Long-term care in America is expensive, and if you’re not prepared to pay for it, you could find your hard-earned lifelong savings disappearing quickly.

Understanding long-term care costs and financial planning for eldercare is crucial for preserving wealth while you seek assistance for the activities of daily living you can longer do by yourself due to chronic illness, disability, injury or old age.

Few things in life are as exciting and intimidating as buying a home for the first time. For first-time homeowners, the process can appear incredibly overwhelming. It can seem like there are a million different tasks that need to be done in tandem, with each one ready to go before anything can proceed. However, with a little bit of research and a lot of planning and hard work, buying a home is an achievable goal for many Americans. Fortunately, there are a few basic steps that beginners can take to prepare before buying a home for the first time.

Whether they pass as the result of a prolonged period of illness or an unexpected accident, the death of a loved one is never easy. Many families end up worrying about the costs associated with a decedent’s end-of-life care while they are trying to grieve their loss, and making sense of funeral bills, medical expenses, and insurance can be incredibly daunting. When people pass away after receiving medical care, their family members are often left to wonder what happens to the decedent’s medical debt. Medical debt can take out a significant portion of a deceased person’s estate, but determining who is responsible for paying off this debt if the estate is unable to pay in full can be difficult.

For folks who are in the final stretch before retirement, tying up any loose ends is essential. Before they begin traveling, taking up hobbies, and enjoying downtime, retirees must be sure that they have the assets necessary to support themselves. Retirement planning can take decades of hard work, but seeking sound financial advice from a professional can help ensure that retirees are on solid financial footing for their golden years. Whether you are seeking financial advice for the first time or have worked with a professional advisor for years, here are some reasons why soon-to-be retirees should talk to financial experts.

Investing while staying true to one’s personal values, including approaches that focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, is growing in popularity. While many people want their investments to reflect their personal values, many also question whether they can achieve good financial results with an ESG strategy.

If you have children or are planning to start a family in the future, you must be aware of higher education costs. If you have not yet adopted a saving plan, you might get yourself caught up in limbo. But do you know life insurance can be used as a funding source for your children's college fees? Yes, other than funds from your spouse's premature death, life insurance has a saving component known as cash value. This feature of life insurance gives an allowance of portions of your premiums to be invested.

Individual financial planning is the process of putting together a “living” schematic organizing your personal finances to help you secure a solid financial future.

We all make mistakes. But errors in your taxes can prove costly. That’s why it’s important to educate yourself and find a quality tax planner who can help navigate you through the daunting process.

Are you feeling the gnawing pain of financial anxiety? You’re not alone. A majority of Americans (59 percent) report that they live paycheck to paycheck.

While many individuals see credit as an essential part of personal finance, some avoid credit cards and loans altogether. Although avoiding debt is admirable, building credit is critical for various significant purchases and life events. Building credit responsibly is an excellent way to ease the path towards homeownership, financial stability, and more. Here are three reasons why you should care about building credit.