Wealth and finance industry white papers, case studies, reported stories, blog posts, thought leadership, especially on ESG. Also: personal finance, employee experience, small business development.
Practical Strategies for Catching Up on Retirement Savings in Your 50s
Many Americans find themselves in their 50s without enough saved for a comfortable retirement. That's because many people focused on meeting financial obligations — like raising children and paying off debt — during their 30s and 40s. It's not too late to get retirement savings on track if you apply practical some strategies to help boost them.
Financial First Aid for Elder Fraud Victims: Helping Your Senior Overcome an Economic Crime
Financial scams targeting seniors are becoming more common and harder to recognize. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)1 reported that, in 2022, older people (60-plus) reported losing more than $1.6 billion to fraud. This is a significant increase from the $1 billion lost by older adults the previous year. There are multiple types of frauds being tried on seniors, and often, they succeed. Here's what to do when your senior has been victimized by this economic crime.
How to Not Outlive Your Retirement Savings
In today's world where people are living longer and future financial conditions are uncertain, a majority of them worry about running out of money in retirement. About 58% of those saving for retirement or already retired feel this fear. That's especially true for Gen X and Baby Boomers who are approaching retirement age or are already retired. To help ease these worries, an effective strategy is needed to protect retirement wealth and ensure a comfortable and secure financial future. Here's how to create one.
The State of US Housing Market in Spring 2024: What's in store for buyers and sellers?
This blog post overviews the spring 2024 U.S. housing market where mortgage rates dip, boosting optimism. Inventory rises with Fed's rate cut plans, but high home values present affordability challenges. Opportunities emerge for buyers and sellers in this shifting market landscape. (This deeply researched story intends to position BlueHub SUN as thought leaders in the real estate market, particularly the foreclosure prevention space. This is a key aspect of its strategic impact communications plan and its overall organizational objectives, which I must consider with each blog post.)
Succession Planning for Your Multigenerational Family Business
Succession planning is not a onetime event, like many small-business owners think it is. It's a long game that can require a focused plan to execute over a period of years, perhaps decades. In a multigenerational family business, especially with different branches in the family, this can be complex. There can be multiple considerations and many people to involve, from other family members to various professionals. Your aim is to have the process well-documented to minimize complications when it’s time to execute the plan.
Navigating Accounts Receivable for Building Success
Business owners can't manage what they can't measure. In small-business finance, this adage can be especially true when managing your accounts receivable. Effective management of accounts receivable means knowing where your cash flow is coming from and keeping careful track of who owes your business money. That can require a strategic approach to regularly collecting what your business is owed, which can be crucial for achieving financial success in business. Here's how to develop one that can lead to sustained prosperity for your small business.
Design With Community in Mind
Tonja Adair ’92, co-founder of Splice Design, an architecture firm with offices in New York City and Atlanta, says her experience at Wellesley still shapes her career. During her time at the College, where she majored in architecture, Tonja learned the importance of active involvement in the community, she says. Here's the rest of her story.
5 Keys to Mastering Client Communication and Building Better Relationships with Women Investors
Today’s women investors demand communication strategies customized to their needs. According to research from New York Life Investments (NYLI), 62% of women believe they have unique investment needs and challenges, and more than a third said it's extremely important that advisors meet them on their terms. Here's how to communicate with your women clients, so your relationship with them is enhanced.
12 Months to Better Credit: Rebuild Your Credit Score to Improve Your Financial Health
Having damaged credit negatively impacts your finances, making it difficult to qualify for mortgage loans at reasonable interest rates. Even if you have bad credit, you can rebuild your credit score over time. Then, you can refinance your mortgage and potentially get a lower rate and save money each month. If you're a BlueHub SUN client, you're already on a path toward financial health. Here's what to do to refinance into a loan with better rates and terms. (More about this story's content strategy on my website above.)
White Paper: Reaching Executive Women: An Overlooked — and Growing — Investor Segment
High net worth and ultra-high net worth executive women often get overlooked by wealth management advisors as viable clients. But, this multi-trillion dollar market is a growing—and lucrative—investor segment. From this white paper, advisors learn why this important investor segment has value to them and how to reach this market.
(Inclusion of this writing sample in my portfolio does not represent an endorsement of me or my work by FlexShares or Northern Trust.)
Helping Homeowners in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Prevent Foreclosure
As bankruptcy filings rise, it's imperative that non-lawyer foreclosure prevention professionals commit to collaborating with their homeowner clients' Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorneys. This blog post provides a general overview of Chapter 13 as a tool to help prevent foreclosure. It also explains how you can support your homeowner clients in successfully preserving their home through the process. [This story is part of a content strategy I help the organization create that includes thought leadership, organizational identity enhancement, audience development and increased SERP.]
One Key to Increasing Wealth: Setting SMART Goals
You can take many paths to increased wealth, but it helps to have a recognized and easy-to-apply framework to structure your goals. The S.M.A.R.T. framework provides the structure and accountability that can help you turn your financial intentions into tangible results. Consider using the S.M.A.R.T. strategy to achieve financial goals like saving for college, starting a business, growing your income, paying off debt, reducing your taxes, or accumulating tangible assets. (Finance editors, this is the EEAT/YMYL content I can write for your mass affluent and emerging HNW clients.)
Case Studies: How SUN Helped Two Families Refinance Out of Foreclosure
The goal of this blog post is to show how SUN achieves sustainable impact in the foreclosure prevention space by working with clients using its adaptive strategies to lending. With the subjects of these case studies, Lauren Taylor* and Kevin Russell*, who each experienced unique and complicated financial situations that lead to foreclosure on their homes, when they applied to SUN, the lender its adaptive strategies to mortgage financing to surmount Taylor’s and Russell’s extenuating circumstances. (*Names changed to protect the privacy of the case study subjects.)
Holiday giving that aligns with your goals
With recession and inflation concerns as a backdrop to this holiday season, you may wonder whether you can give to loved ones in ways more reflective of your personal and family wealth goals. That can include saving on taxes and hedging against inflation — while remaining consistent with the values you and your gift recipient hold. One of your values may be transferring wealth to the next generation to ensure they're prepared for the future and can weather macroeconomic shocks. Here are some ways to give the gift of economic well-being while protecting your finances.
Navigating Financial Hardship: Foreclosure Prevention for Homeowners
Financial hardship can arise suddenly, putting your most valuable asset – your home – at risk. While foreclosure may feel like an alarming prospect, strategic action can help protect your home even in difficult circumstances. This guide provides practical steps to recognize and respond to financial distress, whether you are just beginning to struggle or are already facing foreclosure proceedings. (See more about this story's content strategy on my website.)