Crystal Cox, CFP®, CRPC®

When looking for a financial advisor, you’ve probably noticed the “alphabet soup” of letter combinations that can follow an advisor’s name. There are over 100 different financial advisor certifications, so it can be confusing to determine what these letters mean, and which advisor might be best for you based on these qualifications. So, what is a CFA®? And what’s the difference between a CFP® and a CFA®? Here, we break down some of the most common financial designations and what they mean for you. CFP® - Certified Financial Planner™ A Certified Financial Planner™ certification or CFP® mark is one of…

Do you pride yourself on having a good credit score? In the world of credit, there’s good, and then there’s excellent. Even if you are doing most things right when it comes to watching out for your score, there are several lesser known ways to maintain what you have and take your credit to the next level. Understanding how your credit score is calculated is an important place to start. Six basic credit factors go into calculating this score. While all factors matter, some affect your score more than others. From roughly highest impact to lowest, these factors are: Derogatory…

Planning for the possibility of becoming incapacitated can be daunting. While many may have their estate planning documents squared away and have end-of-life plans carefully laid out, they may not have planned adequately for the possibility of incapacitation. Incapacitation, or the physical or mental inability to make or communicate your decisions, often caused by illnesses like stroke or cognitive disease, is a real threat for retirees. Incapacitation presents a unique challenge, in that your family members, designated POAs (Powers of Attorney), doctors or lawyers will need to make decisions for you – and will need access to your documents and…

Parents have arguably the most difficult job on the planet. Molding your children into high-functioning, independent beings takes more effort than simply teaching proper manners. The saying “actions speak louder than words” applies to some parenting duties – politeness, for example – but many valuable lessons must be presented to your kids through honest conversation. Unfortunately, financial conversations can often feel quite uncomfortable. In fact, 71% of parents have some degree of reluctance to discuss financial matters with their kids, but failure to have meaningful money conversations with them leaves them to learn from your actions alone, which are not…

Asking for help when it comes to your financial decisions is never a bad choice. Whether it is something as simple as, “How much should I contribute to my 401k?” or as big as, “Can I retire next year?” we could all use some help along the way. Enlisting the services of a financial planner is a major decision, since this person may ultimately be managing your financial life, maximizing your wealth, planning for your retirement, and helping you work towards major goals. Because of that, your search process should involve several steps as it would when hiring any sort…