Money Making Sense

Not having a financial strategy can stress you out even more than without a plan.  James Alexander, CFP with Edge Financial Advisors, says imagine driving somewhere unknown without a GPS or a road map or knowing anything about your car.  When you draw a map for your money, you will feel much safer financially.  What stage of your life should you hire a financial advisor?

James says taking control, even in small ways, of what you do with your money takes weight of your mind and is emotionally uplifting.  You can hear more of his philosophy on Ed's Edge Podcast, where he is a co-host.  

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

You could be limiting your ability for interviews by the language used on your resume.  
Cassie Whitlock, the Chief People Officer at Diversify, says companies are shifting toward skill based hiring vs pedigree educations.  Both employers and employees need to be aware of their brand, and what are you trying to accomplish in your job search / job description.

Susan Speirs, the CEO of Utah Association of CPAs, says it's important to understand what DEI really means:
Diversity = skills & background, gender identity, age, race, culture, etc.
Equity = everyone has the tools they need to complete the same job, no matter the impediments (too short, too tall, scocio-economic, etc).
Inclusion = you are part of the team, your input matters.

You can use free websites to run job description postings and resumes through in order to edit out some potientionally off-putting language.

After several years of not having to pay student loans - or no interest added to them - everyone is back to paying their full payments.  Brian Walsh, the head of advice and planning with SoFi, says a SAVE student loan program may be the way forward.  But there have been changes.

1. Currently, if you missed a student loan payment during the first year, it wouldn't be reported to a credit bureau.  That is now going away.
2.  The percentage of your discretionary income used to calculate your monthly payments is changing -- but currently is facing a court fight.

 You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

How do you know if something "sounds too good to be real?"  That's the question Nico Pesci, the founder and CEO of Momemtum Wealth, details in this episode.  He says seniors are targeted in all sorts of scams because they typically have more money to lose than younger generations. 

Nico also explains what signs you should look for if your loved ones are getting scammed. And who is doing the scamming?   HACK:  Do your homework on what the average 'return on investment' is  and verify investment people through FINRA or Broker Check.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Over half of all Americans say they don't have enough money to either retire, or survive, in retirement.  Indira Venkat, Senior Vice-President at with AARP says "its never too early and never too late to start saving."  She says 57-Million workers don't have any type of retirement programs through their place of employment.

You can find help at:  aarp.org/tools  or  thisispretirement.org

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

The war zones may be far away from the United States but many accountants are in the center of action.  Valerie Bushell, corporate controller for BlueWind Medical, and Susan Speirs the CEO of Utah Association of CPAs say accountants may be deployed as part of the Armed Forces or work for companies who are based in war-torn countries.

They also discuss how they help refugees who come to the U.S. for political asylum or to escape the ravages of war.  

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

If you are an entrepreneur, you need to have this skill. Chris Harding, Salt Lake County Auditor, and Susan Speirs, the CEO of UACPA, discuss accounting and the changing world of the tax field.  It's not just for old, white men without a sense of humor anymore.

What role does A.I. hold in the world of accounting? And -- have you ever thought of Money Camp for your high school kids?  Get more info from Susan Speirs HERE.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Many can't afford to stay 'fashionable' with the high prices of clothing.  Fair Allen, apparel technical designer, has tips on how to get what you want for less, and in an ethical manner.

She says it can be as simple as using a capsule wardrobe.  Shopping at thrift stores will also feel better on your wallet and keep clothes out of landfills.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Whether you have streaming services with auto-renewal, or multiple small add-ons to programs, you could be paying a lot more than you realize.  Nick Wolny, Managing Editor with CNET, says Spring is a great time to review every subscription you have and get rid of ones you don't use very much or didn't realize the prices increased.

Nick also says it is so much easier to buy things.  It only takes a swipe of a phone or a tap of a credit card and it doesn't hurt as much as when you write a check or pay with cash.  Not paying close attention to all your swipes and taps can cost you a fortune in a very short time frame.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

All species on earth work to support man through clothing, food and medicines.  When they start going extinct we risk our own survival.  That's from Lowell Baier, author of "Earth's Emergency Room: Saving Species as the Planet and Politics Get Hotter."  

Baier says the loss of habitat through climate change and expansion of commerce due to population growth is the number one reason we are losing animal and plant life.  And why the Endangered Species Act is critical to fund.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Designating a retirement account to go to a Trust after you die will trigger taxation upon death.  Attorney Cathleen Gilbert, the owner of Gilbert Law Office, says retirement accounts should be willed to an individual instead.  In order to be fully prepared, Cathleen says you should have a will, a trust, a power of attorney and a medical directive to make sure all your wishes are carried out without excessive delays or complications.

Susan Speirs, the CEO of Utah Association of CPAs, explains what a fiduciary is and why it's important to have one when it comes planning for the inevitable -- death and taxes.  And do you know how many death certificates you'll need after your loved one passes?

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Even though most people know scammers are working to take their money, they keep succeeding.  Colin MacDonald, consumer protection attorney for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the Northwest Region describes a few of the top ways scammers come after your money.

To learn more about Imposter Scams go to:
ftc.gov/imposters

To sign up for scam alerts go to:
FTC.gov/consumeralerts

If you have been a victim of fraud or a scam contact the FTC at:
ReportFraud.ftc.gov or 877-382-4357

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Everyone says "don't open a scam email or click on a link in a text."  But how do you know it's a scam without opening the messages?  Host Heather Kelly explains a few ways to quickly identify those scam messages.  She also has tips for those annoying phone calls from people asking for money or threatening police intervention.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

In order to avoid jealousy, hurt feelings, or not knowing what a loved one wants after they pass, it is extremely important to have a plan in place and discuss the transfer of wealth with your loved ones.  That's from Lena Haas, the head of Wealth Management Advice and Solutions leader at Edward Jones.  She says its important to separate your emotions from the Inheritance discussion by bringing in a third party, like a financial advisor.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Beneficial Ownership Information, or BOI, is meant to put a stop to money laundering.  However, it's estimated that 36 Million small business entities in the U.S. are required to file paperwork to register their companies with FINCEN -- or pay $591 A DAY if you miss the filing deadline.

Guests Brett Jensen, a Partner with Haynie & Company and Susan Speirs, the CEO of Utah Association of CPAs, explain what type of companies must comply with this 2021 federal law and which ones are exempt.  

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Currently, shelters across the U.S. are overcrowded with dogs.  But Holly Sizemore, the Chief Mission Officer for Best Friends Animal Society, says they are about to get inundated with cats and kittens as well.

Now is the time to spay and neuter both indoor and all outdoor cats as females are currently in heat and will start producing offspring within the next couple of months.  There are Trap, Neuter, and Release (TNR) programs across the country to help pay for the cost of these procedures.

Sizemore says most pets in shelters are human causes, not because the animal is damaged in someway.  Their adoption fees are much less expensive than buying from a breeder or pet store.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Be thoughtful about the money you DO have.  That's from Justin Janowski, coach and founder of Faith2Influence.  He says the beliefs you hold about money -- good or bad -- can influence the amount of wealth you attain.

Justin says 50% of the world exists on only $2.00 a day.  That means, the other 50% of the population has more money than we may we think we do.  The stories we are telling ourselves about what money IS, could be what is holding us back.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal X (Twitter) page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

People need to rethink what a "starter home" looks like.  That's from David Damschen, CEO of Utah Housing Corporation.  The Vice-President of Financial Services for UT Housing Corp, Ariane Gibson says there are several programs available to help pay for rent or a mortgage, but agrees, rethinking the size of your home is important.

Susan Speirs, the CEO of Utah Association of CPAs, says the State and Federal programs available for low income earners do not affect their tax burden -- but they also won't get tax credits.  

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal Twitter page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Americans are now carrying a record amount of credit card debt more than One-TRILLION dollars.  Lou Scatigna, The Financial Physician, says it's time we think about our finances they way we should about nutrition.  

Lou also says women are better with money than men as a general rule -- and it's important that both people in a relationship have an equal understanding of their finances.  

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal Twitter page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Many companies around the world are changing where they put their own money based on  Environment, Social and Governance rules.  Marlo Oaks, the Utah State Treasurer, says this is the downfall of Capitalism.  He says when corporations are required to change how they do business, it ties their hands from making even more money.

Guest host Andy Farnsworth from The Movie Show, and Susan Speirs, the CEO of Utah Association of CPA's both say it is important to keep informed of which companies are using the principles of ESG and decide if you wish to invest in them.

Rule number one -- be accountable for your decisions, both financially and personally.  That's from the author of Prepping for Success, Anmol Singh.  He says when you learn to stick to your word, wealth of all sorts will follow you.

Anmol is also a stock market trader and discusses how to get control of your emotions when the markets are going up and down.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal Twitter page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

Are you a spender or a saver?  Amanda Sharratt, the chief operating officer with Whitaker Myers Wealth Managers, says you can create the muscle for saving -- like she had to do as a spender.

Amanda says staying out of debt, especially during the holidays, starts with having a plan ahead of time of how much you can spend within your budget.  A good tip is to sell older items so you have some extra cash to buy gifts.

Amanda also discusses where to start paying off your debt and why it's important to have an emergency fund.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal Twitter page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

There are multiple ways to pay for higher education that don't include going into debt.  Geoffrey Thomas Landward, the interim Commissioner for Utah System of Higher Education, says the "Keys to Success" app can show you how.  He also discusses the Pell Grant, the Opportunity and Promose scholarships which are FREE.

Susan Speirs, the CEO of Utah Association of CPAs, also gets in on the discussion of filling out FAFSA forms for financial aid.  Along with the importance of higher education; which doesn't always mean going to a college or university.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal Twitter page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.

From shipping scams to people trying to get you to pay for things with gift cards, fraudsters are coming after your money in droves.  Roberta (Bobbi) Tonelli, an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission, says it's important to learn how to spot a scam and then report them at:  ReportFraud.ftc.com

You can learn more about various scams at FTC.gov/consumeralerts.

You can follow this show on Instagram and on Facebook. And to see what Heather does when she's not talking money, go to her personal Twitter page.

Be sure to email Heather your questions and request topics you'd like her to cover here.