Personal Insights

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Test Your Retirement Plan Before You Retire

You can stress test or even test drive your retirement plan to determine whether it still fits your desires.

What is your purpose, what is your passion? We ask a lot of these questions to get to know you.

Ages and Stages of Saving for Retirement

Your approach to saving for retirement may shift over time as your life changes.

Starting early on retirement savings can help you form financial discipline that will last throughout your working days.

The Pros and Cons of Annuities

Annuities can help you address the risk of outliving your assets, making them a valuable tool in retirement planning.

If you're looking for a steady stream of income during retirement, this is the benefit an annuity will provide.

Beware of These Common Investing Mistakes

You take your car in for service and hire contractors to renovate your house. The same logic applies to investing.

If you started investing without a plan, it's not too late to put one in place.

Have You Considered CD Laddering as a Savings Strategy?

CD laddering is ideal for those who want FDIC-insured savings, higher interest rates and protection from market risk.

With CD laddering, you invest money in multiple CDs with different maturity levels instead of investing in one CD and waiting for it to mature.

Considering Differences Between Rewards Cards

Comparing rewards programs can help you find the right credit card for your goals and spending style.

The most common rewards cards offer one of three types of benefits: cash back, travel miles or rewards points.

4 Things to Know When Receiving an Inheritance

Minimizing taxes on any inheritance you receive can leave you more to use for your needs.

For some, an inheritance may be more complicated than simply being handed a stack of money.

Follow These Rules on Gifting Money to Family

Financial gifts can help both you and the recipient, but it's also important to discuss specifics with both a financial advisor and tax professional.

A financial gift to a child can help teach them basics about money or even the stock market.

Add Flexibility to Your Work-Life Balance

Balancing your work life with personal issues like caring for a parent can be challenging.

Experts suggest keeping your work life and caregiving responsibilities as separate as possible.

A Primer on Balancing Pretax Contributions

Both 401(k)s and health savings accounts have different advantages and disadvantages to consider.

An HSA has the capability of having a triple tax advantage, which is why it's so useful.

How to Maximize Year-End Charitable Giving

Any time is a good time to carefully consider how you can best benefit yourself and the institutions you want to help.

Start by considering which causes you care most about. Is it access to education, animal welfare or maybe the arts?

Is Your Life Insurance Keeping Up With Your Life?

Your insurance should change as your earnings, lifestyle and family situations change.

Think of life insurance as the foundation of your financial house.

How to Budget for Vacation

Making a budget and being flexible can help you save on your next trip.

Creating a budget for a vacation is more than just putting money away. It's about finding savvy ways to save on every aspect of your vacation.

Want to Improve Your Financial Stress and Mental Health?

Pay attention to your wallet. Financial stressors can greatly impact mental and physical health.

A majority of Americans surveyed say money is a significant source of stress in their lives.

How to Combat Online Identity Theft

Follow these best practices to reduce your risk of identity theft.

As you engage with service providers online, post on social media and upload your information on different websites, identity theft will continue to be a risk.

Stop Fearing a Credit Check for Employment

Stressed about how a credit check for employment could impact your career? Fear not.

Any employer that wants to conduct a credit check for employment must secure your written approval to do so.

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This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be an offer, specific investment strategy, recommendation or solicitation to purchase or sell any security or insurance product, and should not be construed as legal, tax or accounting advice. Please consult with your legal or tax advisor regarding the particular facts and circumstances of your situation prior to making any financial decision. While we believe that the information presented is from reliable sources, we do not represent, warrant or guarantee that it is accurate or complete.

Third parties mentioned are not affiliated with First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company.

Links to third-party websites may have a privacy policy different from First Citizens Bank and may provide less security than this website. First Citizens Bank and its affiliates are not responsible for the products, services and content on any third-party website.

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