Last week, I hosted at our office Chicago’s top bloggers for the ReVamp Project, organized my MJ Tam of Chicagonista.com. It was a delight listening to the concerns of these forward-thinking, thought leaders for mothers in a changing economy.
As Chicago enters a new season without Mayor Daley seeking another term, senior pastor of New Life Covenant Church in Humboldt Park Wilfredo de Jesus, announces last week he is entering the race to become the mayor of Chicago.
I had an opportunity to catch-up with Wilfredo, affectionately called Pastor “Choco” by his church members, family and friends, over morning coffee. As a faith-based entrepreneur and financial coach, I wanted to clear the air on politics and religion, his qualifications to be the mayor of Chicago, an anti-gay misconception about Wilfredo and what he will do to stir small businesses and stimulate the economy for households in this great city.
Big news everyone! I’ve been so excited to share this with you for months, but I have been under “embargo”. (A new PR word I learned that means: shut your mouth until the people who write the big checks, let you).
Throughout the summer, I have been in production filming a new online reality show around the areas of personal finance, saving and investing. Oh mang! I have signed on for three seasons for The Invested Life which airs online at MSN Money beginning October 2010 to June 2011, sponsored by TD Ameritrade. They have taken seven independent financial experts from seven cities: Denver, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Portland, New York and of course, Chicago! Our role is to serve as a financial coach to a client assigned to us during each season. You’ll be able to watch and learn from both perspectives, a financial coach and a client, how the process of dealing with personal financial issues are managed.
Why an online reality show about money? It’s a unique way to reach and help investors when they need it the most. Many people feel financially confused, isolated and somewhat powerless. This will help more people take control of their financial futures. It is relatable, educational, innovative and real time!
Podcast: Download (Duration: 6:44 — 12.4MB)
Since Americans are living much longer than previous generations, that means Medicare and Social Security will be supporting retirees for many years more than ever anticipated when the programs were created. When FDR (President Franklin Delano Roosevelt) created Social Security, the retirement age was set at 65, but the average life span was 62. Research shows that longevity for men and women has increased by between 35-40% since 1940. That increase translates into higher costs, rising 38% since the beginning of the program. The left argues there is no real change in longevity. Should the retirement age be raised?
Whether you are in the military now, plan to be in the future, or have recently left you need to be on top of your game regarding future financial plans and taking full advantage of all your veteran’s benefits. Matthew Sapaula recently met with SCORE Chicago to discuss some strategic financial planning moves for those who are in the military and some tips for fully utilizing benefits once you are out.
I’m looking forward this week as I travel to the Disney Yacht Resort Club in Orlando, FL. I received a call earlier in the year from financial services veteran, Robert Ellwanger Jr. CLU, ChFC, LLIF, located in New York. I was floored as he invited me to be a speaker for the 2010 LIMRA Marketing and Research Conference with the theme this year being, “Create a New Tomorrow”. What an HONOR to speak to an audience of financial services management and practitioners who operate in the areas of marketing, marketing research, public relations, advertising, corporate communications and marketing services. Bob said to me…
Are you wondering about your credit report and how often you should check it for accuracy? Well Matthew recently discussed this topic with SCORE Chicago and he offers some great, affordable tips for protecting your credit by monitoring it consistently. You can watch the video here.
Some of the points highlighted during the interview include:
Never did I think in a million years, would “author” be on my resume. Thanks through the introduction of my radio producer, Mark Goldman, he set up a meeting with a book agent named Scott Spiewak of Fresh Impact Public Relations Group.
Mr. Spiewak did a great job of helping me consider writing a book, then consider which publisher would love to have me in their authors’ stable. He had a representative of Destiny Image Publishers Inc, Joel Noeri, fly into Chicago to meet me for dinner.
As of Monday, April 19th, 2010, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) has suspended all aid to applicants seeking Illinois public college financial aid. According to the ISAC, they have seen a huge increase in the number of applicants this year due to students and parents seeking greater financial aid from the government. The amount of aid being applied for cannot be supported, at this time, by the budget given to the ISAC from the Illinois government.
Mark Goodman, a SCORE mentor and part of the Small Business Administration, hosts SCORE TV in Chicago, IL. In light of people losing their jobs, businesses downsizing, banks cutting lines of credit reluctant to extend any type of credit brings an attack on consumers personal credit. Personal credit and your credit score is one of the most confusing areas in managing money yet affects a big chunk of our financial decision and choices.
Any time a crisis comes, it is a great time to review the basics. SCORE TV and their editors broke down this 30 minute show into great bite size pieces on helping you all understand personal credit much more. There are a few, great quick videos to review.
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