Focus on fitness to limit lifetime health care expenses
With health care reform now a reality, some of us are relieved and some of us are worried about how it will change not only the medical landscape but our expenses. We often feel we’re not in control...
View ArticleDo you have a financial disaster plan?
With recent economic trends of higher consumer spending and healthier stock markets, many Americans are pointing to evidence we are out of the recession. Looking back, the recession did change some...
View ArticleThe hidden cost of investments
Do you know how much you are paying for your investments and how that fee is affecting your investment performance? A fund that charges 1 percent expense ratio will likely return 1 percent less than...
View ArticleHow women can benefit from financial planning
A number of recent surveys revealed the challenges women are facing as they live longer than men and become worried about providing for themselves for a longer lifespan. Many said they are not...
View ArticleGive me the fly swatter, please
This time of year always brings unwanted guests in my home. Not relatives, but insects. It’s peak time for flies and mosquitoes as the temperatures heat up. Determined to remove the pests, I visited my...
View ArticleKeep up with your credit
With banks tightening their grip on loans, getting one is requiring more work and vigilance on the borrower’s part. Even people with excellent credit are jumping through hoops to verify everything and...
View ArticleWatch for new bank fees
Business as usual at banks is becoming a thing of the past now that the federal government has laid down new laws for lenders. That means how we manage our accounts is more important than ever. The...
View ArticleFind lost Savings Bonds
Wouldn’t it be nice if we suddenly found enough cash on the sidewalk to pay our expenses or pay off a bill? Chances are, you won’t find enough pennies on the ground, but if you look elsewhere you may...
View ArticlePlanning for income taxes
School has started and vacations are over, so that means it’s time to start thinking about income taxes. But because Congress has not made tax laws for 2011 clear, planning is especially difficult this...
View ArticleDon’t let fear manage your money
Life is full of emotions, but fear can hurt the most. It is strong enough to change a whole community and way of life. And when it comes to money, it’s no different. Fear controls the pocketbook, and...
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Take a tour of SFP’s office
Watch a slideshow: Tour SFP’s office in Plano We hope to see you soon!
View ArticleMake a plan for long-term care
The best financial plans can guide retirees through the rest of their lives except for one stage of life — their final days. Retirees who becomes unable to care for themselves face daunting costs in...
View ArticleStart new year budget off right
The new year brings new goals, and those goals often include financial ones. Saving money is the third most popular goal, according to a survey of 5,000 people by 43things.com. And the way to save...
View ArticleLove and Money: Couples planning tips
February is the month of love, when couples renew their commitment to each other by buying chocolate hearts and flower bouquets. But spending money is not the answer to a long relationship. In fact,...
View ArticlePlanning for weddings – and finances
With the spring wedding season approaching, many couples are busy planning for the big day. Part of the planning that may be left out is financial planning as a couple. Because the divorce rate is...
View ArticleRetirement health costs stabilize – for now
Perhaps one of the most difficult financial situations to plan for is medical expenses in retirement. It’s an expense we can’t predict, because we don’t know what health conditions we will have in...
View ArticlePreparing a parent for a nursing home
The prospect of putting a parent in a nursing home is stressful enough without worrying about how to pay for it. But preparing well in advance can make the decision easier. The first step in creating a...
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Help with college aid muddle
Traditional planning for college expenses usually exists of estimating tuition and how much to save each year to pay for four years. But once college gets closer, the numbers all change and the...
View ArticleReasons for IRA rollovers from 401k: An American example
The changing economy hasn’t been good to many workers. Jobs have changed or even gone away along with pensions and retirement benefits. Just ask the estimated 13,000 people who will lose their job at...
View ArticleTax Planning Tips for 2014
The summer is quickly coming to an end and this time of the year presents a timely checkpoint to review options for reducing your tax bill. The new tax rules created from the American Taxpayer Relief...
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