Kimberly J. Howard, CFP® Blog

How Retirees Can Build Reliable Income Beyond Pensions and Investments

Kimberly Howard, CFP®, CRPC®, ADPA® — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:59:10 +0000

How Retirees Can Build Reliable Income Beyond Pensions and Investments Many retirees who did everything “right” still run into retirement income challenges when monthly needs don’t line up neatly with what a pension and portfolio can reliably deliver. Pension reliance can feel comforting at first, until a benefit change, a surprise expense, or a rising …

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Smart Money Moves Every Newlywed Should Make for a Strong Financial Start

Kimberly Howard, CFP®, CRPC®, ADPA® — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:27:16 +0000

Smart Money Moves Every Newlywed Should Make for a Strong Financial Start For newlywed couples, the happiest season can still come with real financial challenges after marriage, especially when two money histories collide. The core tension is simple: both partners want security and freedom, but merging finances can trigger budget conflicts and unspoken expectations. Shared …

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How Building Side Income Can Protect You from Job Uncertainty

Kimberly Howard, CFP®, CRPC®, ADPA® — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 17:39:46 +0000

How Building Side Income Can Protect You from Job Uncertainty For mid-career working professionals in corporate roles, job security challenges have started to feel like a daily background hum. Layoffs and AI disruption can hit teams that were praised a quarter ago, and corporate restructuring impact can change priorities overnight. That employment instability doesn’t just …

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Secure Your Future Retirement with Smart Income and Healthcare Strategies

Kimberly Howard, CFP®, CRPC®, ADPA® — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 18:55:19 +0000

Secure Your Future Retirement with Smart Income and Healthcare Strategies For middle-aged adults trying to make retirement planning feel solid, Social Security and Medicare can sound like a complete plan when they’re really just a starting point. The core tension is simple: benefits help, but they don’t guarantee later-in-life income security or cover every healthcare …

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How Solo Adults Over 50 Can Build Financial Strength and Independence

Kimberly Howard, CFP®, CRPC®, ADPA® — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:17:46 +0000

How Solo Adults Over 50 Can Build Financial Strength and Independence Solo adults over 50 often carry a quiet, heavy math problem: living costs keep moving, and there’s no built-in backup when financial stability challenges hit. Aging without family support can turn ordinary surprises, home repairs, medical bills, a job change, into decisions that feel …

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Smart Ways College-Bound Students Can Shrink Long-Term Debt

Kimberly Howard, CFP®, CRPC®, ADPA® — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 19:41:54 +0000

College students across the country face a growing reality: the sticker price of higher education can follow you for decades if you don’t plan ahead. The good news? There are multiple paths that make higher education far more affordable, flexible, and debt-light — but many students never hear about them until it’s too late. Quick …

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The Family Finance Playbook: How Young Families Can Build Stability, Grow Wealth, and Stay Sane

Kimberly Howard, CFP®, CRPC®, ADPA® — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 15:45:00 +0000

Building financial security when your family is just getting started can feel like solving a jigsaw puzzle — childcare, housing, education, and saving for the future all compete for attention and income. This guide walks through realistic, flexible strategies that help young families thrive without feeling squeezed. Main Message Young families can build financial confidence …

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How to Survive (and Ultimately) Thrive During a Recession

Kimberly Howard, CFP®, CRPC®, ADPA® — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 15:07:00 +0000

Recessions test more than wallets; they test adaptability, perspective, and grit. While many see only downturns and layoffs, history shows that economic turbulence often births innovation, opportunity, and resilience. Before we dive deep, remember: recessions end. What defines you is how you move through them. TL;DR Understand What’s Actually Happening Economic slowdowns follow cycles. They’re …

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Smart Financial Foundations for Newlyweds: Building Wealth and Stability Together

Kimberly Howard, CFP®, CRPC®, ADPA® — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:08:00 +0000

Marriage marks the beginning of many shared adventures — and few are more consequential than learning how to manage money as a team. Newlyweds face the challenge (and opportunity) of blending incomes, balancing priorities, and planning for a secure financial future. While love fuels the relationship, financial clarity fuels long-term peace. Let’s explore the essential …

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How Young Families Can Build a Strong Financial Future Without Losing Sleep

Kimberly Howard, CFP®, CRPC®, ADPA® — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:38:00 +0000

You’ve got a baby monitor buzzing in one room, a pile of bills in another, and somewhere in between—dreams of a stable, joy-filled future. Starting a family comes with a chaotic mix of love, fear, logistics, and hope. And when it comes to finances, the noise can get deafening fast. Everyone’s got advice, but most …

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