer to purchasing a home with a good mortgage rate, even with low-income wages. 

The best advice is to search and use all of the resources available to low-income buyers. Remember to stay positive and enjoy the buying process as much as possible; you only get one chance to buy your first home.

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan

Six Easy Steps to Financing Your Dream Car

Buying a car is a big step for most people. For many, it may be one of the biggest purchases they make, next to a home. While it is easy for folks to get caught up in the dream of buying their dream car, there are steps that need to be completed to get to that point. 

Financing is a huge piece of the puzzle for many individuals, and it may be one of the most complex and misunderstood parts of the car buying process. Below are six steps that are helping to ensure that the financing of a vehicle is successful.

Step One: How Much to Borrow?

A person should not get hung up on the amount of money a bank or credit union is willing to lend them. Just because a financial institution is willing to lend a certain amount of money doesn't mean that will translate to a monthly payment that will fit into a person's budget. 

Most car dealers and financial institutions have payment calculators on their websites. Prospective borrowers should use them to determine how much they can afford to pay a month for their car payment.

Step Two: Figuring Out a Loan Term

The next step for a car shopper should be to figure out their loan term. Obviously, a car buyer will want to make sure that the loan term results in an affordable payment, but there a couple of different choices they may need to make. 

Do they go with a longer-term and have more financial flexibility? Should they choose a shorter term, pay the vehicle off quicker, and save money in finance charges? Do I have to apply for a bad credit car loan in Australia? Car buyers will need to make the right choice for themselves and their budget.

Step Three: Reviewing Credit Reports

Credit scores will have a huge impact on determining what kind of interest rates a borrower can get. For this reason, it is important for all car buyers to know what is on their credit report. 

By filing disputes to get old and inaccurate information off a credit report, a person can save themselves thousands of dollars in finance charges due to higher interest rates.

Step Four: Determine a Down Payment

Down payments are a great way for a person to reduce the amount they need to borrow. Having a down payment can make the overall cost of the loan less expensive. People should consider putting down as much money as they comfortably can when taking out an auto loan.

Step Five: Shop Around for Good Terms

There are lots of banks and credit unions out there. They are all eager to earn the business of car shoppers. Car buyers should do some research and see what financial institutions are offering for the loan terms they want.

Step Six: Use a Loan Approval for Negotiation

For drivers who want their dream car at an affordable price, having a loan approval from a credit union or bank may help them secure that. Car shoppers should not mention their credit approval until they see what a dealership can offer in terms of price and financing.

Drive Away in a New Vehicle

For car buyers who want their dream car on their terms, these steps give them a good chance at making that happen. When working on auto financing, car shoppers should remember that the decisions they make will end up determining how much the vehicle will cost them in the long run.

Plan Ahead: Strategies to Help Ensure That You're Ready for Retirement When It Comes

Retirement is a time to quit working and start to enjoy life at a leisurely pace. If you want to have enough money for retirement, it's important that you prepare as soon as possible. Here are some strategies that you should utilize to help ensure that you're ready for retirement.

Cost-of-Living Projections

You really won't know how much you'll need for retirement until you do some sort of cost-of-living projections. You need to think about what your expenses maybe during that time. 

You will need to factor in things like whether or not you'll have a mortgage and if you plan on traveling. This analysis will give you a more accurate picture as to how much money you will need to save in total before you retire.

Budget Money From Every Paycheck

You will most likely need a substantial amount of money before you can retire. Because of this, you should set aside money from every single paycheck to put towards retirement. 

This will keep you from having to come up with a large sum of money all at once later in life. Even setting aside a small amount of money can really have a huge impact if you are consistent.

Pay Off Debt

It's also a good idea to put aside as much money as you can to pay off debt. It will be difficult to live off a smaller income in retirement if you have debt that you are still paying for. You should strive to have the smallest amount of bills possible once you retire.

Smart Investing

If you won't be retiring for a while, it's a great time to start investing. You might want to consider putting some money in the stock market or buying some investment property. While it is always a risk to invest, you can grow your money and come out financially ahead when it comes time to retire.

Financial Planning

You can get help with all these things by looking into financial planning. A financial planner will meet with you to discuss your needs and concerns about your future. 

After taking a look at your current financial situation and your goals, they will help you determine the best steps for you to take in order to accumulate the amount of money that you'll need in order to retire comfortably.

Planning for retirement can be overwhelming when you consider the amount of money you might need. Fortunately, there are some strategies that you can start to utilize in order to ensure that you're ready for retirement when the time comes.

5 Ways To Start Investing As A Business

Running an investment business is very different from running a traditional brick-and-mortar or even an eCommerce store. While it shares similarities, including the need for adequate capital and a thoroughly-devised plan, how you build an investment firm can be a vastly different path. 

There are multiple risk factors and ever-changing variables that an investor must be prepared for. To help you build a solid foundation for your investing business, here are five ways to get started:

Open a Brokerage Account

Today's investors are fortunate enough to be able to place buy and sell orders in real-time. Gone are the days when you'd have to call a broker on the trading floor to open a position. At the same time, you can complete said order within the day. 

This archaic form of investing left investors at risk of getting in on trade at less favorable prices. It only takes a few clicks of the mouse button with an online brokerage account to own a stock or commodity. 

When comparison shopping for broker accounts, field your candidates for commissions and other related fees, available asset classes you can buy and sell, and dashboard features, i.e., analytical tools, technical indicators, beginner courses, etcetera.

Protect Yourself Legally

It's not the most exciting part of owning and operating a business. Still, it is one of the essential facets of any commercial enterprise: a retail store or an investment portfolio. For instance, make sure you are aware of and comply with blue sky filings. 

This state-level, anti-fraud law requires security issuers to disclose the terms of their offering and any material information that could impact the underlying security value. Blue sky laws can vary by state, but these regulations are set to protect people from fraudulent investments. 

You should also understand how to file your taxes as any income sourced from securities is taxed at a different rate than your ordinary income.

Decide on Your Investment Approach

How well your investment portfolio performs hinges on your investment-selection approach. You must have sound reasoning beyond gut instinct when you invest in an asset, whether it's treasury bonds of a foreign country or a promising new tech company. 

Having a technical strategy helps weed out high-risk, low-reward assets while also allowing you to achieve more consistent and predictable results. Some investment strategies to study for beginners include value investing, growth investing, and small-cap investing.

Record Everything

Not only will it help ease the process of filing taxes every year, but having a comprehensive record of your investments can give you a clearer picture of what you're doing right and what needs improving. 

For instance, you can analyze the timestamps of each investment bought or sold in the last quarter to gauge whether or not short-term positions churned a profit or loss. You can manually record your positions in a notebook or request an account statement from your broker, which is offered at no cost. 

You can also use an online trading journal to record your positions in a blog post format. Like Babypips, websites allow you to post your trades to the public and read other investor's blog posts as well.

Consider Robo Advisors

Although robo advisors are involved in many financial planning utilities, one of its main applications is automated investing through algorithms that look for specific parameters to determine when to buy or sell an asset. Most robo advisors use mutual funds or ETFs instead of individual stocks to build your portfolio. 

In addition to robo advisors, you can also use a copy trading platform to follow and copy other more experienced investors’ trades. Any time they place a trade, your account makes the same one.

Investing as a business affords many pleasures, including minimal startup costs, flexibility in work hours, and multiple avenues to secure a profit. That said, it's also a performance-based business where growth and profitability are directly tied to how well you can analyze financial markets and how consistent you are in following your risk management measures. 

As a final piece of advice, know when to take a profit. As your portfolio grows, you'll want to lower your positions’ overall risk by systematically withdrawing money out of your account.