May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month, so it’s the perfect time to consider how your disability insurance policy factors into your overall financial plan. According to the Council for Disability Awareness, just over 1 in 4 of today’s 20-year-olds entering the workforce will become disabled for three months or more before they retire. Disability insurance
Each member of Elevations Credit Union is an equal owner of our financial institution, and we provide a variety of resources to empower our members with financial education and help them succeed. Seminars: We offer seminars on topics like retirement, home buying, financial planning and insurance. Sign up for one today! Our website and blog: Find
According to the Bureau of Labor’s Consumer Price Index, from December 2005 to December 2015, the average cost of a college education has gone up 55%. With the ever rising costs of tuition, it’s important to start saving early for your child’s college education. Read on for an overview of various ways to save for
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Elevations Credit Union is committed to education and financial literacy at all life stages. And it’s never too early. In fact, research suggests that the elementary years may be the window of opportunity during which education can influence financial behavior in later life. Unfortunately, we still don’t have a
What’s the difference between a credit union and a bank? In his video blog, Gerry Agnes, President & CEO of Elevations Credit Union, explains that credit unions are not-for-profit financial cooperatives owned by members of the community. Banks, on the other hand, are owned by their stockholders, and they’re designed to make profits. Fundamentally, this
Throughout your career, you may face important decisions involving your retirement savings plan. For example, if your plan provides for Roth contributions, you’ll want to review the differences between these and traditional pretax contributions to determine the best strategy for your situation. While pretax contributions offer an upfront tax benefit, you’ll have to pay taxes
With just a few short years until you celebrate the major step into retirement, it’s time to begin thinking about when and how you will begin drawing down your retirement plan assets. You might also want to adjust your investment allocations with an eye toward asset protection (although it’s still important to pursue a bit
The latter stage of your career can bring a wide variety of challenges and opportunities. Older children typically come with bigger expenses. College bills may be making their way to your mailbox or inbox. You may find yourself having to take time off unexpectedly to care for aging parents, a spouse, or even yourself. As
In addition to looking at your debt-to-income ratio and credit report, there are several other considerations underwriters take into account when reviewing your loan application. In this third and final part of our “Apply for a Loan” series, look at three additional questions underwriters ask. 1. How stable is your income? If you’ve been at your
When you’re considering applying for a loan, understand how underwriters look at you and calculate your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), plus take into consideration your financial situation and obligations to feel comfortable, as well.
