Stacey Perkins - Northwestern Mutual

POV: you just graduated and you immediately meet with someone to put a plan together for your financial future. This plan outlines your goal for student loan payoff, building an emergency fund, your goal of buying a home etc., and will show you the path to follow to reach your goals and become financially secure.

Had a sweet Mother’s Day gift from my office on my desk today! What I love about this gift is it will last forever. With my daughter only in the house one more year, I’ll love to see her stepping stone outside every day. 🤍

April is National Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Month.

Child abuse is not something anyone wants to think about. I struggle reading news articles and hearing news stories about children who have been abused.

But, there is something that I heard many years ago that has always stuck with me. The message was: "What hurts your heart the most is what you are called for."

It is so much easier to turn away and avoid the bad things that are happening in the world, but that does no good for anyone.

Please take a minute to read these 10 facts about child abuse from the National Children's Advocacy Center.

Let's all do what we can to make the world a little better.

Happy Easter!

Can we talk about shame for a minute?

According to a 2023 study, two-thirds of Americans say their financial planning needs improvement.

I talk to people every day and for a lot of people, shame can hold them back. They think they are behind and are embarrassed by it so they don't want to meet with someone, even though they know they should.

I am here to tell you, you have nothing to be ashamed of AND you aren't the only one that feels that way!

The point of meeting with someone is to GET ON TRACK. There are many ways to do this, and it doesn't happen all at once. There is always something you can do today to get you closer to your goal, which in turn will make you feel like you are making progress.

If you want to have a shame-free conversation, reach out!

Two-Thirds of Americans Say Their Financial Planning Needs Improvement /PRNewswire/ -- Americans say their financial planning needs improvement and that having a financial advisor boosts confidence, yet only 37% work with one...

69% of people with life insurance are less stressed knowing their loved ones are protected.* Reach out anytime and I’ll be happy to clarify the pros and cons of life insurance for you.

*2019 Insure Your Love Consumer Survey, Life Happens

Last Saturday my family and I headed to the airport for a long awaited vacation. After sitting at the airport for over 6 hours, we were told our flight was canceled. It was devastating, but travel is unpredictable. We hope everything goes exactly as planned, but many times it doesn’t.

Life is also unpredictable. We don’t want to think about something bad happening, but it’s inevitable that something will go wrong at some point in our lives. People lose their jobs, people get sick, and people pass away. More often than not, all of these events happen unexpectedly.

As much as we don’t want to think about these things, it’s important to be realistic and admit that these things DO happen.

Knowing that they do, what have you done to plan for them?

If someone you depend on loses their income, are you able to continue to pay your expenses and live the same lifestyle? Or, would you have to take out a loan or start a GoFundMe and ask people for money?

What if they pass away? Will your children be able to stay in the same school, be in the same activities, keep the same friends, and stay in the home they are familiar with? Or, on top of losing a loved one your family depended on, will everything else in your family’s life also have to change?

Having a plan for these events can completely change your future. These events are stressful enough. I can promise you they are much more stressful without a plan.

Spending an hour or less having a discussion about what your needs would be when these events happen and what options you have to prepare for them now can give you peace of mind.

Do it for your family. Do it for you.

Call or email me to schedule a conversation about what you can do now to protect you and your family’s future! Your family will thank you.

Happy Women's History Month to all! I'm thrilled to work in an environment where women's voices are heard and their wins are celebrated. I've seen that when we come together, our impact is multiplied. Message me to talk about maximizing your finances, starting today!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Studies have shown that people can feel pressured to spend more than they can afford on Valentine's gifts for loved ones. Spending more than you can afford can lead to credit card debt and stress.

Here are some tips to help you not overspend this Valentine's Day:

❤️ Gift a Monthly Subscription: If you don’t
have all the funds upfront, consider gifting a
monthly subscription box.

❤️ Buy Discounted Gift Cards: Costco sells gift
cards for many restaurants and charges
20% less. You can buy 2 $50 gift cards to a
nice steakhouse for $79.99.

❤️ Cash in Rewards Points: Check your credit
cards and rewards accounts and cash in
your points for participating restaurants or
hotels.

❤️ Make a Nice Dinner at Home: A nice
homemade dinner can be just as romantic as
going out. Skip the crowds and stay in!

❤️ Order In: Not a cook? Order from your
favorite restaurant and choose pickup
instead. You will save on the tip, and avoid
the crowds.

❤️ Plan an Activity or Trip that Fits in the
Budget: Search for resorts, cabins, or an
Airbnb within a certain radius and plan a
weekend getaway that fits in the budget.
Play around with the dates to find the best
price!

It’s GAME DAY! Who are you rooting for? 🏈

Happy Friday, Everyone!

I wanted to start this page off with a post explaining a little more about me and why I do what I do.

I am married with two wonderful children and I have lived in Ankeny for 12 years. If I could choose to live anywhere else, it would be somewhere with mountains.

I didn’t grow up thinking I’d be in the finance industry. I actually wanted to be a country singer as a child, but if you heard me sing today you’d understand why that dream never came to fruition. 😄

I started in the financial industry in 2013 working for a life insurance company. I found life insurance to be pretty fascinating due to the different ways it can be used. I wanted to learn more about the financial industry and eventually moved into wealth management. Eventually I began working for a financial planning company and once I experienced the impact comprehensive financial planning had on people’s lives, I knew it was where I was meant to be.

I believe life is about relationships. We are meant to care for one another. Helping others feel confident and have peace of mind knowing they have a plan is the most rewarding thing to me.

I am looking forward to getting this page up and running and hopefully providing value to all of you.

❤️

Stacey