Despite boasting over 100 million members in the U.S., credit unions are often neglected in today’s crowded financial services market. Many consumers don’t consider joining a credit union when it comes time to open a new checking account or apply for a loan. Others assume they don’t qualify for membership or are wary of a credit union’s perceived limitations.

It’s a good time to take another look at credit unions. They are evolving in many ways and may be a great fit for your financial needs.

Having someone you love pass away and leave you a lump sum of money is not quite the same as stumbling upon a twenty-dollar bill on the ground. You may have a lot of grief, confusion, or even anger that you feel about your loss -- and you also have a lot of financial decisions to make now.

So what should you do -- or not do -- if you find yourself in this situation? How do you sort out your newly inherited assets?

How much insurance do you really need? And what if you don’t need it at all?

Profit First lays out a process for better accounting and financial management for your business (or freelance income), and gives a simple method for prioritizing the right factors.

There aren’t many absolutes in personal finance or financial planning. But when it comes to Social Security, you can be almost certain you’ll face this decision that requires you to choose:

Accountability is one of the best tools you can use to make better financial decisions and take the necessary actions after you decide what to do. Unfortunately, it’s also probably one of the hardest parts of achieving financial success.

The final post in our three part series continues to look at the ways Dunn and Norton, authors of Happy Money,  suggest we change how we use our money so that we can get more happiness from every dollar we spend.

The first is the idea that we should “pay now, consume later,” and the second is that to get the most from our money, we might want to spend it on others instead of ourselves.

 If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend starting with this post first. Once you catch up, head back here to continue the conversation.

 Today, let’s look at Principles 2 and 3 from Happy Money authors Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton. If you understand and use these principles in your day-to-day life -- and in your bigger-picture, long-term financial planning -- you can enjoy a greater degree happiness when you spend.

One major financial issue we currently face certainly impacts you right now. It’s our level of federal spending and the current deficit, and whatever your politics, the issue does affect you.

Once you get a realistic understanding of what to expect from your investment return, you’re better prepared to face the next challenge the market throws at investors: dealing with its ups and downs.