How a Free Financial Coach Helps You Stay on Track with Your Money Goals Throughout the Year

Beyond simply crunching numbers, a financial coach is someone who helps you develop healthy money habits and instills confidence in managing your finances. They serve as an accountability partner who keeps you motivated and on track toward achieving your desired financial outcomes. Whether you set a New Year’s resolution to save more money, pay down debt, or start building wealth, a free financial coach can help keep you on track along your journey to financial wellness.

GET HELP CREATING A PERSONALIZED BUDGET THAT ALIGNS WITH YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS AND LIFESTYLE CHOICES 

A financial coach understands that each individual has unique circumstances and priorities. They take the time to listen to your specific needs and help you create a budget that not only addresses your immediate concerns but also sets you up for long-term success.
One of the key benefits of working with a certified financial coach from Canopy is their ability to help you craft a budgeting strategy that you’ll actually stick to. They provide guidance and support throughout the process, making sure you understand the importance of tracking expenses, identifying areas where adjustments can be made, and finding creative solutions for saving more money.
Over time, you’ll learn to take control of your finances in a way that feels manageable and sustainable. With their guiding expertise at your side, you’ll have the tools necessary to make informed decisions about spending, saving, and ultimately achieving greater financial stability.

RECEIVE TIPS FOR MANAGING DEBT EFFECTIVELY TO ACHIEVE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY 

In today’s fast-paced and often financially challenging world, managing debt can be a source of stress and anxiety for many individuals. However, there is a solution that can help alleviate this burden and pave the way towards long-term stability: working with a free financial coach.

A financial coach is not just someone who provides tips on managing debt; they are your ally in navigating the complex world of money management. They understand the unique challenges you may be facing and offer personalized guidance tailored to your specific situation.

One of the greatest benefits of working with a financial coach is the ability to reduce stress. Debt can weigh heavily on our minds, affecting our overall well-being and quality of life. A skilled coach will not only provide practical strategies for paying off debt but also offer empathy and compassionate support throughout the process.

Best of all, the financial coaches at Canopy Credit Union offer this service completely free of charge, to both members and non-members of the credit union. This means that anyone, regardless of their financial situation, can access expert advice regardless of how much is in their checking account. This service is an opportunity to gain valuable insights from professionals who genuinely care about helping you achieve your long-term financial goals.

LEARN STRATEGIES FOR SAVING MONEY AND BUILDING AN EMERGENCY FUND 

In uncertain times, having a solid emergency fund can bring a sense of security and peace of mind. It serves as a financial cushion that can help navigate unexpected expenses or job loss. However, building an emergency fund requires discipline and strategic planning.

One of the most effective strategies for saving money and building an emergency fund is to create a budget that fits this consistent savings goal within its framework. By tracking your expenses and identifying areas where you can cut back, you can allocate more funds toward your savings. This may involve making small sacrifices in your daily spending habits, such as eating out less frequently or finding cost-effective alternatives for entertainment.

Automating your savings is another powerful strategy. Set up automatic transfers from your checking account to a separate savings account specifically designated for your emergency fund. This way, you won’t have to rely on willpower alone to save; it becomes a consistent habit that happens automatically.

It’s also important to explore ways to save more money in your everyday life. Look for opportunities to reduce monthly bills by negotiating with service providers or switching to more affordable options. Additionally, consider embracing frugal habits such as couponing, buying in bulk, or opting for second-hand items when possible.

While saving is crucial, it’s equally important to maximize the growth of your emergency fund through smart investments. Explore high-yield savings accounts or CD/term share options that offer competitive interest rates. Remember that the goal is not only saving but also allowing your money to work for you over time.

Lastly, maintaining motivation and staying focused on the long-term benefits of having an emergency fund is essential throughout this process. Celebrate small milestones along the way and remind yourself of the security and freedom that comes with financial preparedness. Plus having a free financial coach at your side to guide you along the way will help you stick with your goals for the long term.

By implementing these strategies and consistently prioritizing saving, you can build an emergency fund that provides stability during unforeseen circumstances while also fostering healthy financial habits for the future. 

FINALLY, DISCOVER HOW TO GROW WEALTH OVER TIME 

A financial coach understands that before you can start building wealth, it’s essential to address certain foundational elements. First comes debt management – they will assist you in creating a plan to pay off any outstanding debts efficiently. By managing your debt effectively, you can free up more resources to allocate towards building an emergency fund and putting resources towards wealth-building activities.
Throughout this journey, a compassionate financial coach recognizes that everyone’s situation is unique. They will listen attentively to your concerns and tailor their guidance accordingly. Their goal is not only to help you build wealth but also to empower you with financial literacy so that you can maintain long-term financial stability.

By working alongside a knowledgeable financial coach, individuals can gain the confidence necessary to make sound financial decisions throughout their lives. Together, they lay the foundation for lasting wealth by addressing debt management, establishing an emergency fund, growing net worth, and harnessing the power of strategic investments.

By partnering with a free financial coach, you can stay accountable to your money goals throughout the year. Their guidance and support will help you navigate challenges, track progress, and make informed decisions that align with your long-term financial well-being. 

Schedule your first appointment and start working with one of Canopy’s free financial coaches today.

Canopy Credit Union | Free Financial Coach

Social security is an important part of retirement planning and yet, few people don’t understand how the benefits are calculated or what factors determine the amount received monthly or over its lifetime. Even when using a Social Security benefits calculator, not understanding the different aspects that go into determining the number can give you the wrong result and likely unnecessary worry. 

To better understand how social security benefits are calculated, read below and learn the different areas that contribute to your retirement benefits. 

AIME and PIA: Essential Retirement Benefits Factors

Understanding the calculation of your social security benefits means diving deep into two primary concepts: Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) and the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA):

Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME)

AIME plays a key role in calculating Social Security benefits, but what exactly is it?

 AIME represents an average of your monthly earnings over your highest-earning 35 years, adjusted for inflation. The Social Security Administration doesn’t only look at your raw earnings; instead, it indexes them. This means that earnings from earlier years in your career are adjusted to account for inflation and wage growth over time, providing a more accurate reflection of your earnings in today’s dollars.

To arrive at the AIME, the SSA takes your annual earnings for each year (up to a particular maximum that might change annually), indexes those for inflation, and then identifies the 35 years in which you earned the most. By adding those highest-earning years together and then dividing by the total number of months in those 35 years (420 months), the AIME is figured out.

Primary Insurance Amount (PIA)

Once the AIME is calculated, it’s time to determine the PIA. The PIA is essentially the baseline amount you would receive at full retirement age.

To calculate the amount, the SSA uses a progressive formula that breaks the AIME into portions and then multiplies each segment by a specified percentage. For instance, the first segment of your AIME could be multiplied by 90%, the next by 32%, and any remaining amount by 15%. The sum of these results is your PIA.

What’s crucial to understand is that PIA is central to the benefits you’ll receive. While factors like choosing to take benefits before or after your full retirement age can influence the final amount, the PIA sets the groundwork.

Solving the SSA’s Approach: From Earnings to Benefits

At the heart of social security payments is a comprehensive process that is based on your earnings history and age. This formula recalculates your benefit annually, ensuring accuracy and fairness by tallying up the earned income you made in your top earning years and applying specific adjustments. The benefits also depend on other factors besides AIME and PIA: 

Factors That Can Influence Your Social Security Benefits

The other factors that can influence the amount of social security benefits an individual might receive include. Understanding the other factors that influence the amount of social security benefits received is essential to making informed decisions about when and how to claim benefits:

1. Claiming Age: As mentioned earlier, the age at which you start claiming benefits can impact the monthly amount. Claiming before your full retirement age will result in a reduced monthly benefit, while delaying can lead to increased monthly payouts, up to age 70.
2. Work While Claiming: If you claim benefits before reaching full retirement age and continue to work, there’s a limit to how much you can earn before the amount is temporarily reduced.
3. Lifetime Earnings: The more you’ve earned, and therefore paid into the Social Security system, the higher your benefit will be, up to a point. Social Security is designed to replace a percentage of your pre-retirement income rather than it being your only source.
4. Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs): The SSA may adjust benefits to account for inflation to ensure that the purchasing power of your benefits doesn’t decline over time due to inflation.
5. Taxes: Depending on your overall income, a portion of your Social Security benefits might be taxable.
6. Government Pensions: If you receive a pension from a job where you didn’t pay Social Security taxes (such as some government positions), it could affect the amount of your Social Security benefits.
7. Family Benefits: If you have children or a spouse who are eligible for benefits based on your work record, it could mean a higher total family benefit, though individual benefits might be reduced.

Understanding Retirement is Crucial 

Navigating social security benefits can be daunting, but with the right knowledge, understanding, and professional guidance it becomes much easier. Here at Marken Law Group, we are extensively experienced with social security, having represented hundreds of claimants in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and California to obtain what is rightfully theirs. We focus on your individual needs rather than treat all clients as the same, bringing our comprehensive experience to help guide you through. 

Whether you’re years away from claiming Social Security or on the brink of retirement, understanding these terms and how they factor into your benefits can make a significant difference in your financial planning.

Marken Law Group