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With a new year comes New Year’s resolutions, and although we start the year with good intentions, oftentimes many resolutions fall by the wayside. Some of the most common resolutions include losing weight, spending more time with family and friends, learning a new hobby and getting organized. Taking care of oneself should be at the top of everyone’s New Year’s resolution list, but for many of us we feel the need to take care of others before taking care of ourselves.

As we become adults, one would assume that naturally we also become more attuned to finances and how to apply that knowledge to the real world. However, that is not always the case. According to FINRA’s ongoing National Financial Capability Study, 63% of Americans are financially illiterate. Perhaps this ineptitude comes from a lack of understanding on a foundational level. An ongoing concern is that children are not receiving the education they need to make successful financial decisions...

As technologies offer new and faster ways for people to “connect” and communicate, the world is experiencing a growing trend toward self-selected isolation, automation and even an outright preference to avoid human interaction. As a result, service and convenience are increasingly viewed as “better” when the person requiring service does not have to actually deal with another human being. In fact, many of the companies with the highest-rated customer service are now technology companies...

Life is filled with stress, and both financial and emotional change in the workplace and at home—expected or not—can certainly increase your anxiety level. According to the American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America™ survey, money and work remain the two most commonly reported sources of stress, and losing or changing a job can be found at the top of any “life’s biggest stressors” list.