Money plays an important role at every turn your life takes. There are ways to develop good financial habits now so you can be prepared for the different strategies that certain events require in the future. And the good part is, you can start from wherever you are currently, to make decisions that will go a long way towards achieving your financial goals.

Are you looking for power and control over your own budget? One of the hardest things to do in life is realizing when a want is not a need. Not only is the choice subjective, it is often difficult to fit into simple categories. But in the long run, it’s the secret to sustaining yourself from day to day in building a budget that balances your needs with your wants and puts you in a better position to reach your financial goals.

Providing for your family, on your own, doesn’t have to feel like a never-ending cycle of living paycheck to paycheck. Even though there are challenges with the work involved in earning a living and care for children, your finances can be managed with very careful planning and even allow you to save for the future.

Does the “Case of the Missing Money” sound like a popular mystery in your household? So often small purchases add up into bigger chunks of money that seem to disappear without an explanation. There is a way to gain more control of your personal finances. With these 6 simple action points you can get a handle on your income and expenses, so that you can build your savings and prepare for unexpected emergencies or large purchases or even a recession.

With a recap from Mid-November to Mid-February, it’s good to see numbers in the green as our Strong Valley advisor team discusses stock performance and bonds. Answering the top three questions from clients: Why doesn’t my banker call me about higher rates? How to best set up banking and investment accounts to work together? and the big one – What about the recession? the team gives insight into preparing for the 2023 recession. We wrap up with predictions for the coming quarter and how the market as a leading indicator plays an important role.

It’s important to know the differences between a Roth and other retirement accounts. There are a number of factors to consider when you’re deciding whether a Roth account is right for you. This article gives you several things to think about to choose your options when planning your retirement strategy.

Overpaying your taxes allows the IRS to hold onto your money longer. On the other hand, underpaying your taxes can result in a big tax bill in April that you might not be prepared for. The best way to avoid these problems is to strive to match the amount withheld as closely as possible to your actual tax liability, which will require some adjusting as changes occur in your life. Here’s some quick tips on how to do that.

Waiting until just before April 15 to start thinking about your taxes may prove to be a costly mistake. Lowering your tax bill involves careful planning. A good tax strategy takes into consideration two time frames – “now” the 12 months of the current tax year, and “later” covers long-range tax strategies that benefit your future.

Don’t let disorganization become one of your biggest money problems. Having information on your accounts and assets organized, updated and shared helps with those unexpected interruptions in life that we all experience. It will be well worth the effort you put in today - for you and the people you love.

You exercise to benefit from your sweat equity in the future, right? The strategy of a good workout is to intentionally place stress on our muscles so that when a health problem arises, our bodies are in better condition to deal with the situation. You also need an investment strategy to accommodate unforeseen future events, such as market downturns.