My senior year of college wasn’t filled with the dread that some of my classmates seemed to carry.  All the “countdown” parties went on without me; I didn’t feel the need to squeeze the last bit of juice out of my carefree days as a student.  I was itching to get on with it; the next big event in my life was hovering on the horizon and was taking forever to arrive.  I was impatient for my real life to begin. Had I not been so doe-eyed, I might have clung to every moment of what was slipping through my hands.  I might have even curled up in the safe arms of another university to pursue a master’s or law degree.  But I was arrogant, ignorant and without a plan.  What could possibly go wrong? It was the spring of 1987 when I graduated.  As my initiation into the business world, I went to various personnel agencies with the same results.  My fanny was promptly plunked before an electric typewriter and I was asked to type as fast and as accurately as I could in a minute.  No pressure. I Read on...

I had the privilege of attending a parent/student meeting at South Side High School in Rockville Centre the other night.  For a change, I was neither an attending parent nor a presenter; I was a very interested observer for a number of reasons. As a mother to teenagers, I was happy to see a school district take a novel approach to support teens in making better choices.  It’s hard enough to do the right thing in life; when you’re young and inexperienced, filled with emotions and dying to be cool – it’s that much more difficult. The event was mandatory for teens attending the Prom and their parents.  The expectations for a trouble-free, alcohol/substance-free weekend were firmly outlined; any sign of indulging would be met with a breathalyzer (when appropriate) and being removed from Prom and the graduation ceremony.  The PTA organizes a post-Prom party free to all students, filled with activities, food, music and cash giveaways to give students a safe after-party experience. It was Read on...

I had the pleasure of speaking  with Dina Cataldo of Soul Roadmap podcast to discuss "How to Reach Your Money Goals."  She has put together an informative and inspiring show aimed at giving people tools and strategies to live their best lives, and she covers a myriad of topics. It was a lively discussion and it inspired me to put together an Investor Self Defense Checklist to help make sure your financial plan works for you:  ____I have an emergency fund of 3-6 months' worth of living expenses (more, if self-employed). ____ I know what debt I carry, the rates I pay and am working towards paying off debt. ____ I participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan (e.g., 401(k), 403(b), Simple IRA, etc.) because it lowers my taxable income and helps me save for retirement. ____ If I don't have a retirement plan offered to me, I contribute every year to either a Roth IRA or Traditional IRA (maximum investment amount is $5,500 per year for those under 50; $6,500 for those 50 or Read on...