A review of some options for federal and private loans. Are you dealing with student loan debt? Have you explored ways to try and restructure it or have it forgiven? No one wants to carry five figures of education debt into middle age or retirement, but some do. The burden is not just financial. Last fall, the Madison Capital Times asked student loan borrowers in the state of Wisconsin how they felt about their education debt. Sixteen percent said they were “terrified” of it,

Behaviors worth changing for the New Year. Do bad money habits constrain your financial progress? Many people fall into the same financial behavior patterns year after year. If you sometimes succumb to these financial tendencies, the New Year is as good an occasion as any to alter your behavior. #1: Lending money to family & friends. You may know someone who has lent a few thousand to a sister or brother, a few hundred to an old buddy, and so on. Generosity is a virtue, but p

Take these financial lessons to heart. You have a chance to manage your money better than previous generations have. Some crucial financial steps may help you do just that. Live below your means and refrain from living on margin. How much do you save per month? Generations ago, Americans routinely saved 10% or more of what they made, either depositing those savings or investing them. This kind of thriftiness is still found elsewhere in the world. Today, the average euro area

Read this before your new venture starts up. Aiming to start a business? What steps could you take that might promote success and longevity for your company? Here are several. Write a business plan. You will have a tough time attracting an investor without one. Potential hires may want to see your business plan as well. Your plan should establish milestones for your company and include metrics by which you can judge your success. It should detail your revenue model, incorpora

Contending with the possibility of widowhood. On average, women outlive their husbands. According to the Social Security Administration’s estimate, the average 65-year-old woman will outlive the average 65-year-old man by more than two years, dying at age 86½. Averages aside, it also estimates that about a quarter of today’s 65-year-olds will live into their nineties. Around 10% will live to age 95 or beyond.1 Eyeing these figures, it is easy to deduce that some women may out