Shaun Leonard

Is my pet going to delay my retirement?

Reading Time: 2 minutes Here’s this month’s New Jersey personal finance question: is my pet going to delay my retirement? Let’s face it: they’re expensive As a New Jersey resident, I was surprised to learn that nearly half (47.4%) of households in New Jersey own a pet (Plotts, 2020). So, pet ownership has become, more or less, a pretty popular […]

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Should I buy short-term disability insurance or just use my emergency fund?

Reading Time: 2 minutes Here’s this month’s New Jersey personal finance question: Do I need to buy short-term disability insurance or is my emergency fund good enough? A short-term disability is characterized by the inability to work for a period of less than a year. It is not the same as worker’s compensation, which only covers injuries suffered from your

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“How much money should I have saved by age 35?”

Reading Time: < 1 minute Here’s this month’s New Jersey personal finance question: “I’m 35 years old. How much should I be saving?” According to the Federal Reserve, the average amount of retirement savings for someone ages 35-44 is $141,520 (2023). Saving money is hard and can be frustrating, but we caution against “doom spending,” or using small amounts of savings

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What’s the best age to buy long term care insurance – and is it worth it?

Reading Time: 2 minutes Here’s this month’s New Jersey personal finance question: “What is the best age to apply for long-term care insurance? And is it worth it?” Long term care insurance: worth it? Let’s start with a definition. What is long term care insurance? Long-term care insurance pays a daily or monthly benefit to compensate you for the cost of

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Picture of a nice home

“When do I know I have enough saved to buy that New Jersey house I’ve always dreamed about?”

Reading Time: 2 minutes Here’s this month’s New Jersey personal finance question, “I’m making $100k a year and still living with my parents. Not too many bills to pay, and student debt is paid off. When do I know I have enough saved to move out and buy that New Jersey house I’ve always dreamed about?” First, consider the

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