Category Archives: Financial Advice

Personal Finance Tips for the New Year

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A new year just started – be sure to review the following to make sure you are financially set up for the next twelve months!

Review Your Beneficiaries

Make any needed updates to the beneficiary portion of your bank and retirement accounts, life insurance policies, IRA accounts, and so on. Choosing a beneficiary for your life insurance policy is important because your beneficiary will be the person(s) your accounts and policies will be payable to upon your death. Have you gotten married or had a child within the last year? This is also something to keep in mind when selecting a beneficiary and deciding if you need to make any changes this year.

It’s also a good idea to name a secondary beneficiary in case your primary beneficiary passes away. Review beneficiaries for all of your accounts annually. January is the perfect month to do so.

Check Your Tax Withholdings

It’s a good idea to review your W-4 form each year. If you remember from last year, it was the first year tax filers did their tax returns under the country’s new legislation. Was your tax return last year smaller than what you were used to in the past? Did you owe money on your taxes? If so, be sure to consult with your tax professional, put some money aside in savings, and review your withholding amount to see if anything should be adjusted.

Go Over Your Insurance Policies

You should also review your insurance policies on an annual basis: health insurance, life insurance, homeowners insurance, and auto insurance. You will want to review each policy to ensure you aren’t paying too much and that you have the right coverage. In looking at your homeowner’s insurance – do you have any newer bigger ticket items over the last twelve months that were not included in the previous year’s policy? If so, be sure to include them as you are reviewing for the new year ahead.

Look at Your Emergency Savings

Hopefully you have an emergency savings account with at least 3-6 months’ worth of savings in it that you don’t touch. If not, make it your new year’s resolution to start one ASAP! An unexpected accident or emergency can really set you back financially, so even if you are only contributing a small amount per paycheck – it’s important to have that back up bank account should you ever need it.

Contribute to a College Savings Fund

If you have children, are you contributing to a college savings fund to prepare for their future? A college education is not inexpensive these days, but there are some tax-advantaged products you can look into that will help you save over time.

Be sure to speak to your financial advisor, or if you are local to Monmouth and Ocean Counties in NJ – make an appointment with one of ours located within our Investment & Retirement Center. Our financial advisors would be happy to discuss 529 plan options with you at any time.*

Financially Plan for the New Year

It’s a brand new year with lots of blank pages – be sure to get a family savings plan in place, think about if you can afford to travel this year in January, or if your family will be celebrating any upcoming milestones this year. If so, think about opening a special savings account and automatically transferring funds from your paychecks into that account to save up for the year ahead.

Get started with a special savings account at First Financial, we are happy to help our members achieve their financial goals and dreams – and get off on the right foot in the new year!**

Article Source: Securian.com

 *Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker/dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. First Financial Federal Credit Union (FFFCU) and The Investment & Retirement Center are not registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using The Investment & Retirement Center, and may also be employees of FFFCU. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from and not affiliates of FFFCU or The Investment & Retirement Center.

Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

**A $5 deposit in a base savings account is required for credit union membership prior to opening any other account. All personal memberships are part of the Rewards First program and a $5 per month non-participation fee is charged to the base savings account for memberships not meeting the minimum requirements of the program. Click here to view full Rewards First program details. 

3 Ways to Recover From a Blown Holiday Budget

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Now that the holiday season has come to a close, you are probably looking at your bank statements and credit card bills with wide eyes.

So, what can you do to get yourself back on track financially after the holidays? Here are three helpful tips to set your budget straight.

Sell, Sell, and Keep Selling

Declutter your house and see what you can sell. It’s one of the easiest ways to get rid of extra things you no longer use, plus make some cash after spending during the holiday season.

  1. First, find out which big items you can sell and then list those on sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or various selling apps (Let go, etc.)
  2. Next, look through your closets for brand name clothing that can be sold on eBay, or apps like Poshmark and Mercari. This can really add up. As you go through your closet, snap pictures of the items you are planning to sell on your smartphone and upload them to the above mentioned apps. See how you do – if your items don’t sell in a few weeks, then put them aside to sell at your yearly yard sale in the warmer weather or make a local clothing bin donation.
  3. Lastly, request a bag from Thredup.com or Kindermint.com and pack them with clothes that your family doesn’t need. Most of the items that don’t sell in steps 1 and 2, will be hand-me-downs or 50-cent-finds, so after awhile if nothing is selling and you only get a couple dollars for your items – you are still coming out ahead.

Don’t Spend Money in January

Have you ever tried a month without spending money? The idea is that you cut unnecessary spending (eating out, home décor buys, clothes, and so on), and eat out of your pantry, fridge, and freezer for the entire month.

You are permitted to give yourself $20-40 a week to spend on milk, eggs, bread, and fruit/vegetables at the grocery store – but that’s it!

This is a great time to use up any food items that you may have around but forgot about. Plus, an extra $300 or more would be nice to put toward any credit card debt, or replenish your savings account – right?

Earn Additional Income

Does your job allow you to add overtime or do freelance work? If so, take advantage in January and February to help you pay down those holiday bills.

Be creative. Perhaps you can ask your employer for overtime opportunities, or take on a small baby/pet-sitting position. Even renting out your home or car, can produce extra income if you have the means to do so and live/commute another way.

Recovering from high spending like the holiday season can be tough, but with these steps you can overcome that blown budget relatively quickly and start off the new year on a better financial path.

Article Source:  Ashley Eneriz for Moneyning.com

The Rising Cost of Healthcare

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It’s open enrollment season, and most of us are thinking about the best healthcare option for us going into the new year. Only one thing is certain when it comes to healthcare: the cost for us to stay healthy is constantly increasing. When it comes time to choose a plan, there are multiple factors to consider so you can budget wisely.

Choose your plans based on more than the premium. 

People often select their healthcare plan based on the monthly fee they will pay for coverage. However, when you choose a plan based solely on this component, you could end up paying more in the long run. There are several other factors to consider when choosing a healthcare plan that will fit your health as well as your financial needs. Factors include:

  • Co-payment (the flat dollar amount you pay when you need care)
  • Deductible (the amount you must pay before the insurance begins to pay)
  • Co-insurance (the percentage of permitted charges for covered services that you’re required to pay)
  • Maximum out-of-pocket costs (the maximum amount you will pay for healthcare services).

Take your previous health history into account. 

You can’t predict the exact amount of insurance you or your family will need. However, you can take your past medical history and family medical history into account when you’re selecting a plan.
By taking these factors into account, you should be able to get a ballpark idea of the amount of coverage you’ll need, barring no serious medical emergencies.

Choose wisely. 

When you’ve signed on for healthcare coverage and the open enrollment period passes, you aren’t able to change your plan during the year unless you experience a big life event. Healthcare.gov describes a big life event as marriage, having a baby, or losing your other healthcare coverage. If you experience one of those situations, you can typically amend your plan outside of open enrollment. Because of this, it’s important to choose a plan that works best for your health as well as your budget.

Plan ahead.

While healthcare coverage can be good to have when it comes to covering medical expenses, it never hurts to have extra funds. Before an unexpected medical expense arises, plan ahead and set aside some money every month in a savings account. Anything you can stow away for a rainy day will be helpful when the time comes to use those extra funds.

First Financial is here to help. Talk to one of our Member Service Representatives today about setting up a special savings account and be prepared for the unexpected.**
Like most things in life, there’s no one-size-fits-all health insurance plan. You have to choose the best one for you and your budget.

*This blog was written for financial purposes only, and not written by a healthcare professional. This article should not be taken as medical advice.

**A $5 deposit in a base savings account is required for credit union membership prior to opening any other account. All personal memberships are part of the Rewards First program and a $5 per month non-participation fee is charged to the base savings account for memberships not meeting the minimum requirements of the program. Click here to view full Rewards First program details. 

3 Steps to Reduce Your Impulse Spending

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It can be tough to resist spending money. When you see something you want, especially when it’s at a price you like – it can be difficult to keep from making the purchase. With the way the internet and our smartphone apps have made it so easy to shop, the solution isn’t as simple as just avoiding the stores. If you’ve got an itch for shopping, here are three steps you can take to help you get back in control of your finances.

Take your time: During an impulse buy, for the most part – the whole process from finding the item to paying for it only takes a few minutes. Next time you’re about to hit the “buy now” button, slow down. Put the item in your online shopping cart, but wait before completing the transaction. Try not to buy anything the day you add it to your online cart. Let it sit and think – do you really need this item?

Think it over: If you’re still thinking about that item after sleeping on it, go back into your online shopping cart. In your cart you’ll be able to see the total price (including taxes and shipping), and decide for yourself if the item is really worth that total cost. At this point, look around some more online and try to find a better deal, but still – don’t buy the item (yet). After you’ve done all your research, put the item on your wish list or save it for later.

Be ready: You’ve thought about your purchase for days now, and you know you’re going to buy the item. You’ve done the research and you’ve found the lowest price. Do you have the money to make the purchase in your checking account? If the answer is yes, then go ahead and complete the transaction. If you don’t have the money now, save and start the process over when you’ve saved up enough to buy it without going into debt.

These same steps work for in store impulse purchases too. If you see something you’d like to buy when physically in the store – think about it for a day. The next day do some comparison shopping to make sure you are getting the best price. Still want the item on the 3rd day and you have shopped around and have the money to buy it? Head back to the store and make your purchase.

It pays (literally), to be a savvy shopper and reduce your impulse purchases!

Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com

How to Create an Easy to Follow Budget

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Are you the type of person that when you see something you like, you just buy it? It really is important to plan for the future and really take hold of your finances. If you or someone you know doesn’t budget well, here are a few easy ways to get started.

Housing: This category will most likely be the largest portion of your budget. If you’re a homeowner, along with the mortgage, insurance, and property taxes – make sure you include necessary utilities (gas, sewer, electric, etc.), and some extra cash for any emergency repairs. If you’re renting, you’ll still have to budget for your monthly rent and any utilities.

Transportation: When it comes to transportation, there’s a lot more than just your monthly car payment. Gas, insurance, and preventative maintenance such as oil changes – should also be included within your budget. This is another area where it’s a good idea to save some extra cash for any repairs you may not see coming. Planning ahead will help keep your car on the road, which will also keep money in your pocket.

Life: This budget category will cover a lot (think food, health insurance, medical, clothing, entertainment, wireless, tuition, childcare, etc.). All of these items will add up to a sizable portion of your budget. You may need to separate some into their own category and monitor them.

Debt and Savings: This final category is one of the most important. Saving money for your future (401k, Roth IRA) is something you want to make sure you’re doing every month. The earlier you start, the better. You’ll be surprised at how a little each month can add up over time when you make use of compound interest. Also, make sure you’re steadily paying down any debt you have – so you can enjoy your financial freedom.

Need help setting up a budget? Check out our budgeting guide.

Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com

How to Make Your Money Work for You

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Every day you hustle. You’re working hard for your money, but have you ever stopped to think about how your money can work for you?

Making your money work for you goes beyond an emergency fund or simply being debt free – although, both concepts are a necessity in this instance. It’s about taking the money you’re already making and making it generate returns for you.

But, how? There’s no simple answer or even a single way to do it, but these tips can help you get started.

Get out of debt.

First things first, if you have debt – get rid of it. After all, you can’t invest in your future if you’re giving your money to other people or lenders. The first step to a debt-free life is figuring out exactly how much you owe. Most people don’t even know how much debt they’re in, according to a study from The Federal Reserve. Once you know how much debt you have, decide how you’re going to pay your debt off.

Budget.

The most important way to change the way you handle your money is to budget. By creating a budget, you are telling your money what you want it to do. When you assign each dollar into a category, you’re controlling where your money goes and what it does. It’s a great first step in reaching your financial goals. Think about it this way: your budget is like a fitness tracker in that it helps you monitor your money. When you monitor your money and know where it is and what it’s doing, it’s easier to make it do what you want it to do.

 Utilize retirement accounts.

Don’t sleep on opportunities to invest in a 401(k) or Roth IRA. A 401(k) allows you to contribute pre-tax money into your account, and you may even be able to get free money from your employer in the process too. Think about it like this: You earn $100,000 a year and your company offers a 3% match on your 401(k). If you invest $3,000 (3% percent of $100,000), and your company matches that – $6,000 will go into your 401(k). A Roth IRA works just a little differently. Unlike the 401(k), a Roth IRA leverages after-tax income. However, when you begin to withdraw the money at retirement, you won’t pay taxes on your withdrawals.

Start a side hustle.

Uber, GrubHub, Instagram – all of these companies began with an idea that blossomed into billion dollar companies. What’s your passion and can you turn that into a billion dollar idea? Consider starting a side hustle and find ways to make some extra money. It could be a traditional second job, a work-from-home job, or turning your ideas into ways that add to your savings. If you can structure your budget and expenses around your primary source of income, any money you make from your side hustle ideally would go straight into your savings.

 Create passive income streams.

Passive income is money you earn with little to no effort involved. Once it’s set up, passive income will earn you money while you sleep. For example, a rental property is a source of passive income. Creative passive income does require some type of investment upfront, whether that’s time, money or both – but it’s an investment that can lead to a bigger payoff later.

Building your future is important, and it takes a lot of hard work. At First Financial, we’re just as interested in your future as you are. We want to help you take the necessary steps to make your financial dreams come true. Maybe you need to consolidate your debt or look at options to pay off some debt. Maybe you’re looking to refinance your car in order to lower your payments and save a little money each month. Whatever it is, we’re here to help you. Stop by and see us or give us a call to get started!