Financial tips and tools for college and beyond.
Lifestyle creep, or lifestyle inflation, happens to the best of us. As your standard of living improves, your non-essential discretionary purchases gradually increase. You might even start to think your “wants” are “needs.” Some creep is natural and to be expected, but excessive creep can derail your finances.
Do you use others for the barometer of what you should have or deserve to have? Constant exposure to your friends’ vacations, experiences, dining out, luxury purchases, new cars, and house upgrades on social media amplifies “FOMO (fear of missing out)” and the desire to “keep up with the Jones’s.”
You can, but it isn’t your best option. Your 401(k) plan should be dedicated primarily to your retirement. There are two primary drawbacks to using your 401(k) for college funding. First, if you withdraw funds from your 401(k) before you are 59½, you will owe a 10% premature distribution penalty on the withdrawal.
The U.S. Department of Education has designated February as Financial Aid Awareness Month, and this year there’s a lot to talk about. On December 21, 2020, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, another relief package in response to the pandemic. Included in the bill were several provisions related to education, including many changes to financial aid. Here are some key highlights.
This is a good time to check in with your loan servicer to ensure you’re on a payment plan that fits your situation. Our partners at GreenPath recommend you do this soon; when loan payments resume, the government will be activating 30 million borrowers at one time, and you may find it difficult to reach your loan servicer.
Shopping for your first car is exciting, but it can also feel intimidating. It’s a major commitment, but one that will give you the freedom to go where you want, when you want. Before you head to the car lot, set yourself up for success by following these steps:
Moving out and on your own is an exciting step towards independence, but the financial responsibility can also be shocking if you’re not prepared. There are a lot of odds and ends that you need to plan for, as well as a lot of expected (and unexpected) costs associated with the move. Here are some tips to prepare:
On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the CARES Act, the largest economic stimulus bill in the history of the United States, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.1 Included in the legislation are new rules for student loan relief that supersede the rules that were announced only a week earlier by the Department of Education. For more information on both sets of rules, visit the federal student aid website.
Starting a new chapter in your life as an independent adult? One of the most important lessons you can learn is about financial wellness. Give your future self the gift of security by hitting these five financial health goals in your 20’s:
For the 2019-2020 college year, the average annual cost of attendance (known as the COA) at a four-year public college for in-state students was $26,590, the average cost at a four-year college for out-of-state students was $42,970, and the average cost at a four-year private college was $53,980. The COA figure includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. Many private colleges cost substantially more. (Source: The College Board’s 2019 Trends in College Pricing Report),
Everything you need to know about using contactless cards.
We’re partnering with News Channel 12 to honor nonprofit volunteers who make our community thrive. Each month, we’re choosing a different nonprofit and asking them to select a valuable volunteer to receive the SESLOC Cares for Community Award. We’re thrilled to introduce Candice Monge, from CALM.
SESLOC has once again been recognized as a leading credit union that consistently provides an exceptional member service by MemberXP, a member experience solution from CU Solutions Group.
SESLOC Credit Union announced today that Shawn Mulqueeney has been selected as the new Senior Vice President/Chief Information Officer. The former CIO, Ken Long, has accepted a new role of Senior Vice President/Chief Risk Officer at SESLOC.
We’re partnering with News Channel 12 to honor nonprofit volunteers who make our community thrive. Each month, we’re choosing a different nonprofit and asking them to select a valuable volunteer to receive the SESLOC Cares for Community Award. We’re thrilled to introduce Jessa Brooks, from the Santa Maria YMCA.
