Conversations that bring money into play are notoriously difficult to have. As parents, we want to help and support our children in every way we can – even if doing so is at our own financial expense. When it comes to setting your young adult kids financially free: When is it time to (forcibly) nudge them to spread their wings? Here are three questions to ask yourself and reflect on when determining if it’s time to cut the purse strings.   

When was the last time you checked your credit report? Did you notice any errors? And if so how would you fix them? Mistakes on credit reports probably happen more often than we think and if you recently found an error on yours, know you're not alone. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said more than 43,000 or 23% of complaints were about credit reporting in 2016 so it’s fairly common to find mistakes. Below we'll take you through what errors to search for and how to correct them when you find a potential blunder on your report.

When planning to move, it’s easy to let stress take over - sometimes so much that you miss ways you could be saving. There are a lot of factors that go into moving, such as are you changing states, what time of year will you be relocating, and how much stuff are you taking? The American Moving and Storage Association says that the average cost of an interstate household move is about $4,300 and the average cost of an intrastate move is about $2,300. With moving expenses on the rise each year, we’ve highlighted a few ways you can keep your money in your pocket and have your stress-reduced before, after, and during your move.

Did you know that April is National Financial Literacy Month? Its purpose is to bring awareness to the importance of financial literacy and educate people on the significance of establishing and maintaining healthy financial habits. As financial advisors, we wholeheartedly support taking these steps and what better time of year than FLM to start working out your finances?  

We're coming into the busiest time of year, and naturally your schedule may be filling up with family gatherings, delicious food, and year-end adventures. 

Before you get consumed by holiday parties and egg nog, take a moment and ask yourself these three questions to make sure you are ringing in the New Year knowing your retirement plan is in good order and up to date.

If you're slammed with an unexpected bill or get a flat tire can you cover the cost? Avoid the panic of searching for quick money and instead begin building your own Emergency Savings Fund. Roughly 3 out of 5 Americans experience a major unforeseen cost each year, so it's not exactly a matter of if, but when will you have to dip into your stash. 

Need to boost your credit score? Considering, the average Americans' credit score falls within the "fair" rate, chances are most of us can probably use at least some advice. Having an excellent score is especially important because it impacts things like getting approved for credit cards, loans, and receiving desirable interest rates. Apply the five ways below and you'll be able to move your score into the excellent category.

This content was originally published on the Apex Home Loans blog.