What Can Heartland Trust Company Do for You?
Here at Heartland Trust Company, we are proud of the great reputation we have built in the community over the last 30 years. We know that if we do business the right way, we will be here for a long time. Our mission statement says it all: “We provide a lifelong commitment to the well-being […]
What Are Tax Exempt Bonds?
A properly diversified portfolio should contain a healthy array of different types of investments. One of these investments may be tax-exempt bonds. What are tax-exempt bonds? Tax-exempt bonds are municipal bonds. In finance slang, they are commonly referred to as “munis” or “muni bonds”. Municipal bonds are issued by states, counties, municipalities, hospitals, schools, airports, […]
Q2 2020 Market Commentary
The Markets Stocks rebounded from a dismal March by posting their best monthly returns since 1987, as investors were encouraged by the expectation of additional government stimulus programs and hope that the economy would be reopening soon. The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act provided funding for additional small business loans, and offered […]
CARES Act Recap
Adapted from Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. This $2 trillion emergency relief package represents a bipartisan effort to assist both individuals and businesses in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and accompanying economic crisis. The CARES Act provisions for retirement plan […]
A Retirement Income Roadmap for Women
While everybody needs to plan for retirement, women often face special challenges when planning for this time of life. For one, their careers are more likely to be interrupted to care for children or elderly parents. Even if women stay in the workforce fulltime, they tend to earn less than men, on average. As a […]
How Often Should I Review Retirement
Adapted from Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions It’s generally a good idea to review your employer-sponsored retirement savings plan at least once each year and when major life changes occur. If you haven’t given your plan a thorough review within the last 12 months, now may be a good time to do so. Have you […]
SECURE Act Passed; Stretch IRAs Facing Elimination
Adapted from Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions On December 20, 2019, a $1.4 trillion spending package was enacted that included the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, which had overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives in the spring of 2019, but then subsequently stalled in the Senate. The SECURE Act represents the most […]
Investment Year in Review for 2019
The year 2019 was a solid one for investors. A year after one of the worst fourth quarters since the Great Recession, stocks rebounded to close 2019 with several major indexes reaching record highs. During the year, investors faced a yield curve inversion for the first time since 2007, a slowing economy, and a constant […]
Heartland Trust Company Brings Responsible Investing to Our Clients
This is a topic that has been flying under the radar for a bit too long. What does “responsible investing” mean and why would someone allocate their assets towards it? In industry talk, we refer to this as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. Responsible portfolios are centered on these three criteria. Until recently, the […]
Teaching Your College-Age Child About Money
When your child first started school, you doled out the change for milk and a snack on a daily basis. But now that your kindergartner has grown up, it’s time for you to make sure that your child has enough financial knowledge to manage money at college.
Lesson 1: Budgeting 101
Perhaps your child already understands the basics of budgeting from having to handle an allowance or wages from a part-time job during high school. But now that your child is in college, he or she may need to draft a “real world” budget, especially if he or she lives off-campus and is responsible for paying for rent and utilities. Here are some ways you can help your child plan and stick to a realistic budget:
- Help your child figure out what income there will be (money from home, financial aid, a part-time job) and when it will be coming in (at the beginning of each semester, once a month, or every week).
- Make sure your child understands the difference between needs and wants. Your child should understand how important it is to cover the needs first.
- Determine together how you and your child will split responsibility for expenses. For instance, you may decide that you’ll pay for your child’s trips home, but that your child will need to pay for art supplies or other miscellaneous expenses.
- Warn your child not to spend too much too soon, particularly when money that has to last all semester arrives at the beginning of a term.
- Acknowledge that college isn’t all about studying. While you should include entertainment expenses in the budget, encourage your child to stick closely to the limit you agree upon.
- Show your child how to track expenses by saving receipts and keeping an expense log. Knowing where the money is going will help your child stay on track.
- Encourage your child to plan ahead for big expenses (the annual auto insurance bill or the trip over spring break).
- Caution your child to monitor spending patterns to avoid excessive spending, and ask him or her to come to you for advice at the first sign of financial trouble.
