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'Tis the Season for Scammers: 3 Steps to Spot Charity Fraud   Thumbnail

'Tis the Season for Scammers: 3 Steps to Spot Charity Fraud

For many people, the holiday season is when you enjoy family and friends and give a little back to those in need. Charitable giving is its highest during the holiday months. While many legitimate charities are out there looking for support, there are also scammers looking to take advantage of the holiday goodwill. Not sure whether a charity you want to contribute to is on the up-and-up? Below are a few steps you may take to see if the charity is fraudulent.

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30 Days of Gratitude Thumbnail

30 Days of Gratitude

Between the excitement of Thanksgiving’s delicious feast and the hustle and bustle of the impending holiday season, the month of November often goes by in the blink of an eye. However, even just one simple act a day will help you to stay grateful throughout the month. In need of a little inspiration? Use this checklist of ideas.

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The Trick-or-Treat Transition Thumbnail

The Trick-or-Treat Transition

For the first time in 12 years, my kids asked if they could trick-or-treat with their friends instead of with me. Let’s pause for a moment to allow this devastating question to sink in... Okay, so technically only Ella asked, but that led to Seren deserting me as well. It is time to come to terms with the fact that they don’t want to hang out with me anymore. I am no longer fun.

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Football, Finances, and Fumbles: What to Do When Life Calls an Audible Thumbnail

Football, Finances, and Fumbles: What to Do When Life Calls an Audible

Are you a football fan? If so, you understand the significance of an audible call at the line of scrimmage and how sometimes you are also forced to call an audible in life. Modern football has evolved since the late 19th century when Walter Camp at Yale University first pushed the idea of a quarterback receiving the ball from someone at the line of scrimmage. Over the years, players and referees have had to adapt to changes in the rules and new technologies. Flexibility and being able to adapt quickly are crucial skills that can help you navigate many aspects of your life, including financially. When it comes to emergency preparedness and planning, we often think about small steps taken over a long period of time. For example:

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ChatGPT-powered Wall Street: The benefits and perils of using artificial intelligence to trade stocks and other financial instruments Thumbnail

ChatGPT-powered Wall Street: The benefits and perils of using artificial intelligence to trade stocks and other financial instruments

Artificial Intelligence-powered tools, such as ChatGPT, have the potential to revolutionize the efficiency, effectiveness and speed of the work humans do. And this is true in financial markets as much as in sectors like health care, manufacturing and pretty much every other aspect of our lives. I’ve been researching financial markets and algorithmic trading for 14 years. While AI offers lots of benefits, the growing use of these technologies in financial markets also points to potential perils. A look at Wall Street’s past efforts to speed up trading by embracing computers and AI offers important lessons on the implications of using them for decision-making. Program trading fuels Black Monday

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Tax-Advantaged Ways to Save for College  Thumbnail

Tax-Advantaged Ways to Save for College

In the college savings game, all strategies aren't created equal. The best savings vehicles offer special tax advantages if the funds are used to pay for college. Tax-advantaged strategies are important because over time, you can potentially accumulate more money with a tax-advantaged investment compared to a taxable investment. Ideally, though, you'll want to choose a savings vehicle that offers you the best combination of tax advantages, financial aid benefits, and flexibility, while meeting your overall investment needs.

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The Different Stages of Financial Freedom   Thumbnail

The Different Stages of Financial Freedom

If you're living paycheck-to-paycheck or stuck in a job you don't love just to pay the bills, it can be easy to feel as though you're financially trapped. But financial freedom doesn't need to be elusive—with some focused and consistent effort, you may be able to achieve financial freedom sooner than you expected. Below, we'll discuss the different stages of the financial freedom journey.

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10 Tips to Work Toward Financial Freedom Thumbnail

10 Tips to Work Toward Financial Freedom

Financial freedom is a state of being in control of one's finances, covering expenses easily, and saving for future goals. Financial freedom enables you to choose how you spend or interact with your money and have the choice to decide what to do with it. Financial freedom is essential to being financially secure and meeting your goals. Here are ten tips to help you develop financial freedom.

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