New “Squared Away” Tools Promote Financial Health

Clearpoint Credit Counseling Solutions has partnered with the Financial Security Project at Boston College to bring you “Squared Away,” a site that hosts helpful financial tools for a variety of topics and goals. The site aims to teach consumers about “Everyday Money,” “Reserves and Insurance,” “Investments and Debt,” “Housing and Mortgages,” and “Retirement.” It offers educational resources along with calculators and other tools that can help visitors plan for healthy financial futures.

The tools were made with the user in mind and are both easy to use and visually impressive. The site is just underway, and we are looking for users to test out the resources and submit feedback to us.  If you’re ready to “Square Away” your finances, head over to the site here and check out some of these features:

• 3 Minute Budget Calculator: Take a look at your regular expenses and determine if you are living within your means. You might find some areas that need improvement. Maybe you’ll have an “Aha” moment when you see where some of your extra cash has been going.
• Stocks or Bonds? Enter different amounts for how much you want to invest. Then, compare the average returns on stocks and bonds and pick the investment that’s right for you.
• Figure Out a Reserve for Unemployment: You don’t need us to tell you that the job market can be unpredictable. Use this tool to calculate how much you should put aside in case you face an unexpected unemployment period.
• Figure Out Which Mortgage is Right for You: Buying a home? Or, maybe you just want to do some research about home financing. Either way, use this tool to compare different types of mortgages and their rates. The tool is customizable, so you can enter values for your particular situation.
• Learn About Mutual Funds: Planning for retirement is important even when you’re young. Use Squared Away’s investment resources to evaluate which options may be best for you. Learn about mutual funds, 401(k)s, IRAs, and other investments.

As you can see, Clearpoint Credit Counseling Solutions and the Financial Security Project have put together a great set of resources to contribute to your financial health. If you enjoyed using the tools or if you found some room for improvement, please let us know.