Good Financial Reads: Open Enrollment Season, Racing Without Your Shoes, and More

Following along with the blogs of financial advisors is a great way to access valuable, educational information about finance — and it doesn’t cost you a thing! Our financial planners love to share their knowledge and help everyone regardless of age or assets.

Catch up on some of the latest posts with this week's roundup:

It's Open Enrollment Season!

by Ed Leach, Upswing Advisor

Open Enrollment is the time of year when your employer allows you to make benefit elections on things like health insurance, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, etc.

We decided to take a look at two tax-advantaged ways for you to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses – the Flexible Spending Account, also known as an “FSA” and the Health Savings Account, also known as the “HSA”.

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Don't Show Up to the Race without Your Shoes!

by Kelly Luethje, Willow Planning Group

With the Fall season approaching and open houses on the rise, you may be considering your options for buying a home. While there are many considerations with making such a large purchase, today’s let’s figure on planning for the down payment.

Before you scan the real estate section next Saturday morning, be sure to consider what amount you can afford to put down on a new home.

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Why People Underrate Psychology When Using Credit Cards

by Aaron Connell, One Brick Planning

I was a having a spirited discussion with a personal finance blogger the other day regarding credit cards and the “rewards”/ cash back bonuses one can earn by using them. I was in agreement with the blogger, if used correctly credit cards can indeed be used to accelerate your business enterprise and give you extra money on items that are deemed “recurring” in nature. The problem with that last sentence is we are overrating human discipline and its complexities.

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Ready to Refinance? Taking Advantage of Low Rates

by Michael Solari, Solari Financial Planning

Refinancing can save you thousands of dollars and cut down your mortgage term over time, so it can be well worth looking into. However, timing is important. You’ll want to pay attention to interest rates. Luckily, mortgage rates are low right now, so consumers stand to benefit from refinancing. Here’s how to take advantage of that:

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