Brandon Renfro

If you’re starting to save for one or more financial goals or just want to make sure you’re saving enough, you might be asking yourself if saving $1,000 per month is good. While it is, of course, good to save, a more personal analysis will help you see if it puts you on track to… Continue reading Is Saving $1,000 a Month Good?

A recent study from Northwestern Mutual found that the average American believes they’ll need $1.46 million to retire comfortably. That number is interesting, and I’m sure it accurately reflects the average. However, I sometimes cringe when I see these stats because I know some people will read them and get the wrong idea, concluding they… Continue reading I Am a Retirement Planner, & Here’s How Much You Really Need to Retire

The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates in its last 10 consecutive meetings. The majority of people who track economic and financial data have been anticipating these moves, given the expanding economy and rising inflation. But what does a rate hike mean? And, to go a step further, what does it mean for you specifically… Continue reading Fed Rate Hikes and What They Mean for Your Retirement Money

You have a lot of options to choose from when deciding how to save for retirement. There are different account types, some of which are provided by your employer and some that you open on your own. There are also many different investments to pick from whether that is inside a retirement account or a… Continue reading IRA or Annuity: Which Is Better for Your Retirement Savings?

Participating in your company’s 401(k) plan is an excellent way to save for retirement. A 401(k) isn’t something that you should just sign up for and forget about, though. There are some things you will need to periodically review to make sure you are getting the most benefit from your savings. The middle of the… Continue reading 401(k) Money Moves to Make Before the End of the Year

If you sell homemade items at craft fairs on the weekends, receive tips via a phone app, or engage in some other sort of business where you accept Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, or certain other forms of payment such as mobile card readers, you probably already know you’re required to report that income to the… Continue reading Getting Paid Through an App? You Should Know About Form 1099-K

In an effort to fight inflation, the Federal Reserve increased its target for the Federal Funds Rate, the rate that banks offer each other on overnight reserve loans, six times in 2022. The target rate rose from almost 0% at the beginning of the year to over 3.25% by the end of the year. This… Continue reading Should You Wait for Mortgage Rates to Go Down Before You Buy a Home?

Depending on how complicated your tax situation is, getting all of your documents together during tax filing season each year can be stressful and time consuming. Even if you aren’t a procrastinator the deadline can sneak up on you quickly, and before you know it you are late. However, did you know that you don’t… Continue reading How & When to File an Income Tax Extension

To issue financial securities such as stocks and bonds, an issuer typically has to register those securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) before they can be made available to the investing public. A notable exception exists for offerings that will be made only to accredited investors.  An accredited investor is a person or… Continue reading What Is an Accredited Investor? Is It Worth It to Become One?

A startup is a company that is still in the beginning stages of development. While the “beginning stages” of a company can be defined in very broad and loose terms, a defining feature of any startup is that it has not yet gone public. In many cases, a startup may still be in the idea… Continue reading How Can Average People Invest in Startup Companies?