Articles
Click below to read recent insights on various financial topics, provided by North Star:
How to avoid gaps in your disability coverage that can derail your financial goals
Many employers will provide some disability coverage, especially for short-term disability. However, many professionals find themselves in want of additional coverage.
Changing Lives, Forever®: Jenna Creel
Jenna Creel joined North Star in 2006, and from day one, she has been a leader in making North Star a place where everyone can make a lifelong impact for the client, in the community, and across the world.
Get financially fit in the New Year
The start of a new year is typically the time to reset and refresh. Setting resolutions can feel productive—yet equally important is establishing a plan to follow through on. Here are some tips to get you started:
Your ultimate year-end financial checklist
In the whirlwind of December, the last thing most feel like undertaking in the midst of the holidays is sorting through financial matters. Here's why it may be beneficial to review several items before the year-end.
How a Worldwide Crisis Affects Your Investment Potential
As we all continue to adjust to the impacts of COVID-19, North Star's vice president and director of investments, Jeff Landt, reflects on how this pandemic will affect investors for many years to come.
Personal Finance in the Time of COVID-19
The coronavirus and the changes it’s brought in how we do work and life at home has brought countless questions. While we can’t settle all your uncertainty, North Star is here to help as a steady resource for all your financial questions in the midst of our current crisis.
Universal Life Insurance and Market Volatility
Financial advisors should never lead decisions by fear—our job is to give you a sense of security, not the opposite. If you have been focused on self-insuring and self-funding your retirement, an economic downturn may bring anxiety.
Will Disability Insurance Support You in a Coronavirus Quarantine?
As America’s economy is impacted by the threat of a coronavirus pandemic, people of every income level are looking for ways to safeguard their income and savings.
How to Navigate Estate Planning with Your Adult Children
Whether you acknowledge it or not, you own an estate—everything you own, from your car to your home to your bank accounts to your furniture, is included in your estate. But one day, you may not be able to control the items in your possession, and this is where estate planning comes in.
How to Set and Achieve Financial Goals for the New Year
Most of us have an idea of the life we would like to live. Maybe we want to open a business, to pay off a home in our favorite town or to retire with a legacy to leave future generations. But without a goal and a strategy for reaching it, these ideas may never become a reality.
4 money tips to conquer vacation stress
Taking a vacation is a wonderful opportunity to relax, enjoy new scenery and take a break from reality. However, planning for sightseeing and logistical aspects of the trip can overshadow a few necessary financial preparations.
Improving Financial Literacy: How BestPrep and North Star Help Prepare High School Students for a More Secure Future
North Star has proudly worked with BestPrep to improve financial literacy in Minnesota. Read on to learn more about this unique eMentor program.
6 Steps to Staying Smart with Money Over the Holidays
It’s inevitable: Your spending will go up during the holidays. The key is to recognize this shift in spending and plan for it. That way you can spend guiltlessly for your visit home for the holidays but avoid the shock of unloading all your gifts at the Target checkout line.
3 Types of Financial Service Relationships
You want to be smart with your money, you just aren’t sure the best relationship for you, and you know that in a volatile market, the wrong decision could cost you. We can help you compare a few of your options.
7 Notorious Myths About Life Insurance
Don’t let misinformation be the reason your loved ones aren’t protected. Let’s hear from a couple experienced advisors at North Star Resource Group on the life insurance myths they see the most often
Guide to Retirement Planning at Every Stage of Life
There is always something on the horizon you could be saving for besides your retirement. However, understanding your retirement goals and managing your accounts sooner rather than later is the best way to prepare for the day you clock out one last time.
Determining Your Financial Preparedness for Marriage
Getting married is something that a lot of people dream about, however it isn't as simple as walking down the aisle and exchanging rings, especially with finances to take into consideration.
Breaking Down Financial Wellness Priorities
With many Americans presently struggling with acquiring or retaining basic financial literacy or general knowledge, it raises the question of how many are even aware of their own financial wellness status.
3 Financial Products that Make Great Gifts for Children
Veer away from the expected gifts of clothes, electronics and gift cards, and give a child you're shopping for this holiday season a gift that keeps giving.
5 Common Long-Term Care Myths
Cost allocations, roles of nursing homes, and how much outlets like Medicare factor into expense costs have caused some notably-misguided views of when and how to use long-term care insurance.
5 Spending Habits Potentially Keeping You from Bolstering your 401k Funding
Routinely eating out, keeping up with the latest technology trends, and buying new cars are seemingly harmless practices that could be affecting your 401K balance.
Q&A on Life Insurance
Given the importance of life insurance but the intricate details surrounding a product you may be unfamiliar with, read on for a Q&A addressing some of the topic's most common questions:
Paying Off Student Loans While Juggling Other Financial Priorities
Young professionals today are increasingly juggling both student loan debt and other competing financial priorities. To determine how to make progress, read on for ideas on how to prioritize both goals:
5 Retirement Savings Myths
With the seemingly never-ending stream of information today, it's almost impossible to not base theories about your own retirement savings strategy on others you've heard about. Read on for 5 retirement savings myths, debunked:
Compound Interest: What It Is and How It Works
You've likely heard how important it is to start saving early in life, especially when it comes to your retirement saving strategy. The reasoning behind this? Compound interest. Learn more about what this is and how it works:
3 Insurance Considerations for Growing Families
From a financial standpoint, welcoming another person into your family will invite some changes that you'll want to consider both before your child arrives and periodically after. Read on for 3 insurance considerations to review:
Emergency Savings Fund: What It Is and How to Build It
It can be all too easy to ignore that you may be in financial trouble should something unexpected occur. However, it's imperative to prepare for these situations with an emergency savings fund. Read on for how to create your own:
5 Things to Consider When Selling a Home
Given the risks involved with selling a home, it's wise to approach the process having thoroughly considered multiple angles, especially on the financial side of things. Read on for 5 things to consider when selling a home:
Continuing Education: How to Pay for Grad School
While pursuing a graduate degree is a significant investment in yourself, the high cost of grad school-related expenses indicates that planning ahead for which financial resources to utilize is crucial.
How to Save for a Down Payment on a Home
Once you decide to take the leap and become a homeowner, you'll need to calculate not only how much home you can afford—but also how much to put down right away. Read on for how to save for a down payment:
How to Combine Finances with Your Spouse
In many ways, marriage is a “new beginning” for couples. From a financial standpoint, one of the biggest decisions to make is if the two of you will combine finances and if so, how to do it. Read on for several ideas:
Getting Married Later in Life: Financial Items to Consider
Marriage brings forth a range of financial considerations to discuss with your spouse, or soon-to-be spouse. For those getting married later in life, the considerations are more complex. Here are several items to discuss:
Financial Literacy: What It Is and Why It’s Important
Being educated on personal finance matters can have an enormous impact on financial actions taken by individuals at all stages of life. Read about what financial literacy is, why it's important, and what you can do:
5 Ways to Take Advantage of Your Tax Refund
Your tax refund is the perfect opportunity to give a boost to those financial goals you've been working towards. Need some ideas? Here are five ways to take advantage of your tax refund:
How to Overcome Financial Procrastination
A little procrastination here and there is relatively common, yet it can become a problem when ignoring or delaying items on your to-do list is a regular occurrence. Here are some ideas on how to overcome financial procrastination:
A Look Back at 2017
2017 was a year of change and innovation at North Star Resource Group, including our brand refresh which was unveiled in July. Here is a non-comprehensive list of our highlights from 2017:
Home for the Holidays: Discussing Financial Matters with Parents
With many families getting together around the holiday season, it can be an ideal time to discuss financial matters with aging parents. Read a few tips on how to approach the topic, as well as what to discuss, here:
6 Financial Preparations for New Parents
Whether you are thinking of having a child, have one on the way, or are a new parent, you have plenty to think about during this exciting yet hectic time. Here are 6 financial preparations to consider:
What to Do with Your Retirement Plan when Changing Jobs
There are a number of logistical items to consider when changing jobs. If you had a retirement plan at your previous employer, what are your options moving forward with your new employer?
3 Considerations for First-Time Home Buyers
The prospect of owning your own home for the first time is incredibly exciting, yet the decision on whether to buy or rent is not an overnight decision. Here are three basic considerations to help start the process.
Financial Steps to Consider at Any Stage in Life
As you enter a new year or decade of your life, your financial to-do list is constantly evolving with you. Here is a non-comprehensive list of financial steps to consider throughout various life stages.
Healthy Habits: Teaching Kids About Finance
Teaching your kids how to manage financial matters may seem like a mundane thing to discuss with your 4- or 9-year-old. However, here are the reasons why it may be beneficial and some ideas to get you started.
Wedding Planning: Financial Preparations for the Big Day
Your wedding day is one of the biggest days of your life—but you may not want to spend years paying off the debt accumulated from it. Here are a few steps to take to keep the cost under control.
The Dos and Don'ts of Saving for College
The benefits of a college education are endless, yet with rising costs of tuition and other expenses, it has become necessary to plan ahead. Here are some tips for saving for college.
5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Finances
Spring cleaning can extend to a number of different things that could use a little attention and organization, such as your finances. Here are five ways to spring-clean your financial picture this season.
What NOT to Do When Creating a Budget
Budgeting is something we hear about constantly, however, it can be tricky to create a budget you can actually stick to. Read on for a few things NOT to do when creating a budget.
5 Reasons to Consider Working with a Financial Advisor
As your financial picture grows increasingly more complex, receiving the guidance of an experienced professional may be just what you need. Read on for five reasons to consider working with an advisor.
6 Common Financial New Year's Resolutions and How to Stick With Them
37% of Americans made some sort of resolution related to financial matters in 2016. If you are one of the many making a financial resolution for 2017, here are six common resolutions and how to stick with them.
Getting into the Holiday Spirit: How to Get Involved and Give Back
Americans yet again increased the amount of money they gifted to charitable causes in 2015. With so many resources now available to help choose an organization, giving back is easier than ever.
Your Online Financial Information: Tips for Keeping It Safe
In the virtual world we live in today, it has become the norm to have large amounts of personal information stored online. In light of recent hacking incidents, it's more important than ever to secure your online details.
Financial To-Do List: College Graduates
The "real world" comes with a lot of expenses. While it may seem manageable, it's best to come up with a game plan to tackle these expenses to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
5 Things NOT to Do with Your Year-End Bonus
A year-end bonus creates an opportunity to do a lot of things you otherwise might not have been able to, yet it can be extremely tempting to spend it unwisely. Read on for five things NOT to do with your bonus.