Rapids Blog

As new college graduates, young professionals, and others in their twenties launch their careers, they get bombarded with tempting ways to spend money. For many, handling a more considerable income and “adult” expenses like rent, utilities, and insurance, is a new experience. Now more than ever, money management will be a skill needed to meet future saving and investing goals. Here are tips for twenty-somethings to help control spending and manage their money.

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This month, we look at creating a will. It’s not always an easy thing to think about, but preparing for your end of life will ultimately ensure your property is distributed as you wish, and to the benefit of those you care about most. In this article, we discuss why a will is important and how to create one. While creating a will may not help your personal financial fitness, it can help your beneficiaries.

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There are many benefits to focusing on paying down debt. Paying off consumer debt protects your financial stability. Plus, less debt means less money spent on interest charges, extra funds for other necessities, money to put into savings, or to use on discretional spending. Below are a few simple ways to lower your credit card debt in April (and for the rest of the year).

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This month, we focus on preparing for taxes. The tax deadline (May 17th this year) is almost here, and you should have been receiving tax documents from your employers, financial institutions, and vendors. If you haven’t started yet, this is the perfect time to get organized, get going, and get your taxes filed. After all, if you have a refund coming, the sooner you get your refund in, the sooner you will see that money.

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No matter what financial freedom means to you, the road to this destination is not easy. It is best to think of the road to financial freedom as a series of small steps instead of a sprint to the finish line. You may dream of winning the lottery and quitting your job the next day, but that is unlikely to happen. If you want to pursue financial freedom on your terms, you need to start with a realistic goal.

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Some anticipate retirement years as a time for new adventures, travel, and pursuing postponed hobbies. Approximately half of working Americans retire between the ages of 61 and 65. For a growing number of seniors, delaying retirement is becoming more common. If you are considering delaying your retirement, there are a few possible benefits of holding off retirement even for a short time.

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According to the Federal Reserve, American credit card debt was nearly one trillion dollars at the end of the third quarter of 2020. This considerable amount of consumer debt means that many families need strategies to help them get out of debt. We have identified eight strategies that you can use to help you reduce your debt load and get your financial situation back on track.

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If you are like most American workers, you will likely be responsible for saving most of the money you will need for retirement. That's because many companies have replaced defined-benefit (or pension) plans with defined-contribution (or 401k) plans. Furthermore, Social Security will only cover a fraction of the income you will likely need after retirement. Here are our favorite tips on how to avoid outliving your money during retirement.

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Scammers and con artists capitalize on events such as pandemics to take advantage of vulnerable people. The most attractive targets are those that are alone and fearful. Pandemic scams can come in many forms, but generally, scammers either try to ask you for your money directly or try to get your personal information so that they may access your money. Here are three common scams identified during the pandemic for you to watch out for.

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As you and your significant other plan for the big day and your life together, there is a lot to take into consideration. And as fun as planning your wedding may be, don’t forget about your taxes as well – just because you have hearts and flowers on your mind doesn’t mean that taxes will go into retreat!

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