Business & Money Matters   

**Unless otherwise specified, to be eligible for a free class during our Open House, you may only register for a class with an instructor you have not taken before.** REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

Retirement planning is a complex process. With so many decisions to be made and factors to consider, you want to make the right decisions to reach your retirement goals. In this informative class, you will review the best options and strategies that make up a comprehensive retirement income plan and how Social Security benefits, pension benefits, taxes, and long-term care are coordinated.

 

James will be teaching the following classes this Fall:

• Social Security, Tue, 9/29, 6:00 pm
• Investing and Financial Planning 101: Take Control of Your Financial Future, Mon, 10/26, 6:00 pm
• Long-Term Care, Tue, 11/17, 6:00 pm

Looking to refresh your LinkedIn presence and make it work harder for your goals? This workshop will walk you through practical steps to update your profile, strengthen your personal brand, and use LinkedIn more strategically in your job search. Designed for anyone returning to work, exploring a new direction, or simply ready to modernize their approach, this class will help you stand out to employers and reconnect with your network with confidence.

Participants will learn how to:

• Revamp their headline, summary, and experience sections to reflect their current goals
• Use keywords and storytelling to boost visibility in recruiter searches
• Leverage LinkedIn’s tools for networking and job searching
• Align their photo, banner, and overall profile aesthetic with a polished, authentic brand
• Avoid common pitfalls and outdated practices

This class will take place on Zoom so that students can follow along on their own computers.

Whether you're one, five or more years from retirement...single, divorced, widowed or a couple...Social Security represents a key element of your financial plan. Understanding when and how to take your benefits will affect the maximum benefit you are entitled to and have a great impact on your overall retirement income strategy. To help baby boomers better understand the Social Security system, this course will cover:

• 5 factors to consider when deciding when to apply for benefits
• When it makes sense to delay benefits -- and when it does not
• Why you should always check your earnings record for accuracy How to estimate your benefits
• How to coordinate benefits with your spouse
• How to choose and maximize your survivor benefits
• How to minimize taxes on Social Security benefits
• How to coordinate Social Security with your other sources of retirement income
• Introduction to our proprietary Social Security Planning program which provides various claiming scenarios

This instructor will be offering a FREE class at our Open House on September 14.  To be eligible for a free class during our Open House, you may only register for a class with an instructor you have not taken before.  REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Click here for more info and to register.

 

 

Whether you’re exploring your first board role or looking to make a greater impact in a nonprofit organization, this class will give you the knowledge, tools, and confidence to lead with purpose. We will break down the roles, responsibilities, and rewards of serving on a board, and how to find the right fit for your skills, values, and goals, all in a practical, approachable format.

Curious about Bitcoin but not sure where to start? In this engaging and beginner-friendly two-hour session, you'll uncover the fascinating story behind Bitcoin and the blockchain technology that powers it. Learn how digital money works, why Bitcoin was created, and what makes blockchain one of the most talked-about innovations of the 21st century. We'll break down key concepts, including decentralization, digital wallets, transactions, mining, and security, in clear, easy-to-understand terms. You'll also explore real-world applications of blockchain that go far beyond cryptocurrency, from finance and supply chains to digital identity and beyond.

Whether Bitcoin becomes the future of money or not, it is undeniably a technological breakthrough worth understanding. This course will give you the knowledge and confidence to navigate the rapidly evolving world of digital assets.

We hear more and more about cybersecurity and the risks of identity theft these days. Learn ways to protect yourself and your data, so you can use social media websites like Instagram, Facebook, and X (Twitter) without giving up your privacy. You'll learn how to minimize exposing your personal information on the Internet and how to control privacy and tracking of your smartphone. This class will also review some useful, secure, and simple password strategies and give an overview of the password managers LastPass (for PCs and Android phones) and the Passwords app (on Apple devices).

This instructor will be offering a FREE class at our Open House on September 14.  To be eligible for a free class during our Open House, you may only register for a class with an instructor you have not taken before.  REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Click here for more info and to register.

Are you currently enrolled in Medicare? Will you be turning 65 over the next year or two? Learn about eligibility, how and when to enroll, when you can make changes, and the insurance options available to you. Review and compare what services are covered/not covered under Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D. Detail the costs associated with medical and drug insurance. Explore and evaluate Original Medicare, Medicare Supplement Insurance, High-Deductible Medicare Supplement Insurance, Prescription Drug Plans, and Medicare Advantage Plans. This program will simplify the choices you need to make, help you make more well-informed decisions, and explain what Medicare means for you.

For over 20 years, Cindy Greenstein--The Points Mom--has used credit card points to travel the world while rarely paying for airline flights and hotel rooms. Some of her five-figure family travel savings include trips to Aspen ($26,000), Greece ($23,000), and London ($15,000). Cindy, an attorney and former certified public accountant, founded The Points Mom to share her credit card rewards program expertise with family, friends, and small business owners who don’t have the time to learn how to maximize their points.

In this class, Cindy will share her knowledge with you and guide you in obtaining and using “the right cards” based on your spending habits to maximize your rewards for free travel. She will compare credit card flexible rewards programs and discuss why airline and hotel cards are not always the best option for purchases. In addition, Cindy will help you understand the various ways to redeem rewards for the most value, talk about card benefits, and share some of her favorite cards.

If you have not updated your estate plan to keep pace with changes to the estate tax laws, you may end up paying far more than necessary. Do you want to avoid estate taxes legally and prevent nursing home costs from depleting your family assets? Do you want to know what the current administration may do? Are you concerned about your estate being diverted to a child’s spouse? Do you want to minimize probate costs and delays for your heirs? In this workshop, attorney Neil Lubarsky will explain how to pass assets to children free of estate tax, protect your home and other assets from future nursing home costs, ensure that money intended for your children and grandchildren does not pass inadvertently to in-laws and others, and avoid problems from arising when your will is probated.

Take the mystery out of money management and learn how to make your hard-earned capital work for you. This practical, beginner-friendly course serves as your definitive blueprint for building long-term financial security and independence. While stock market investing provides the high-powered engine to actively grow your wealth, financial planning constructs the essential master roadmap. Together, these two disciplines ensure your money directly serves your real-world goals, shields you from unexpected life risks, and optimizes your monthly cash flow.

This instructor will be offering a FREE class at our Open House on September 14.  To be eligible for a free class during our Open House, you may only register for a class with an instructor you have not taken before.  REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Click here for more info and to register.

Social media changes constantly, and many professional adults feel overwhelmed trying to understand which platforms matter, how they differ, and what they are best used for. This class provides a practical, approachable overview of today’s major social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, and others, with a focus on audience demographics, communication styles, professional versus personal use, content trends, privacy considerations, and digital culture.

The session is designed for those who want a clearer understanding of the modern social media landscape for professional, educational, or business purposes. Discussion will also include how social media influences branding, networking, online communities, and communication.

An executor wears many hats: administrator, custodian, investor, accountant, and a person with legal expertise. An executor administers and settles a decedent’s estate, beginning with the probate of a decedent’s will, then marshaling assets, identifying claims of creditors, exercising discretion over the management and control of assets, complying with state and Federal law, accounting, tax management and distribution of assets. We will explore the intricacies of estate administration and discuss the fiduciary duties and liability an executor assumes.

 

When working with social media, many people often ask:

“How do I make my profile stand out?”

“How do I make posts that get engagement?”

“How do I gain followers?”

Instagram has become a powerful and affordable platform to tackle these issues faced by small businesses and individuals alike. In this class, Liz breaks down the answers to these questions in an easy-to-understand format and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. You’ll learn practical tips and proven strategies that you can start using immediately. This class is perfect for local business owners, artists, start-ups, nonprofits, real estate agents, and anyone who wants to learn how to use Instagram more effectively.

You will learn to:

• Set up your profile
• Connect and engage with your clients by creating content they want
• Gain followers organically
• Use hashtags effectively

This presentation provides a clear and practical guide to navigating the complexities of long-term care. We will explain the landscape of care services - from in-home assistance to facility-based options - and break down key financial strategies, including the use of personal savings and insurance products. You will learn the importance of proactive planning, gaining the knowledge needed to make informed decisions that secure your future and provide peace of mind for your family.

This instructor will be offering a FREE class at our Open House on September 14.  To be eligible for a free class during our Open House, you may only register for a class with an instructor you have not taken before.  REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Click here for more info and to register.