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While it’s highly recommended that we use a financial advisor when we start to grow our investment portfolio, there are a lot of things you can do before you ever speak to a financial advisor to grow and maintain your investment portfolio. Investing, like everything else in life, has no guarantees, and even the hottest stock or the best tip may not always perform the way we would like Keeping that in mind, here are a few things you can do (or not do) when just starting on your investment journey.

If you’re like most Americans, you make the majority of your donations to charitable organizations in November and December. But as you get ready to pull out your checkbook to write that check or go online to make a donation from your favorite organization’s website, make sure to perform some due diligence; particularly if you’re considering giving to an organization for the first time.

So, what should you know about the organization you are interested in giving to? Here are a few things to look for:

As of December 2018, more than 43.7 million retired Americans collected Social Security, with more than 8 million disabled workers collecting benefits as well. But Social Security is much more than retirement income. Along with providing a small income to millions of seniors, Social Security also provides life insurance as well as survivor benefits.

If you’re nearing retirement age and still have a lot of questions about Social Security, here are a few facts for you to consider:

In recent weeks, you may have heard the word recession a lot. You may even have a vague understanding of what a recession is, but would like a better understanding of what a recession really is. What the Dow Jones Industrial Average? You probably hear that every night on the news and you know that it has something to do with the stock market, but aren't sure of the details. 

Here are some common terms you hear frequently and a simple explanation of what they really are:

More than 60 million Americans had their identities stolen in 2018, a significant increase from 2015, where more than 15 million consumers were affected. With identity theft numbers on the rise, it certainly doesn’t appear likely that scammers are going away anytime soon. While there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to preventing identity theft, there are some things you can do to make it more difficult for scammers to obtain your personal information. Here are a few of them:

Being financially literate in today’s economic climate is more important than ever. Understanding finances can help you make better money management decisions, budget your money properly, adequately save for college, and be financially prepared for retirement. While it may sound daunting, financial literacy starts with a budget. Today, only one third of Americans have a budget that they actively use when making financial decisions, although 75% of Americans believe you should have a budget.

Most nonprofit organizations today offer a variety of planned giving options that supporters can take advantage of. If you’re committed to supporting an organization into perpetuity, planned giving provides you with the option to do so.

While consulting with your tax or financial advisor is recommended before making any planned giving decisions, it can be helpful to gain some understand about the various options that are available, and which of these options are more likely to suit your own particular financial needs and personal philanthropic philosophy.

One of the biggest decisions you will make in your life is buying a home. While home ownership is not for everyone, home ownership remains a goal for many. And while browsing real estate websites looking at homes can give you an idea of what’s available, and help determine what you’re looking for, home ownership is much more complicated than simply picking out an attractive home.

A college education, while a worthy achievement, does not come cheaply. Forbes has estimated that the price of a college education has increased 8 times faster than wages, making it a struggle for even upper middle-class families. When factoring in the cost of tuition along with room and board, books, and living expenses, a college education can quickly become an unaffordable luxury.

If you’ve only just begun your career and are starting to collect a decent paycheck, the last thing on your mind is probably retirement planning. When you’re in your twenties and thirties, retirement can feel light years away, but it will get here much quicker than you can imagine. And when it does, you’ll want to be prepared.

And for those in their 40s and 50s, remember that it’s never too late to start saving for retirement. The most important thing is to just start.

Here are some tips for getting started: