Education – Page 4

Do you need help from a Financial Advisor?

We seek help from professionals in all different things such as doctors and accountants, so why not consider using a financial advisor to plan your financial future. Perhaps it’s the result of our grandparent’s generation and a fundamental lack of trust when it comes to sharing our financial situation with others. But could it be that this is one area where we are simply afraid to admit that we do not hold the answers? It’s money after all; we should be able to control it, where it’s going, and what it will do when it gets there right? I’m afraid the answer to that would be, “Not exactly.”

Just as the tax codes in this country have become so complicated that you need a magic decoder ring to sort through them and pay your taxes, so have the rules and regulations when it comes to setting aside funds for the specific purpose of financial retirement planning. One of the reasons they are so complicated is because that many of the plans have unique and very specific tax benefits either before or after the money is received. In other words, don’t put away those magic decoder rings too quickly. You may need them in a few years.

The bottom line is that a good financial planner can help you navigate your way through the treacherous territory of taxes in relation to your financial planning and so much more. Most importantly, however, a good financial planner can clue you into opportunities that you may not know about or may not know enough about. It is their business to know about the many opportunities that exist to set aside and make money for you and your family.

A good financial planner can help you plan for so much more than retirement. In fact, a very good financial planner can help you plan for your retirement, the college funds for your children, emergency funds for life’s little mishaps, and a little bit to put towards those special purchases we like to make along the way.

They can do all the things mentioned above by assessing your current situation, your future needs, your current means, and your future goals. They will discuss spending issues that may be problematic, make suggestions, and help you come up with a realistic plan for meeting your goals. Their work doesn’t stop there, however. They will monitor your progress and when necessary make adjustments that will help you get back on track with your financial planning.

Many people feel that they are perfectly capable of doing this on their own and the truth of the matter is that some people are. The clear majority of us, however, lack the discipline, willpower, and the knowledge of investment strategies to make nearly the return on our investments that a good financial planner will yield. When planning your financial retirement and the future of your family you should keep the bottom line in mind always. If a good financial planner can net you $100,000 or more in retirement funds over time, he’s well worth the price you pay for his service.

Some of the best things about a financial advisor are that you won’t have to pay the sometimes-high price that comes with learning from your mistakes. You will have his or her knowledge and experience working for your money rather than your own inexperience risking it. He or she can also help you with estate planning and tax guidance so that you aren’t left floundering in these matters. He or she can also help you determine your insurance needs to protect those you leave behind. A good financial advisor will help you to maximize your retirement fund so you have what you need in the future.

Discover the secrets why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. Click Here to view a video with more life tips! In closing, I invite you to share your commits on this and all the posts. Like us on Facebook and Google Plus. Remember to keep an open mind and Shift 4 Freedom.

Are Your Limiting Beliefs Stopping You from Achieving Your Goals?

Everyone has conscious or subconscious ideas that can become limiting beliefs that stop us from achieving our goals if we let them. Sometimes these beliefs are instilled in us in childhood and sometimes we create them ourselves. An example of a limiting belief that can get in your way of success is how you see yourself with money.

If you believe you will always struggle and always be poor, chances are you’ll set yourself up for failure. Your limiting belief that you’re poor and that you always will be poor becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The same can be said about anything negative in your life that limits you – whether it’s career, education, or personal such as being healthy and of normal weight. If you see yourself a certain way, it can be hard to change that view and let go of that limiting belief.

There are eight telling phrases that point to a limiting belief:

“It’s hopeless” – Anytime you use the word “never” is a clue that you’re focusing on a limiting belief. For example: “I’ll never have any money because you need money to make money.”

“I’m helpless” – When most people feel uneducated or helpless, they blame their circumstances instead of working to change them. “I can’t manage my money because I don’t know how” sounds insightful, but the part that’s missing is the feeling of helplessness when all you need to do is take a personal finance course or practice the lessons in “Smart Money Systems”.

“It’s useless” – The idea that nothing you do will make a difference is that you believe that any action you take won’t make a difference. “It doesn’t matter if I work out an hour a day, I won’t lose weight anyway.” How do you know? Have you tried to do anything for longer than a couple of weeks?

“It’s the universe” – Sometimes a limiting belief has to do with the idea that outside forces that you can’t control are at work keeping you down. You can’t find a job or get clients because the economy sucks, where you live is depressed, you don’t have the right clothing and so forth, but you do nothing in your power to change it because it’s destiny. “Everything happens for a reason” type of thinking can be very limiting and make you feel powerless.

“I’m worthless” – The idea that you’re not smart enough or good enough to do what you really want can be a very strong limiting belief system and seems to affect women more than men. You feel you’re not pretty enough, smart enough, or good enough to have something, so you don’t take the steps to achieve it because you don’t feel that you deserve it.

“It’s genetic” – While there are certainly some instances where genetics play a huge role in a person’s life, the truth is that almost everything that is genetic can be fixed with the right mindset, training, exercise, and outlook. You’re not stuck with your genetics, but if you think you are, you may not try any of the things to pull yourself out of the rut you’re stuck in.

“I’ll fail” – The truth is the fear of failure is something most people have a limiting belief. “I’m a bad public speaker so if I do it, I’ll be judged, and I’ll fail anyway so why try” is a common refrain. But, how can you set that belief in stone if you’ve not tried?

“I’m different” – The limiting belief about being different is that different is necessarily bad. You don’t want to be who you are because you’re different and you’ll be looked at as different by other people. You’re afraid to be who you are, and because of that you don’t even know who you are, and you’re too scared to find out due to fear of rejection and ending up alone.

If you ever hear any of these phrases go through your head, try to disconnect from them, and turn them around to “why not me” instead of “why me.” Always ask “why not me” because the truth is, you’re not feeling anything different from anyone else who has made goals and achieved them. The difference is in the doing, not the intelligence or talent.

You can have anything you want if you are willing to put in the time, effort and plans to get to your goals. Discover the secrets why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. Click Here to view a video with more life tips! In closing, I invite you to share your commits on this and all the posts. Like us on Facebook and Google Plus. Remember to keep an open mind and Shift 4 Freedom.

A Community College Education is a Good Start

Many people search and search for the University they will attend upon graduation from high school. Eager students look forward to their time at university while parents wring their hands hoping that their children choose to attend a university that is not only close to home but also within their budget limitations. Another worry that parents have when their children decide to attend college is whether that university they attend will have the specialized and individualized services that their children were accustomed to receiving in high school. Face, it; larger universities tend to be rather impersonal when it comes to the education of their students.

One answer to all those worries and more is to transition your students from high school to a two-year college rather than throwing them to the University wolves so to speak. Many people find that two-year colleges can, in fact, provide superior educations to four-year universities for those first two years or foundation college level courses. You will not get the specialized or specific instruction in a two-year college that is available to upper-level students on a university level but most students find the first two years of their college educations focused on getting the requirement and prerequisite courses rather than the specialized courses in their intended field of study.

Many people also find that those first two years at a community college-transitioning from a small pond to a larger lake-are much easier to handle than going straight from high school to a university-out of the pond and into the ocean. Universities often have lower level classes as auditorium classes. These classes offer little individual instruction and are often sink or swim sorts of classes. Those students who have special learning needs are often lost in the shuffle when entering a university. Community colleges offer smaller classes and ample opportunities for tutoring as well as classes on how to learn to study.

Two-year colleges are also much easier on the budget than most universities. Most people find that community college does not place nearly the financial burdens on families that universities place. Add to that the fact that most community colleges offer very flexible class scheduling and even some courses online and you will find that there are many reasons to consider community college that go well beyond mere budgeting requirements.

Another benefit to students who wish to enter the work force sooner rather than later is that you can get a degree or certification in certain programs from a two-year college. This means that you can actually graduate and begin earning much sooner than if you were to attend a four-year college in search of a degree. If you aren’t sure you want to invest the next four or five years of your life in pursuit of a degree or you simply aren’t ready to commit yourself to one line of work for the rest of your life it is an innovative idea to spend two years in a community college rather than making the leap straight into a university setting.

If you are considering whether a community college or two-year education is the best course of action for your specific needs, I really recommend creating a list of pros and cons of each and balancing your budget to see where your needs are most likely to be fully met. Remember you can always transfer to a university once you’ve completed your two-year college education or at any time during that education if you meet the universities admission requirements. Good luck and remember that your college education is one of the largest indicators of your future earning potential so take it seriously.

Credit Card Fees – Lead to Staggering Amounts of Debt

Money is tight for a lot of people, and most of us are forced to live paycheck to paycheck. We also tend to rely on things like credit cards to get us by. This has led to staggering amounts of debt for thousands of people. Credit card debt is one of the primary forms of debt in America because of this. So, if you are one of the people in debt, you know how stressful it can be and how much you wish you could claw your way out.

Dealing with all the Credit Card Fees, the endless phone calls from your creditors, the stress of knowing that most of your money is going to just pay off these things, all the while forcing you to continue to use them. It is a vicious cycle that can be exceptionally difficult to break.

But while it is difficult to break, it is by no means impossible. In fact, there are some simple tips you can use to slowly pull yourself out of the hole of credit card debt.

The first step in getting out of debt is to create a budget. Look at how much money you get every month, then look at how much money you spend every month. If you sit down and look at your expenses, I am sure you will notice a lot of frivolous things that you can cut out to help yourself with those Credit Card Fees. Something as simple as getting a coffee in the morning can really add up.

If you can cut down these unnecessary expenses, you can then take that extra money and apply it to your debt. It may be tempting to throw it at your largest debt first, but this is the wrong move. We need our little victories, and it is also a snowball effect. So, if you have multiple credit cards and are in debt with each, look at the one with the least amount of debt.

If you take that money you are saving and put it all towards paying off the lowest credit card, you can make some serious progress and pay it off quite quickly. This will give you that victory you need, it will boost your morale as you can see you really can claw your way out.

But that is only the beginning. From there you will want to apply, not only the money you had been saving by cutting back on unnecessary expense but also the money you are saving by not having to make payments on that credit card. Now you will have a lot more money every month that you can apply to the next lowest debt.

It is a rinse and repeat process from here on out. You just take the money you save by paying off a card and apply it to the next highest one. It will take a long time to knock out those Credit Card Fees if you are deep in debt, and you may need to do some extra work to get there. But by utilizing this method you can make some serious headway in your fight against your debt.

How to Create a Pattern of Success

Once you experience success you will be able to look back and realize that you achieve all success pretty much the same way. You set a goal, follow through on the tasks needed to be done for achieving results, keep an open mind, learn from others, track your successes, (most important) to learn from failure and do not give up! Regardless to the people or obstacles that attempted to block your path. It’s the same thing, over and over again. And it works.

If you want to create a pattern of success in your life, you can start now by learning the secret that successful people know. Successful people are only special because they are doers and follow through. They are not smarter than others; in fact, it is entirely possible you are smarter on paper than they are. You just don’t follow through.

Become a Goal Setting Expert

Start at the top and learn how to craft the best goals for yourself. Know that the goal is something that can be accomplished and know that the goal is measurable before you finish writing it. Most of all, make sure it’s a goal that you really want to achieve. Know the difference between a goal and a dream, one has a date and steps to achieve it.

Schedule Everything

People who achieve are doers. If you want to get something done, schedule it no matter how silly it might seem to you. If you put it in a scheduled time, and not just on a generic “to do” list, it will be more likely that you get it done.

For instance, if you have set a goal to write an 80,000-word novel by a certain date, then you should know how many pages you need to get done each week and which days you can work on it, which times, hours, and how long it takes you to write a page. Successful writers write; they don’t wait for inspiration to strike. They schedule it, and do it. The same can be said for anything you want to achieve. You don’t wait until you want to do it; you do it on schedule.

Automate the Mundane

There are a lot of things that need to be done but that can escalate easily into “busy work” which doesn’t get you closer to a goal. Bookkeeping for instance is something that can be accomplished today, with the right software, almost automatically. You can schedule payments to happen automatically; you can also use software that enters everything for you in the ledger. Freeing up time to focus on your scheduled activities that must be done to achieve the goal is a more productive use of time.

Get Outside Expert Help

To be a success doesn’t mean you should do everything yourself. You’re not on your own. The best scientists, professors, doctors, lawyers, and CEOs have assistants who help them look great. You too can hire outside help and contractors to help you do the tasks needed to reach your goals. Other than doing exercise for you and thing you must do physically for yourself, there isn’t much you can’t outsource today.

Stop Reinventing the Wheel

In most cases, someone has already done it before you. Someone has already worked out the kinks and devised a plan of action that will work for you too with hardly any tweaks. Learn from other people’s mistakes and realize that you can gain valuable information from what others are already doing.

Never Stop Learning

They say it takes ten thousand hours of reading about a topic to become an expert on any subject. Keep this in mind as you look toward your future and set your goals. If you want to be an expert, you’ll need to start today building up those ten thousand hours. Even if you know nothing about a topic today, you can be an expert in just ten thousand hours.

Know Your Core Values

As you set goals to create a pattern of success, it’s imperative that you know what your core values are in terms of family, personal, physical and your financial life. Everyone has different areas they need to work on more than others – you need to know what your areas are to set realistic goals that you want to meet.

Track, Assess, Repeat

Nothing is ever done without the paperwork, as they say. Well, that includes creating a pattern of success. Only by setting goals, then tracking and assessing the results of the goals, and then repeating what works will you create a pattern of success.

Creating a pattern of success requires knowledge of goal setting, and goal achieving, and an in-depth knowledge of yourself. Starting today you can gain that knowledge and create a real pattern of success in your life.

Fresh Start To Freedom

Discover the secrets why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. Click Here to view a video with more life tips! If you would like to join us request a promotional code to begin changing the tide of money toward you. In closing, I invite you to share your commits on this and all the posts. Like us on Facebook and Google Plus. Remember to keep an open mind and Shift 4 Freedom.