On July 4, we shoot fireworks, attend picnics, watch parades and otherwise celebrate our nation’s independence and the many freedoms we enjoy. But as you go through life, you’ll find out how important it is to work towards another type of freedom — financial freedom. That’s why you need to put strategies in place to help you work towards your own Financial Independence Day.

And there’s no way to “sugar-coat” this task, because it will be challenging. In recent years, a combination of factors — including depressed housing prices, rising health care costs read more »

In recent months, you may have heard a lot about investing in gold. But is gold the right choice for you? Actually, many factors are involved in this investment decision — and you’ll want to consider these factors before you invest.

Of course, the lure of gold is undeniable. Throughout history, gold has been perceived as having great intrinsic value. And this year, as you may know, gold prices have hit record highs, at well over $1,200 an ounce, as people have sought “shelter” from the stormy financial markets. read more »

It’s been about a year since stock prices hit their low point during the long bear market. Since then, of course, we’ve seen a big rally, but some of the decisions you made when the market was at its lowest point may still be affecting your portfolio’s performance and prospects. So now that we’ve reached the one-year anniversary of the market bottom, it’s a good time to see where you are today and how you can prepare for tomorrow. read more »