Taking Advantage of the New Student Loan Freeze
January 3, 2022  | By David Lowe

The Biden administration has announced it is extending the pause on federal student loan payments until May 1, 2022. If you have federal student loans, how can you take advantage of this relief measure? Add to your emergency fund. It is essential…Read More

The Cost of Credit
August 13, 2015  | By Kevin Smith

Sometimes you need to borrow money, especially to pay for a large purchase such as a home or a car. It’s easy to focus on your monthly loan payment, but to appreciate how much borrowing money might really cost, you…Read More

Financial Mistakes People Make at Different Ages
August 13, 2015  | By Kevin Smith

There’s a saying that with age comes wisdom, but this may not always be true in the financial world. As people move through different life stages, there are new opportunities–and potential pitfalls–around every corner. In your 20’s Living beyond your…Read More

Should I be worried about a Federal Reserve interest rate hike?
February 11, 2015  | By Kevin Smith

After years of record-low interest rates, at some point this year the Federal Reserve is expected to begin raising its target federal funds interest rate (the rate at which banks lend to one another funds they’ve deposited at the Fed)….Read More

Possible Relief for Consumers with Low Credit Scores
August 28, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

Changes to a widely used credit score may make it more likely for consumers struggling with low scores to obtain loans. Fair Isaac Corporation’s newest FICO® credit scoring model will change certain aspects of how it computes the information on…Read More

Expansion of Pay As You Earn Program for Student Loans
June 18, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, outstanding student loan debt climbed by $114 billion in 2013, reaching $1.08 trillion at the end of the year (Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Quarterly Report on Household Debt and…Read More

Personal Finance Tips for New Graduates
June 13, 2014  | By Kevin Smith

You’ve marched along to Pomp and Circumstance and collected your diploma–now you’re ready to finally head out on your own. Maybe you have student loans that you need to start paying back. Perhaps you’re looking forward to making your first car purchase…Read More

What you need to know about bonds
May 3, 2013  | By Kevin Smith

I often joke that few people I meet have a strong understanding bonds because 1) bonds are boring and 2) bonds are complicated. ‘Boring and complicated’ don’t make for good movie scripts, book plots, or cocktail hour conversations. My objective…Read More