Shawn Maloney

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Use these practical strategies to help you navigate seasonal spending in a less stressful way. Amid all the joy and cheer the end of the year brings, the holidays can be a hectic — and expensive — time. Purchasing gifts for loved ones, making travel plans, attending parties and enjoying the multitude of festive celebrations and events that crop up can end up putting a strain on one’s finances and detracting from the positive spirit of the season.  But whether money is a bit tight this year or you are working toward a particular financial goal, you don’t have to sacrifice holiday cheer to stay on track with your spending. Consider implementing one or more of the following tips, as recommended by the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective, to help you avoid overspending and enjoy this special time with your family and friends.

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Don’t wait until you’re no longer working to determine where your new income will come from. One of the biggest questions on the minds of soon-to-be retirees is, “Will I have enough money to live on when I retire?” Leaving the workforce and finally gaining back all your time for rest and relaxation is an exciting prospect, but being unsure about where your money will come from and what you will live off of can quickly turn a blessing into a nightmare.  Whether you’ve been saving for retirement for years or you’ve only recently started, the uncertainty around whether or not you will have enough money to sustain you throughout the rest of your life can be truly terrifying, causing some people to delay retirement for longer than they’d like or to keep working well into their elderly years just to have the certainty of a regular income. But according to the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective, taking the time to craft a plan for your retirement income can help ease — or even eliminate — those fears. Here, they each share their top piece of advice for creating a retirement income strategy that works and explain how having a well-thought-out plan will help give you peace of mind.

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Getting aligned early on is the best way to set you and your spouse up for a successful future. In marriage, it's all about being on the same page. Will you purchase a home in the suburbs, or rent a condo in the city? How many children will you have, if any at all? What values are most important to you? There are many important topics to discuss and align on (or at least compromise on) if you want your marriage to stand strong against the pressures of time.  But one area many couples struggle to agree is money. Whether that means how to spend it day to day, or what goals to start saving toward, disagreement in this area can spell disaster for even the best relationships.  If you’re having a hard time getting your spouse to engage in financial discussions or get on board with the financial plan or goals, the experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective are here to help. Below, they offer up their top tips for how couples can approach financial alignment in a way that will strengthen their relationship for the long term.

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Even when the market ebbs and flows, you can keep your retirement investments stable with these proactive strategies. With unpredictable markets and economic uncertainty, it's important to take steps to safeguard your retirement savings. Market volatility can lead to significant losses if you’re not properly prepared, but there are many effective strategies for protecting your hard-earned nest egg. According to the financial professionals of Kiplinger Advisor Collective, you can help shield your retirement funds from the impact of market fluctuations with a few strategic moves. If you’re looking to secure your future, consider these expert-recommended tips for managing retirement savings during turbulent times.