Monthly Archives: November 2021

Accion Venture Lab’s Paul Breloff on FinX

At the end of last year CFSI hosted an in-the-field activity designed to put participants in the shoes of underserved consumers as they attempt to complete several financial transactions. This particular FinX event shared the focus area of the Financial Solutions Lab first innovation challenge which will be launching next month, household cash flow management.…

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Crowdfunding – A Promising Innovation for Improving Access to Financial Services

Crowdsourcing is reshaping the way we think about the marketplace. Why? Because it simulates an open market environment very well. It allows providers to swarm into a market space and sell products and services to consumers, tailoring what they offer to consumer preferences. The swarm of consumers and providers grows, and affordability and quality improve…

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Tax time can be stressful for many people, for two reasons – the filing process itself and the knowledge that if you’d made different decisions the year before, you might be facing a smaller tax hit this year. Let’s explore ways to lower the stress level – and the tax burden – at this time…

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Cash is not returning much more than 1% these days and financial markets are volatile and overvalued, portending lower future returns. Many homeowners wonder if they should use their surplus cash to more aggressive pay down their home mortgage. There are qualitative and quantitative factors to consider and the answer really depends on each person’s…

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the 2016 premiums and deductibles for the Medicare hospital (Part A) and physician and outpatient hospital services (Part B) programs.  Since there was no cost of living increase to Social Security  due to a hold harmless clause in the legislation, most current Medicare recipients will not…

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Don’t Rush to Retirement

I loved this article by Robert Laura as it reflects what I continue to see in my financial planning practice.  The idea of retirement can seem very enticing.  We long for an unstructured day with plenty of time for hobbies,  relaxation, and travel.   But many of us take for granted the social and intellectual…

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Don’t Wait for Retirement — Live the Life of Your Dreams Now

Many people view retirement as a 30-year vacation, full of leisure and travel. But new retirees often find that retirement isn’t the carefree life they expected. They miss having social interactions, a sense of achievement and daily structure — and as a result, some experience weight gain, marital discord, depression or substance abuse. And many retirees, especially those who retire early, end up returning…

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Building Trust Beyond the Branch

Customer service has been a large part of a bank’s strategy to build trust among consumers. Despite the bad press banks have been receiving, their ability to provide high level customer service at branches has been an integral part of their relationship building strategy. As a customer, I’m always suspiciously pleased by the exceptional friendliness…

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AirPod Pre-Black Friday deals

AirPods are arguably the first Apple product to see large discounts before Black Friday, but they’re certainly not the only ones. Head here to find some other great deals ahead of time. Every year, Black Friday gets more and more crowded with people looking for discounts on technology, rather than just food and clothes. This…

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