JJ Sessions, Author at The Planning Center

Interest Rates and Your Financial Journey: Understanding the Stages

We all deal with interest rates in various ways: in the interest we pay to mortgage lenders or credit card companies; in the interest we collect from our fixed-income and other interest-bearing investments. The difference—both in the effect of interest rates on our financial situation and our attitude toward them—is largely determined by which side of the interest rate transaction we happen to be on.

Make Your Beneficiary Designations Count

What many may not realize is that beneficiary designations supersede the terms of wills and trusts, which means that such misalignment can do serious damage to even the most carefully crafted estate plan.

Tips for Keeping Your Estate Plan “In Plan”

You had a will drawn up, signed, and notarized; you created a power of attorney and a health care directive. You’re all done, right? Your estate planning is set, and you can move on to more pleasant endeavors.

Not necessarily.

Good Coverage: Your Changing Insurance Needs

Many of us think of insurance as the product we hope we’ll never need. Indeed, insurance remains a vital part of most financial plans. For many of the important things in life, it makes sense to shift some or all of the financial burden onto an insurance company. And in many cases—your home and your vehicles, for example—insurance is a legal requirement.

The Inheritance Talk: Tips for Those on Both Sides of the Table

Let’s face it: no one actually looks forward to a discussion that touches on the passing of a loved one. Maybe that’s why so many families tend to avoid the topics of inheritance and estate planning.