According to the American Psychological Association (APA), we are stressed out.

The latest Stress in America report from the APA, published in 2018, found that over half of millennials (born between 1980 and 1994) and members of Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2015) feel stressed out, with just under half of baby boomers and older adults feeling the same.

Money, work, and health concerns are America’s main stressors, and mental health crises are prevalent outcomes of high stress.

The report clearly states one thing—stress is a certainty, and you’re going to get your turn with it sooner or later. Here’s a list of 10 things to avoid when stress rears its ugly head.

There are tons of online tax tools. Why go through the trouble of finding and hiring a tax planner?

Because a tax planner could save you millions over your lifetime, along with other benefits. Here’s what you need to know about tax pros.

What is a tax planner?

They are accounting professionals — certified public accountants (CPAs) or tax attorneys — who work with clients over a long period. A tax planner’s primary goal is to ensure that the client is prepared for the next filing season and pays the minimum taxes legally possible.

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have only been around for about 25 years.

Nevertheless, they can be a productive part of a diversified portfolio, and they have certain distinct advantages over other types of funds and/or traded assets.

What are they?

ETFs are grouped collections of securities. Like a mutual fund, an ETF pools money from a number of investors into a single fund that purchases a diversified selection of bonds, equities, and other assets with a certain investment goal in mind (income or speculation, for example).

If you own a home and have paid your mortgage down a bit, you may have some equity in your home. Equity is the difference between your home’s value and the outstanding mortgage. In other words, it’s your investment in the property. 

At first glance, it may feel like your equity is tied up in your home since homes aren’t liquid. You probably think you have to move to get the difference between your home’s value and your mortgage. But there are ways to get your equity out while allowing you to stay in the home. 

Here’s what you must know.

You hear credit cards are bad so you don’t use them, right? What if we told you they could be good when used in the right context? What if you could build an even better credit score if you had reward credit cards as a personal finance tool? 

It’s true, reward credit cards can be a great way to build and keep a good credit score. Even better, they pay you rewards just for spending money. But you have to know how to find the right card and how to use them right so you don’t get in over your head in debt.

It takes credit to build credit, but if no one will give you credit without a credit score, what do you do?

It’s not as hard as you think to build credit from scratch. Before we show you how to build credit, though, we’ll explain what credit is and why it’s important.

Are you a young professional planning for your financial future? You may be contemplating how to clear your student loan debt and save more for your retirement. Discipline and commitment will never go wrong when it comes to financial decisions, but having a financial plan is key. Read on for three reliable tips on how you can save and pay back your student loans.

Having no heirs doesn’t absolve you from the need for proper estate planning.

The most avoidable problem is what happens to your wealth if you die without making a will (or dying intestate). When this happens, the state court system decides how to handle your money and belongings.

Therefore, whether you have no heirs or a hundred, the most important element of estate planning remains unchanged: Make a plan. Even a flawed plan is better than none, so consider tackling this task as soon as possible.

If you’re looking to buy a new car, you will likely need to finance it unless you can pay for it in all cash. Fortunately, there are many options to finance a car, but understanding your options and how they work before you look for a loan is important.

A big part of why we want to make (or save) money in the first place is to enjoy it. But it’s hard to save for concert tickets, travel, and other bigger purchases when all your money disappears on an average Friday night.

The good news? A small budget doesn’t mean you’re forever confined to your home alone. There are plenty of ways to entertain yourself with little to no spending.