Financial Decisions

Maggie L. Walker was a pioneering entrepreneur, civil rights and women’s rights activist and the first woman of any race to charter and become president of a bank in the U.S. — the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank.1 She overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to transform the state of banking in the middle of Jim Crow. Maggie L. Walker dedicated her life to closing the wealth gap and to empowering all Americans to achieve a more secure financial future…one penny at a time. This is her story.

This is an account of Madam C.J. Walker, an African-American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and social activist. She rose from poverty and was the first documented American female self-made millionaire recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.² Madam Walker created a beauty business hiring black women as a means to support themselves, and provided a needed service to her community. She donated generously and supported the NAACP to help stop lynching and empower future African-American lives.¹ This is her story.

This is an account of an amazing woman by the name of Oseola McCarty, an African-American cleaning woman from Mississippi who saved over $150,000 during her lifetime and then donated it to a scholarship fund at the University of Mississippi for deserving students who otherwise may not get the chance to go to college. She was also a Presidential Citizens Medal winner and inspired others to give. This is her story.

Building wealth this year needs focus and dedication because investment trends have changed as people develop creative ways of making money. You need to remain focused, dedicated, and with the right knowledge to make a great investment that will give you a bang for your buck.

If your finances are a bit out of control, there are many things you can do to gain back stability. Paying off debt is an essential part of getting your financial life in order.

Planning for significant life transitions is central to financial planning. As recent first-time parents, we can say with confidence that there may be no greater transition in life than starting a family.

Making the most of your income

As the markets change, the value of each security in your portfolio will increase or decrease at a different rate of return; changing the overall weightings of your investments. Periodic reviews of your investment portfolio help keep your retirement strategy on track.

For many of us that are used to going into an office, working from home on a daily basis is not the norm. Read for tips on how to be successful working from home.

The market may fluctuate but focusing on things you can control will help you resist the urge to react on impulse.

Feeling anxious and unsure about the future? Take these 5 steps to help plan for your tomorrow.

Americans are living longer these days. That's a positive thing in theory, but from a retirement-planning standpoint, it can be challenging. After all, there's a difference between needing your retirement savings to last 20 years versus 30 years or more.