Category Archives: Financial Independence

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California's Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) fined Lambda School $75,000 last year for operating without state approval.

Lambda officials immediately began registering with BPPE after the fine, they told Education Dive earlier this year, though the school did not heed the state entity's order to halt its work. The school is still appealing the citation from BPPE, according to a spokesperson with the California Department of Consumer Affairs, which oversees the agency.

ISAs have been contentious with BPPE. The state body rejected the school earlier this summer "entirely" because of the financing model, the school's co-founder and CEO, Austen Allred, wrote in a June blog post. Students can pay full tuition upfront, which is typically $30,000, but most opt for the ISA. After getting a job that pays at least $50,000, ISA students pay 17% of their salary every month to the school for 24 months, stopping at $30,000.

BPPE still didn't greenlight ISAs when it approved Lambda's operations, Allred wrote in a more recent blog post. Instead, the school will offer California residents a retail installment contract. The arrangement is similar to an ISA with a few key differences namely, that students don't stop paying after 24 months but rather must continue until they've given back the full $30,000. Students based in other states can still use an ISA.

"[T]his approval is a massive milestone, but not the finish line," Allred wrote. "We believe the ISA remains one of the most student-friendly, lowest-risk alternatives to traditional student debt, and we plan to continue to advocate for it in California and the rest of the U.S."

The consumer affairs department spokesperson provided a statement on BPPE's behalf, confirming that Lambda could operate legally in the state.

"Regulatory approval ensures that institutions provide a quality education to students, in turn opening pathways to career opportunities and financial independence," the statement reads. "As an approved institution, new and existing students are afforded all of the rights and protections offered by the Bureau and the state of California."

Though ISAs have become more prominent in recent years, they have proven controversial nationally. They tend to be used by unaccredited schools such as Lambda. Accreditation would enable students to receive Title IV money, though Lambda officials have said previously they don't want to take federal aid.

But accredited colleges have begun to use ISAs, too, as an alternative to loans and other forms of institutional aid.

Critics of ISAs say the financing tool is akin to debt and may even be more restrictive than private loans. For now, ISAs are covered under consumer credit protections. But supporters of the model are seeking their own categorizations, which a recent analysis by The Century Foundation, a left-leaning think tank, suggests could risk leaving ISA users with fewer protections.

State and federal lawmakers have proposed ISA-specific regulations, and while some state efforts have taken off, federal-level proposals have stalled. A bipartisan bill introduced last year, led by prominent legislators such as Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fl., did not see any movement, but it would have introduced a regulatory framework for ISAs.

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Coding academy Lambda School approved to operate in California - Education Dive

Because the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant financial challenges for the healthcare industry, smaller independent health systems will need to pursue partnerships to survive, according to a new report from analysts at Waller and Kaufman Hall.

Much of the financial hardship that hospitals and health systems face comes from reductions in elective procedures, and, by mid-June,26.5% of hospital systems had used more than 50% of their reserves, and another 41.1% of hospital systems had expended between 21% and 50% of their reserves, the report said.

As the year progresses, the financial future doesn't look bright, with estimates for hospital performance in Q3 and Q4 2020 indicating declines in operating margins by as much as 11%, according to the report.

With many health systems preoccupied with managing the financial and operational struggles caused by the pandemic, the report shows that merger and acquisition activity for Q2 2020 was the lowest it's been in five years.

The analysts predict that the pent-up M&A activity from the pandemic will "very likely" cause a surge of hospital M&As moving into 2021.

"We foresee an increase in the number of independent hospitals and smaller systems that will need to explore partnerships in order to ensure the continued delivery of quality healthcare to the organizations' communities," the report said.

However, even with smaller systems flooding the market, the analysts warn that the financial pressures caused by COVID-19 will result in fewer potential buyers.

WHAT'S THE IMPACTFOR SMALL AND INDEPENDENT SYSTEMS?

The report insists that executive leadership teams take a hard look at their real operational and financial performance when planning for the future.

While some hospitals have managed to remain independent from their inception, the new reality is "continued independence comes at the cost of diminished quality of care, services and expertise, or in some cases, closure," the report said.

Independent hospitals may also have to take actions such as reducing or eliminating service lines, cutting back the workforce, cutting expenses and backing out of capital investments.

WHAT'S THE IMPACTFOR LARGE HEALTH SYSTEMS?

Larger systems are better prepared for the future. These are the ones that typically have access to capital, scale, vertically-integrated services and adaptability that make them more likely to achieve growth.

Even though larger systems are often in better positions than independent systems, they should still undertake analyses of their growth goals. This will help them identify potential partners to help achieve those goals, especially for those seeking ways to vertically integrate.

"Areas such as telehealth, behavioral health, home health and long-term care, among others, are on the wish list of many large health systems seeking to provide a broader continuum of care while reducing the rate of readmissions in their hospitals," the report said.

THE LARGER TREND

The federal government has set aside $175 billion for hospitals and other providers through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, to be distributed through the Provider Relief Fund.

The Department of Health and Human Services has already announced allocation payments for Phase 1 and Phase 2 general distributions, which include:Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and dental providers and targeted allocations to high-impact areas, safety-net hospitals, rural providers, tribal facilities, clinics, urban health centers, and skilled nursing facilities.

But many hospitals remain in a dire financial position. Doctors, nurses and hospitals have asked Congress to provide an additional $100 billion in relief to frontline healthcare workers to offset staffing and equipment expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When asking for more aid, organizations cite the financial impact hospitals are going through, like Kaufman Hall's new National Hospital Flash Report for July that shows hospital operating margins have plunged 96% since the start of 2020,in comparison with the first seven months of 2019.

ON THE RECORD

"Despite these headwinds, health systems large and small are displaying an admirable level of focus, perseverance and dedication to their communities," the report said. "A spirit of collaboration, even amongst parties that were formerly fierce competitors, has emerged as health systems have been reminded that all are committed to the common goal of keeping their communities safe and healthy. If one positive is to emerge from the pandemic, it is perhaps this banding together, both within and between health systems."

Twitter:@HackettMalloryEmail the writer:mhackett@himss.org

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M&A activity expected to surge as independent health systems look for partners - Healthcare Finance News

WEST HARTFORD Five local nonprofits will receive grants this month to support social justice, help people impacted by COVID-19, and provide assistance to domestic violence survivors from two giving circles at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford: JewGood Hartford for young professionals, and the Lillian Fund for women, according to an email from organizers.

Theres strength in numbers when people pool their money together to help causes that matter most to them, said Jacob Schreiber, president and CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford. Our giving circle members are rallying together to address urgent issues and making a positive difference in Greater Hartford, he continued. Thats the power of collective philanthropy.

JewGood Hartford, which was established in 2019, issued its inaugural grant of $10,000 to the Connecticut Coalition for the Homeless to help house 10 families. The financial gift will also assist people who are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 due to crowded, confined shelter settings.

Interval House and Prudence Crandall Center each received a grant from the Lillian Fund. Interval House will use its $5,000 grant to help clients gain their financial independence so they can live self-sufficient lives free from domestic violence and fear. The $10,000 grant for PCC will help low-income victims of domestic violence secure safe, affordable, long-term homes for their families, and empower survivors and their children to build a network of community supports.

Both giving circles launched a special fundraising campaign to collectively support social justice, and awarded a $1,000 grant to Connecticut Bail Fund and a $1,000 grant to Hartford Communities That Care. These two non-profits help improve lives and enhance local communities by advancing social equality and social justice.

A giving circle is a group of like-minded individuals who donate their time and money to a pooled fund and decide together which organizations and causes will receive their grants. Every voting circle member has an equal voice in these decisions. Members also attend events that allow them to explore their philanthropic interests, deepen their knowledge of endowment and create new friendships.

The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford operates two giving circles, JewGood Hartford and the Lillian Fund, and encourages a gift of $100 to become a voting member of a giving circle.

JewGood Hartford offers a fun and supportive community for young professionals who want to make a positive impact on the world. JewGood does this through two kinds of activities - Hangouts, which are fun, informal gatherings; and Events, which blend hands-on volunteer projects with opportunities to learn about local organizations that are making a difference. JewGood Hartford launched in 2019 with generous funding from the Steve and Randi Piaker Family Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation, and has engaged more than 125 young professionals.

Launched in 1999, the Lillian Fund envisions a world in which all women and children have equal opportunity for personal and professional achievement. They support this vision by funding childrens arts and education programs, domestic violence services, mental health counseling and job training, to name a few. They view philanthropy through a lens of Jewish values and gender equality, while expanding their impact and deepening friendships.

For more information about these giving circles, please email Elana MacGilpin at emacgilpin@jcfhartford.org, or visit them online at http://www.jewgoodhartford.org, @Jewgoodhartford and @Lillianfundjcf.

The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford was founded in 1972 with an initial gift of $50,000 and has now grown to more than $120 million in assets. JCF, a proud partner to the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford and a member of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy, is the fourth largest charitable community foundation in Connecticut. JCF offers an array of options for every size of charitable investment, which includes family giving, donor advised funds, social impact opportunities, and Jewish funding options. For more information, visit http://www.jcfhartford.org.

Originally posted here:

Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford issues five grants to local nonprofits - West Hartford News

We are Leanna Sun and Karen Mai, and the article below is the second of a three-part series on resources for joining the movement for racial justice from home. Read part one here.

In the last couple of months, we have taken the time to reflect on our privileges and how to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Coming from Asian families, weve realized that the idea of POC supporting each other in the fight against racism is ideal and expected however, it is not currently the case, due to a history of white oppressors pitting minority groups against each other (for example, the purpose behind the phrase model minority that is commonly attributed to the Asian community).

As Asian Americans, we dont face the same brutality that the Black community faces daily, but we have to try and educate ourselves to be allies. We have attended webinars, donated, educated and marched in protests to support the movement. Through discussions with our friends and our personal experiences, we have compiled several social media accounts, organizations and tips if youre looking to replicate our experience!

Organizations to donate to

We recognize that donating isnt something everyone can do, depending on financial or personal circumstances. As high schoolers, we definitely lack the financial independence to donate to organizations that we support and in our case, organizations that our parents may not agree with. Instead of spending that $5 to get a drink, consider putting that toward a cause. Any financial contribution, small or big, will help. When we consider donating, we research how the organization is going to use the money, and also the integrity of its mission and its creators. There may be some organizations you would like to contribute to more because you have been impacted by something that they are addressing. We have also found other ways to donate, such as through our siblings.

Below is a partial list, if youd like to donate to support detained protestors, community-led organizations or other places as well.

Black Visions Collective is a QT & Black-led organizing committee, working toward Black liberation. They arrange powerful campaigns for transformative justice. To volunteer for this organization, you must be a Black person located in the Twin Cities metro area in Minnesota. The reason we chose BLVC is because they have a powerful message in how healing justice is about people claiming love for their bodies and being able to find resources. They want to transform a long vicious history and make sure that ALL Black lives not only matter, but are able to thrive. Their mission is to find power for Black people so that the public can see transformative long-term change.

Minnesota Freedom Fund helps to cover bail protesters that are fighting for this movement. If you have the means, you can donate directly or take the time to explore their website and find other ways to support the work that they do. They have also provided aCOVID-19 Call to Action campaign that gives a template of what to send to officials if you want to demand change.

Reclaim the Block is a police divestment organization in Minneapolis.

The image above is a flyer made by Reclaim the Block. The people in the picture are what they stand for justice. This poster is intended to get more people involved with their organization. Check out their hashtag! Reclaim the Block curated a list of organizations that are in need of funding for the movement. If your organization needs fundraising help, email [emailprotected], and they can put it on their list.

The reason we decided to focus on these three organizations is because they are in more rural areas we thought that may not have as much media coverage. In Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, Orlando or Seattle, there are so many organizations that are supported by the urban population. When the message spreads, everyone starts to pull funding. And though we are not from Minnesota, we hope that through this article, they can get some more donations from people all around the world.

Many users are matching their friends donations and circulating Venmo bingo games to increase group donations. Weve used these resources to get our friends and families involved and donating. Social media has been especially conducive to a domino effect change occurs when everyone puts in their support. Though during these difficult times finances understandably may not allow this sort of contribution, there are always non-monetary ways to make an impact, and despite not having funds of their own, many have been able to funnel funds from others into the organizations they wish to support.

Contact Leanna Sun at leannaxsel at gmail.com and Karen Mai at kmai4 at bostonk12.org.

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Organizations to donate to stand for justice at home - The Stanford Daily

Early retirement means different things to different people. Some consider it to be anything before age 62, the earliest date you can draw Social Security. More recently, the Financial Independence, Retire Early, or FIRE, movement has gained momentum, encouraging people to retire even in their 30s and 40s. One of the challenges, according to GOBankingRates survey findings, is thatmost Americans dont know how much theyll need to have saved for retirement. But with dedication and planning, many people can retire early. Take a look at this overview of the process to start figuring out when you can retire. After all,the best retirement age is the one at which you can live comfortably and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Although retiring early sounds like a pipe dream for many, it can be done but youll need to plan to make it a reality. Not everyone takes the same path to early retirement, but certain steps are common among people who manage to achieve it. Youll likely have to consider at least some of these options to have a sustainable retirement lifestyle after you stop working.

The bottom line is that the more money you save, the more likely youll be able to retire early. Making cuts to your lifestyle is one of the easiest ways to make sure that more of the money you earn goes into your savings. There are plenty of ways to cut spending, from the often-cited giving up your daily latte to the more substantial act of downsizing your home. The more you give up now, the more savings youll enjoy later.

Lifestyle cuts are one way to help you save for early retirement, but there are some basic necessities you just cant get around, such as food, housing and transportation expenses. The other part of the equation is to increase your income.

There are only so many hours in a day that you can work, so outside of getting a significant raise a great strategy for those who can do it cobbling together extra sources of passive income is the way to go. As the name implies, passive income, such as rental or investment income, flows into your account without you needing to be an active participant in its generation. Thus, you can have multiple passive income streams without any of them taking up significant amounts of your time.

Once youre generating savings and earnings to get to early retirement, youll have to preserve that money to make it last for the rest of your life. Many financial advisors recommend an annual withdrawal rate of no more than 4% of your savings in order to preserve your nest egg. For example, if youve tucked away $1 million, you shouldnt withdraw more than $40,000 per year.

But early retirees should consider adjusting that amount downward. Unlike a more traditional retirement, which might last just 20 to 30 years, you could potentially face 50 years or more in retirement. You might want to sit down with a financial planner or CPA to help determine your long-term path.

To successfully plan out an early retirement lifestyle, youll need to make some pretty good estimates about your income and your expenses. Retirement income can be fairly easy to determine, based on your Social Security income, pension income and any side jobs you might still be working. Your expenses, on the other hand, can be harder to calculate.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides data that shows how much a 65-year-old spends today compared with the average spending across the U.S. You can use this information as a guide for your own projected retirement spending, subject to tweaks that are specific to your own lifestyle. For example, if youre planning to travel a lot in retirement, youll have to adjust the BLS figures upwards for that category.

Heres a look at some of the BLS data on average spending in the U.S. for 65-year-olds vs. the national averages:

Once youve locked down your projected expenses, focus on the income and savings side of the equation. No matter what you earn, youll need to save a lot if you want to retire early. Say, for example, you earn $30,000 per year and want to retire within 20 years. Youre not going to make it because youll need to save more every month than you bring home. But with an income of $60,000, early retirement is theoretically possible.

Related: 30 Best Jobs If You Want To Retire Early

Say youre 25 years old with $20,000 in the bank, and you want to retire at age 45 with $2 million in the bank. If you earn a 6% return on your investments, youll need to save over $4,000 per month about 81% of your income to reach your goal. If your investments return 10%, that monthly figure drops to about $2,537, or about 51% of your income.

Where you live can also play a big role in how much youll need to save for early retirement. Heres a look at how much money youll need to retire in each state at four different ages:

Related:The Complete Guide to the Best Retirement Age

Many Americans opt for partial retirement and continue to work at least part time. Earning extra income lets you stretch your savings so that it lasts through the several decades of retirement youll likely enjoy as an early retiree. Here are some common ways to do it:

A side hustle is a way to generate income in addition to your regular job without formally working at a second job. For example, you might have a side hustle selling items on eBay, house-sitting or renting out your spare room.

Getting a second job is a little more involved than working a side hustle, but it can result in much higher pay. If you can afford to work extra hours in the evening or on the weekends, you might be able to raise your income by 50% or more. Remote jobs are ideal if you can work according to a flexible schedule.

Passive income streams allow you to earn additional income with limited or no active involvement. As mentioned previously, rental property and investing are two ways to bring a passive income stream into your early retirement plan.

Although it can be hard to structure a life that facilitates early retirement, the rewards you reap once you get there typically outweigh all of the struggles. Once youre retired, your time is finally your own, and you are free to do what you want with it. Here are some of the things you can do with all that extra time:

While youre working, you probably feel like you never have enough time to enjoy your hobbies. Once you retire, you can fill your days with the things that bring you joy, whether it be playing golf or catching up on your reading.

Travel fans might wonder, Who on earth can take 18-day cruises or visit the Amazon rainforest for three weeks? Once youre retired, the answer is simple: You.

One of the many reasons people give for not volunteering is that they dont have enough time. Once you retire, giving back to your community will get a lot easier.

Sharing quality time with family and friends is one of the great joys in life. When you retire, you can visit friends and family more often and stay for longer visits.

As great as the idea might sound, early retirement is not without drawbacks. In fact, some pundits say that early retirement is overrated. But the keys to avoiding the pitfalls seem to revolve around three main themes: pressure, money and boredom.

Many Americans live paycheck to paycheck, which can be stressful. In fact, according to a recent study by GOBankingRates, 58% of Americans have less than $1,000 saved for emergencies. Pressuring yourself to fit into an early retirement plan could add to the tension and prove counterproductive in the long run.

Without enough money, you wont last very long in early retirement. The problem is, it can be hard to determine just how much is enough money to retire early. For years, $1 million was the standard goal, but thats probably not going to cut it for a someone retiring at 40. Err on the side of having too much saved instead of too little.

Without something to keep your mind occupied in early retirement, you might find yourself wishing for the good ol days when you had your job to go to every day. Sure, traveling around the world, hanging out with friends and catching up on your hobbies all sound exciting. But remember, retiring early means you could have 40 or 50 years to fill with activities. In addition to planning out your finances, its important to plan out how youll spend your time on a long-term basis.

Burned Through Your Retirement Savings? Heres How To Bounce Back

Early retirement wont jeopardize your Social Security eligibility as long as you have at least 40 work credits 10 years worth. But early retirement from the perspective of the Social Security Administration means age 62, and just because you can retire early and draw Social Security doesnt mean you should.

For starters, Social Security might face reductions in payouts going forward. According to the SSA, the Social Security trust fund could be depleted by 2035. Although this doesnt mean that Social Security will go away, barring any adjustments by the federal government, benefits could be reduced by about 25% from that year forward.

Another consideration is that your lifetime benefits might be lower than if you continued to work. Social Security payouts are based on the highest 35 years of your earnings.Retiring early could cause you to miss out on some of the highest-earning years of your life, meaning your lifetime earnings record, and therefore your Social Security payouts will be lower than they could have been.

Last,applying for Social Securityearly automatically triggers a lifetime reduction in benefits. The full retirement age for those born after 1960 is 67. Beginning payouts early, at age 62, will slash your monthly check by about 30%.

Read More:How Your Retirement Age Impacts Your Social Security Benefits

The internet is saturated with stories about people who saved 80% of their income, retired at age 40 and moved to Costa Rica. Although this is probably not feasible for everyone, the truth is that plenty of otherwise average people are retiring early and living this type of lifestyle.

Take the case of Grant Sabatier. It took just five years for Sabatier to go from being broke to being a millionaire. He knew he couldnt do it just from his $50,000 salary, so he launched a plan full of side hustles to ramp up his income. By investing all of the extra proceeds, he amassed over $1 million before he was 30.

Sabatier is not alone in his success. Billy and Akaisha Kaderli achieved early retirementby setting a financial goal of $500,000 and planning out how to live on that amount. Through a combination of careful investing, cut-down spending and smart travel instincts, theyre able to live off their interest alone while living in various exotic locales.

Carl Jensen is another example of how its possible to retire early. Jensen decided at age 37 that he wanted to leave his job and retire early, but he knew he had to stash 60-70% of his income away to reach his goal of $1 million in savings. He downsized his home, tracked his spending and eventually reached his goal of early retirement at age 43.

The dream of early retirement appeals to most people, but if youre seriously considering it, youll have to come to terms with the reality. The first question you should ask is if you even can retire early. Remember, if youre looking to retire in 20 years, you might need to save 50% to 80% of your income along the way. This will necessarily result in some dramatic lifestyle changes, and theyre not for everyone.

So, the question you have to ask yourself is, how much are you willing to give up? If you dont see yourself socking away such a large percentage of your income, one strategy would be to semi-retire at an early age and still take consulting or part-time gigs.

The next question you have to ask is, is it worth it? Yes, retiring early offers you the potential of a life with more free time and less stress. But youll be giving up things along the way, such as social outings, material goods and life experiences. And once you retire, you might be the only one you know with a surplus of free time, forcing you to fill your days with solo activities.

Finally, consider what the trade-offs are. In addition to saving money and working hard, youll have to learn about finance, draft a sensible retirement plan, keep out of debt, find a cheaper way to live and give up certain things in your life that you may enjoy.

Ultimately, the goal is to retire early without sacrificing everything you love. If you can manage to do that, then early retirement might be an option for you.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Heres How To Retire Early and Quit the Daily Grind

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Heres How To Retire Early and Quit the Daily Grind - Yahoo Finance

Britain's Prince George is just 7 years old, and yet he is third in line to become monarch after Prince Charles and Prince William respectively.

The line of succession is regulated through descent and Parliamentary statute, according to the royal family's official website.

George known by his formal title Prince George of Cambridge is the great-grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, and son of the Duke of Cambridge.

When the Queen dies, Charles will become king. That is unless he abdicates, in which case the throne would go to his eldest son, William.

Therefore George, being the eldest of the three Cambridge children, will be first in line when his father is king.

But the likelihood of that exact scenario playing out is dependent on a number of factors.

If either William or Charles were to pass away before Queen Elizabeth's reign was over, this wouldn't decrease George's likelihood of becoming king.

"There is nothing to prevent William becoming king, other than his own premature death," Robert Hazell, a professor of government and the constitution at the University College London, previously told Insider.

Prince Charles with his sons Prince William and Prince Harry. Getty Images

In the unlikely scenario that 71-year-old Charles outlives his son, Prince Harry wouldn't take William's place in the line of succession. The spot would automatically go to Prince George, and then subsequently to his children if he had them.

If he didn't have children, Princess Charlotte would be next in line, followed by Prince Louis. This is due to The Succession to the Crown Act (2013) which means royal males born after 2011 do not automatically overtake their sisters in the line of succession like they used to.

"If William were to die before Charles, then on the death of Charles, Prince George would become king," Hazell said.

Nonetheless, this is all dependent on whether George actually wants to become the next monarch or whether he wants to be a working royal at all.

The last monarch to abdicate was Edward VIII, who ruled Britain for almost a year from January until December 1936, when he proposed to American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Since Edward didn't have children, the throne was passed to his younger brother, George VI (father of our current Queen, Elizabeth II).

Of course, the monarchy has evolved since then, and George's position wouldn't be affected by his choice of life partner.

Nonetheless, he could still choose to abdicate for other reasons.

Just as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stepped back from royal duties to pursue financial independence for themselves and their son Archie, George will have the option to do the same if he so desires.

Read more:

Prince George turns 7: The best photo from every year of the future king's life

8 royals who rejected their titles, and the surprising reasons why

How likely it is that Prince William will see the throne

Our Royal Insider Facebook group is the best place for up-to-date news and announcements about the British royal family, direct from Insider's royal reporters. Join here.

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How likely it is that Prince George will see the throne - Insider - INSIDER

BEAVER, Pa., July 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Thomas W. Young, is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Top Consulting Expert for his exceptional work in the field of Financial Coaching & Planning and for his outstanding contributions as the President and Owner of 1st Consultants INC.

Located in Beaver, Pennsylvania, 1st Consultants Inc. is a comprehensive financial planning and wealth management firm where the highly trained staff specializes in implementing strategies for the good of preserving and accumulating personal wealth, individual retirement, estate, and business planning services. Clients striving for more money, financial security, debt elimination, and more financial freedom come to 1st Consultants Inc. to find the best solution by showing their clients how to become debt-free in nine years or less including mortgages without additional out of pocket expense. Demonstrating the highest level of professionalism and integrity, 1st Consultants Inc. continues to provide insight and solutions that assist clients in the pursuit of their financial independence.

As a well-seasoned and trusted financial professional, Mr. Thomas W. Young has accrued 43 years of professional excellence. In 1999, he emerged as the owner and founder of 1st Consultants, Inc. To prepare for his acclaimed career, Mr. Young graduated from the American College of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He is a published author of works like "The Ups, Downs, and Sideways"; "Life Insurance, Will It Pay When I Die?", in addition to several magazine articles relating to Financial Services such as "Why Widow's Die Destitute, Because Loss of Husband's Life Insurance". His most recent publication is The Family Money Farm "The CFO Project". Mr. Young is a highly sought-after speaker and has been invited as keynote speaker events for several businesses in California, Texas, and Michigan.

A front runner in his field Mr. Young is affiliated with numerous organizations such as the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, the Society of Financial Service Professionals, and The Million Dollar Round Table and National Association. In 2010 he earned the Beaver County Times Best of the Valley Readers' Choice Award by Pittsburgh Magazine as a Top-Scoring Wealth Manager for the last 6 years. In 2004 he was honored with the Ronald Reagan Gold Medal Award, in 2004 for Business Man of the Year, and Entrepreneur of The Year in 2017.

Mr. Young dedicates his success to Jodi Victor as a mentor and for teaching him throughout life to have a strong relationship with God and convinced him that he could make more of difference.

For more information please visit https://1stconsultantsinc.com/ or for more information on Mr. Young's most recent publication visit http://bookstore.dorrancepublishing.com/the-family-money-farm-the-cfo-project/

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

http://www.continentalwhoswho.com

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Thomas W. Young is recognized by Continental Who's Who - PRNewswire

51-year-old Daphne Williams who was born with a partial right hand and a single finger. She is a picture of resilience as, throughout her life, she has learned to use that solitary finger to undertake every imaginable task on her own.

With the aid of her right foot, Williams cooks, cleans, washes clothes, sews, and writes her own letters. She also lights her coal stove, cuts patterns to sew, and peels food to cook.

A former vendor, the Smithville, Clarendon resident does not allow her disability to stand in the way.

A staunch Christian and believer in God, Williams firmly believes that she was placed on earth for a special purpose.

This is how I was born and I accept it. God knows best, but Jamaica is too blessed for persons with disabilities to live permanently in hardships for the rest of their lives, said Williams.

The fifth of six children and the only one disabled, she explained her late mother cited domestic woes and emotional distress as the cause of her disability. She has had no formal diagnosis for her condition.

She further revealed that her parents were reluctant to register her in the formal education system, out of fear of her being scorned or ridiculed. As a result, she started primary school at age 10 and graduated shortly before her 17th birthday when she should have been leaving high school.

God granted me wisdom, knowledge and understanding, and I see it as a process for me to learn.

A Sunday-school teacher at the Smithville Baptist Church, she professed her love for children and said the congregation, of which she has been a member since 1994, was very supportive.

She believes that not enough is being done to cater to disabled persons, especially in rural areas.

I am disabled, but I am able. I do everything for myself, but if I want a bag juice, somebody has to give it to me, so I want some financial independence so that I can stop being a burden to my sister. I need some help, she pleaded.

Williams greatest challenge is not physical. She is saddled by financial woes and a lack of resources and pointed to an incomplete house on which construction was halted in 2008 as funds dried up.

There are times you need help and you dont really see anybody. I would love some help to fix up my house and a little bathroom.

She added that she would love to be able to own a sewing machine, as she aims to profit from her sewing skills.

Her niece and a church member both vouched for her saying she is a walking miracle who does everything a person with two hands and two feet can do.

Anyone willing to assist Williams may contact her at 876-562-3732.

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Disabled Jamaican woman cooks, washes, and writes using feet - NYCaribNews

BUDAPEST Hungarys most widely read news site was thrown into disarray this week after the organizations editor in chief was fired and scores of journalists quit in protest as the government moved closer to near-complete control over the countrys media landscape.

A decade into Prime Minister Viktor Orbans quest to transform Hungary into an illiberal nation, where he controls nearly all levers of the state and uses them to maintain his grip on power, the takeover of Index.hus advertising unit by an Orban ally was part of a broader effort to limit dissenting voices and silence critics.

The potential loss of the news site as a check on the government was a particularly painful blow to the small but determined coterie of independent journalists left working in the country.

The site was one of many independent media outlets in Central Europe that have come under sustained financial and political pressure from governments bent on controlling public discourse.

More than half the staff at Index, some 70 employees, announced their resignations on Friday after the firing of the editor, Szabolcs Dull.

We have emphasized for years that we have two requirements for Index to continue operating independently: that there be no outside interference in Indexs content or in the composition or structure of Indexs staff, the group said in a statement. The firing of Szabolcs Dull violated the latter of these requirements. His dismissal was a clear interference in the composition of the staff.

The steady decline of independent news outlets is part of the slide toward autocratic rule in Hungary and, to a lesser extent, in Poland. Those concerns were key sticking points in the debate over the European Unions $857 billion pandemic recovery plan and whether Hungary and Poland should be penalized financially.

In the end, recovery money was not tied in a significant way to the behavior of member states, appeasing Poland and Hungary, and setting up a possible clash as the deal moves to the European Parliament for final approval.

Earlier this month, Polands president, Andrzej Duda, narrowly won re-election after a bitter campaign in which the media was a frequent target.

Mr. Duda accused Germany of trying to influence the result through media outlets owned by German companies. The government even summoned Germanys charges-daffaires to complain about the matter, and has yet to approve Germanys incoming ambassador.

After the election, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the ruling Law and Justice Party, vowed to press ahead with plans to limit media ownership by foreign companies.

The media in Poland should be Polish, the party leader declared after the victory.

Since coming into power in 2015, Law and Justice has transformed state television into a propaganda arm of the government, applied financial pressure on Polish media by preventing all state-related entities from advertising with critical outlets, and waged aggressive campaigns against journalists critical of the government.

Poland fell to 62nd place out of 180 countries ranked in the World Press Freedom Index in 2020, dropping from 18th in 2015.

The election results are being challenged in the countrys Supreme Court, with one of the accusations being that the Law and Justice partys control over state television created an unfair playing field.

The Polish government has often followed the path set by Mr. Orban, who has transformed the media landscape in Hungary despite European Union pressure to change course.

When Mr. Orban returned to power in 2010, he and his allies immediately went to work overhauling the countrys democratic framework. A landslide victory at the polls in 2010 allowed them to unilaterally rewrite Hungarys constitution and change its electoral laws to favor their party. Since then, they have secured constitutional supermajorities in two subsequent elections, despite receiving less than 50 percent of the popular vote.

The Constitutional Court has been stacked and lower courts overhauled, public media and most of the countrys private media have come under the control of the prime ministers allies, and independent watchdog institutions have been stripped of influence.

In late 2018, hundreds of nominally independent media outlets controlled by the prime ministers allies were given to another foundation controlled by Mr. Orbans confidants. Media and competition regulators were barred from scrutinizing the transactions, according to a decree issued by Mr. Orban in early December 2018, on grounds that the ownership changes were of strategic national interest.

Index, which traces its roots to the advent of internet news in Hungary, had largely weathered many political storms over the past decade.

It has reported critically of Mr. Orbans government, prominently featuring stories of Russian meddling in Hungary, alleged graft involving politicians and individuals close to Mr. Orbans inner circle, and by chronicling other government policies widely condemned as assaults on democratic institutions.

In March, as Europe struggled to contain the coronavirus, Miklos Vaszily, a media executive with close ties to Mr. Orbans allies, acquired 50 percent of Indexs advertising business.

The move prompted concern from journalists and free press advocates, not least because of Mr. Vaszilys role in overhauling media outlets, including Origo, a site once regarded as one of Hungarys most reputable independent news organizations.

On June 21, local media reports indicated the leadership at Index planned to overhaul the websites staff, essentially turning reporters into outside contributors. The staff declared the plan a threat to its independence, warning of a concerted attempt to expose the publication to heightened political interference. Within days, the editor in chief was removed from the companys board, its chief executive officer resigned, as did an incoming C.E.O.

The matter remained at a standstill until Wednesday, when Mr. Dull, the chief editor, was fired by Laszlo Bodolai, head of the foundation that exercises ownership of the publication. Mr. Bodolai accused Mr. Dull of being unable to quell internal anxiety at Index, endangering the business.

In a statement released after his departure, Mr. Dull said he always acted with the interests of his staff in mind.

It is no coincidence that Indexs staff felt at risk, he wrote, adding that the recent events have convinced him that Hungary needs a newspaper where content is not decided by outside powers.

A last-ditch attempt by the news outlets staff failed to convince the organizations management to rehire the dismissed editor in chief.

We dont know what is happening, Veronika Munk, the deputy editor in chief, said Thursday afternoon. I firmly feel that for many in the staff work has ended at Index.

Through a windfall of state advertising contracts, which often promote conspiracy theories and attacks on the European Union, media entities under the control of Mr. Orbans allies have flourished. They have been instrumental in promulgating sweeping state-funded propaganda campaigns that tap into anti-Semitic tropes reminiscent of the interwar period.

Imagine all the media in a U.S. state were to come under the ownership of a single political group, says Gabor Polyak of Mertek Media Monitor, a media think tank, and all of these media outlets are funded by taxpayer money.

In 2018, the European Parliament voted resoundingly to initiate proceedings against Mr. Orbans government for what critics say are systemic threats to Hungarys rule of law and democracy. The process could strip Mr. Orban of his vote in the European Council.

At the debate, Mr. Orban rejected criticism of his stewardship of Hungary.

We would never resort to silencing those who disagree with us, the prime minister said.

Excerpt from:

Hungarys Independent Press Takes Another Blow and Reporters Quit - The New York Times

For young FIRE investors, retirement isnt an age. Its a number. And its a number which they believe they can get to rather quickly. Much more quickly than their parents did.

FIRE which stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early is a modern, Millennial-driven movement creating a blueprint for young workers to follow so that they can retire well before 65, and even as early as 35 or 40.

What does that blueprint look like? Its not too complex.

Save. Invest. Retire.

Specifically, live with minimal expenses so that you can afford to regardless of your income save anywhere between 50% and 75% of your annual salary. Take those savings and smartly invest them across various assets, like stocks.

Watch your investment portfolio benefit from the wonders of compounding. Retire within 15 to 20 years as a millionaire. Heres the math.

Its 2020. Lets say you have a job which pays $60,000 per year (the median household salary in the U.S. today). Lets also say you live by FIRE principles, and invest half of that salary every year. If you net out 10% returns per year on those investments, then by 2040, your investment account will have more than $2 million in it.

And thats what the FIRE movement is all about. Creating millionaires through frugal living and smart investing.

Of course, critical to unlocking this huge growth is picking the right stocks to buy so that you can net out those 10% returns per year. Here are 10 growth stocks to buy for long-term FIRE investors:

With a disciplined budget and these stocks in your portfolio, financial independence is closer than you think.

Source: Mike Mareen / Shutterstock.com

FIRE investors want exposure to Amazon. This company has its fingers in every important, hyper-growth industry out there.

Amazon.com is the global leader in e-commerce, a space which is projected to grow by leaps and bounds over the next several years as consumers continue to migrate into online channels.

Amazon Web Services is also the global leader in cloud computing, a space which is similarly projected to grow dramatically as businesses increasingly digitize office workloads.

Meanwhile, the companys smart home business headlined by Alexa is a leader in the emerging voice assistant and AI-powered consumer products market. Amazons digital ad business is in the first innings of becoming a formidable player in that secular growth industry. Amazon also owns Twitch, the leading video game streaming platform, which will see huge uptake over the next few years as eSports gain traction.

Theres also the autonomous vehicle business, which was boosted recently by the acquisition of Zoox. At scale, Amazon could build out a fairly robust self-driving logistics business.

Net net, Amazon has a ton of long-term growth potential through its various hyper-growth businesses. All of that potential will keep AMZN stock on a healthy upward trajectory for the next 10+ years.

Source: justplay1412 / Shutterstock.com

Maybe the best growth stock to buy for FIRE investors is Shopify.

Thats because this company is rapidly turning into the backbone of modern commerce, a journey which will ultimately power huge gains in revenues, profits and the stock price over the next 10+ years.

Shopify broadly provides e-commerce solutions to merchants and retailers of all shapes and sizes. Such tools include website building tools, expert consulting advice, digital marketing insights, social channel selling capabilities and much more.

These tools are the building blocks of modern commerce. That is, a retailer cannot stay alive for long today without a robust online selling operation, and that robust online selling operation is powered by the tools which Shopify provides.

To that end, Shopify is becoming the backbone of modern commerce. Yet gross merchandise value through the platform measured less than 2% of total e-retail sales last year. And the companys profit margins are essentially flat today, despite near 60% gross margins.

Thus, over the next 10+ years, Shopify will leverage e-commerce tailwinds to dramatically grow its share of the global retail market, power huge revenue growth, drive significant margin expansion and produce enormous profit growth.

That enormous profit growth will help SHOP stock sustain huge gains in the long run.

Source: Wachiwit / Shutterstock.com

Facebook has tremendous long-term growth potential, making it a must-buy for FIRE investors.

The company owns four of the most used social media apps in the world. Each of them Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger have over a billion users. Yet, only two of them Facebook and Instagram are populated with ads. Thus, Facebook has a huge opportunity in the long run to roll out ads on WhatsApp and Messenger, dramatically increase ad inventory in its ecosystem and power huge revenue growth.

Thats on top what is already rapid ad revenue growth on Facebook and Instagram, which is powered by an exceptionally sticky user base and a shift of ad dollars from offline to online channels.

Even further, Facebook has a huge opportunity in e-commerce. We are already spending all of our time on social channels. And we are already discovering tons of products and services on social feeds. So why not just buy products and services though social channels, too?

Facebook is trying to build out this last step in the shopping process, with new initiatives like Shops. If these initiatives gain traction over the next decade, Facebook could inject a ton of e-commerce related revenue into its growth narrative.

Big picture: Facebook has a ton of growth potential over the next decade, and all that growth potential will drive consistently large gains in FB stock.

Source: shutterstock.com

The shift from guess-and-check, human-driven processes towards data-driven, computer-powered processes is already one of the biggest trends in the world, and that is only set to acccelerate.

One way to play this trend is to buy programmatic advertising leader The Trade Desk.

The Trade Desk operates a demand-side advertising platform which leverages data-driven algorithms to dynamically and automatically run ad campaigns in way that decreases costs and optimizes every ad dollar spent.

This form of data-driven advertising is the future of advertising.

Yet today, only about 1% of total digital ad spending goes through The Trade Desks platform.

Thus, this innovative company has a huge opportunity to grow market share, ad spend and revenues over the next decade. The Trade Desk will do just that. At the same time, the companys highly scalable application software business model will benefit from positive operating leverage and profit margin expansion.

At the end of the day then, The Trade Desk is in the first few innings of a huge, multi-year growth narrative wherein the companys profits and stock price will soar higher.

Source: calimedia / Shutterstock.com

The future of meats consumption is plant-based, and this simple reality makes Beyond Meat one of the best stocks to buy for FIRE investors.

In a nutshell, one of the defining megatrends of the 2020s which started to emerge in the late 2010s will be a mass consumer shift towards socially and environmentally positive products and services.

Why? Thanks to the internet and social media, consumers are plugged into everything, all the time. This always on behavior from consumers has increased their social and environmental awareness, to a point where they increasingly want to do their part to save the planet.

The adoption of plant-based meat fits in perfectly with this trend.

Relative to animal meat, plant-based meat is environmentally positive (it eliminates the need for cows and meat production plants, which are huge contributors to global warming) and socially positive (it preserves animal welfare). So over the next decade, as more and more consumers pivot towards socially and environmentally positive products and services, many of these consumers will gradually adopt plant-based meat.

Beyond Meat is the Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) of this space. They have the branding power. They have all the distribution partnerships. And they have robust technological advantages in efficiently mass-producing plant-based meat of all varieties.

So, what Tesla did in the 2010s is what Beyond Meat could do in the 2020s.

And that makes BYND stock one of the best stocks to buy for young FIRE investors.

Source: r.classen / Shutterstock.com

Adobe as a leader in all things visual media is set to win big over the next 10+ years as the world increasingly communicates through visual media.

Long story short, everything is visual these days. Consumers are spending all their time communicating with each other through visual-heavy social apps, like Instagram, Snap (NYSE:SNAP), and TikTok. Because of this, brands are spending all their time communicating with customers through these visual-heavy social apps, too.

What this creates is persistently rising demand for tools which help consumers and enterprises create compelling visual content.

Adobe is the head-and-shoulders-above-the-rest sector leader when it comes to providing those tools.

Consequently, demand for the companys consumer-facing and enterprise-facing visual media content tools will surge over the next 10+ years as the world more significantly pivots into visual communication.

At the same time, Adobe has a digital workflow business which helps businesses digitize their contract management processes. This business, too, has secular growth prospects, thanks to the rise of remote work.

Overall then, Adobe has a bright future. That bright future will continue to guide ADBE stock to big gains for long-term investors.

Source: Lori Butcher / Shutterstock.com

Okta has developed a unique cloud security platform that represents the future of how companies will secure their workflows and data.

In a nutshell, Okta has created a security platform which turns identity into the defense perimeter. What that means is that, as opposed to protecting a companys workflows and data with a wall of security, Okta simply protects the identities of each employee in the ecosystem. In so doing, the company has created a cloud security platform which optimizes for employee mobility and workflow flexibility without compromising security integrity.

In the future, organizations will employ a hybrid business model which incorporates remote and in-office work. Oktas novel Identity Cloud platform is the ideal security solution in that world.

As such, Oktas Identity Cloud platform will go from relatively niche today, to nearly ubiquitous over the next decade. As that happens, the companys customer base, revenues and profits will all soar.

So will OKTA stock.

And that makes OKTA one of the best stocks to buy for long-term FIRE investors.

Source: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock.com

The long-term bull thesis on Roku is very simple.

Streaming TV is the new cable TV. But, when you sit back and think about it, streaming TV isnt too different from cable TV. It just has multiple on-demand streaming services, as opposed to multiple pre-programmed channels.

Still, in both spaces the existence of multiple content options mandates the existence a centralized software platform that aggregates and curates all the content, and provides consumers with seamless access to whatever they want to watch.

In the old cable TV world, the cable box did this job. In the new streaming TV world, Roku does this job.

The company has created a centralized software platform which both operates through standalone plug-and-play Roku devices, and is built-in into smart TVs that aggregates, curates and provides seamless access to all the streaming services in the world, from Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) to Disney+ to Amazon Prime Video.

In so doing, Roku is turning into the cable box of streaming TV.

Thats a valuable position to be in. Over the next 5 to 10 years, the $70+ billion of ad spend sitting in the linear TV channel, will migrate into the streaming TV channel. As it does, a lot of those ad dollars will make their way into the Roku ecosystem, since its the biggest central access point in the entire industry.

This huge influx of TV ad dollars will propel equally huge revenue growth at Roku. Big profit growth will follow suit. So will big gains in ROKU stock.

Source: Michael Vi / Shutterstock.com

Young FIRE investors should invest in the big data revolution.

Thats because over the next decade, the widespread proliferation of data-tracking software will dramatically increase the volume of data globally. At the same time, technological advancements in AI-powered data analytics algorithm will dramatically increase the value of insights companies can glean from data.

In essence then, the global big data market is on the cusp of huge growth. By the end of the decade, data will be everywhere. So will data analytics tools and platforms.

Splunk is at the heart of this big data megatrend.

The company provides market-leading data analysis tools through its Data-to-Everything platform which allow companies to take the mountains of data they are collecting, and quickly turn into them into accurate and actionable insights.

These tools will increasingly become mission-critical and ubiquitous over the next decade.

As they do, Splunks growth narrative and SPLK stock will power higher over the next 10+ years.

Source: IgorGolovniov / Shutterstock.com

Last but not least, on this list of growth stocks to buy for FIRE investors is Square.

Square is a pure-play on the cashless commerce revolution.

The era of cash is coming to an end. The era of card and digital payments is here. Square has built a robust portfolio of tools and services to help facilitate this transition from cash to cashless payments.

This includes seller-side tools, such as cashless payment readers, digital payroll management services and e-banking services. It also includes buyer-side tools, such as the digital peer-to-peer payments ecosystem, Cash App and an accompanying debit card.

Both of these sets of tools will see robust adoption over the next few years as cash increasingly becomes antiquated.

Squares reach across the global payments network will increase. The companys revenues and profits will soar. So will the SQ stock price.

Luke Lango is a Markets Analyst for InvestorPlace. He has been professionally analyzing stocks for several years, previously working at various hedge funds and currently running his own investment fund in San Diego. A Caltech graduate, Luke has consistently been rated one of the worlds top stock pickers by various other analysts and platforms, and has developed a reputation for leveraging his technology background to identify growth stocks that deliver outstanding returns. Luke is also the founder of Fantastic, a social discovery company backed by an LA-based internet venture firm. As of this writing, he was long AMZN, SHOP, FB, TTD, BYND, ADBE, OKTA, ROKU, SPLK, SQ, and NFLX.

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10 Growth Stocks to Buy for Long-Term FIRE Investors - Investorplace.com