The Joy of Financial Security

Articles by the Author
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Talk to kids about jobs, money, experiences
Talk to kids about jobs, money, experiences 1296 1020 Donna Skeels Cygan

You can have a positive impact on your child or grandchild by becoming a financial role model. This does not require that you are wealthy or a successful investor. It…

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  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Use your brain – all of it – in financial decisions
Use your brain – all of it – in financial decisions 1284 1006 Donna Skeels Cygan

Our brains definitely impact our financial decisions. In fact, our brains can help us make wise decisions or poor decisions. By using brain imaging equipment (specifically functional MRI), neuroscientists have…

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  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Nearly anyone can benefit from Roth IRAs
Nearly anyone can benefit from Roth IRAs 900 758 Donna Skeels Cygan

Roth IRAs are a powerful tool in an investor’s toolbox. Created in 1998, Roth IRAs are now over 20 years old. Fortunately, many employers started offering Roth 401(k)s and Roth…

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  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Get emergency savings in order before investing
Get emergency savings in order before investing 1176 880 Donna Skeels Cygan

I recently was asked a question by a woman in her late 20s who wants to start an investment account. She asked, “Is this a good time to start investing?”…

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  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Finance binder prep a wise, loving step
Finance binder prep a wise, loving step 900 1448 Donna Skeels Cygan

Artwork by Donna Grethen The number of people who are widowed each year in the U.S. ranges from 800,000 to 1 million. Shockingly, in married couples, men die first roughly…

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  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Becoming Mildred
Becoming Mildred 1251 613 Donna Skeels Cygan

In late 2013 my first book The Joy of Financial Security was published. My goal was to provide practical advice about managing money wisely, spending it wisely, and unraveling the…

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  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Course correction
Course correction 1000 750 Donna Skeels Cygan
We’re heading into summertime, which usually includes visions of days when the livin’ is easy. Yet the stock market may have other plans. It often mimics a roller coaster, with many peaks and dips. It can upset our lazy summer days and cause investors to be fearful. We would all like the stock market to [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Looking ahead toward retirement
Looking ahead toward retirement 900 601 Donna Skeels Cygan
Planning for retirement can be stressful. In addition to preparing for a different lifestyle, people always worry about money. Have I saved enough? How should I invest it? And then there is the whopper of a question: How much can I spend each year in retirement and not have to worry about running out of [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Start now to save money on future taxes
Start now to save money on future taxes 900 600 Donna Skeels Cygan
Benjamin Franklin had it right when he wrote in 1789 that “nothing is certain except death and taxes.” However, just because taxes are inevitable does not mean that we cannot manage them wisely. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act that took effect on Jan. 1, 2018, was a gift to large corporations – reducing the [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Strategies for staying calm during financial — and everyday — turbulence
Strategies for staying calm during financial — and everyday — turbulence 900 698 Donna Skeels Cygan
In last month’s article I discussed financial strategies to help you stay calm when the stock market starts to plummet and investors become fearful. Today’s article will provide personal strategies for keeping a cool head when others feel like the sky is falling. These tips are helpful during everyday life – even when the stock [...]read more

© 2024 Donna Skeels Cygan, CFP®, MBA, Author of The Joy of Financial Security and Becoming Enriched.

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