Ward Financial Management

Bank credit: is it growing, and where’s it going?

Lenders have loosened purse strings, but some sectors are monopolising bank loans. Hence the clamour for more credit

Why the outlook is positive for dividend-centric strategies

With volatility making a return, many investors are taking a step back and reassessing their positions

What Will Win the Next 5 Years in Financial Services?

To keep up with potentially disruptive competitors, financial firms must embrace connected data and planning.

Here's the best financial advice the country's top advisors ever got

Financial advisors need money tips, too. In fact, sometimes a salient piece of advice led them into the industry. We asked advisors from firms that made the FA 100 list for 2019 for the best money and investing advice tips they ever received.

Impulse Buys Make You Feel Good, But At What Price? : Enemy of Debt

According to the 2012 Shopper Engagement Study, we as consumers make grocery shopping decisions in the store at a rate of 76%, causing us to spend more than originally intended. Even with the best laid plans, coupons, shopping circulars, and a specific list statistics show we are drawn to spend more. Research shows tough current economic conditions cause us to “splurge” at the grocery store for psychological reasons we don’t even realize at the time. As I pondered that thought I realized even…

How to Build Better Retirement Plans

Three experts from Morningstar offer their ideas on how to increase retirement savings.

How supermarket psychology influences our purchases

Grocery shopping with a strategy can help prevent unplanned buying.

Things You Should Expect Your Mortgage Banker to Ask You

Five things you can plan on discussing with your mortgage banker. Take it from us, we do this every day.

Is First Command Financial Services a Military Friendly Employer?

Find out if First Command Financial Services is Military Friendly® Military Friendly® is focused on helping transitioning veterans access the top Military Friendly® employers looking to attract and retain military veterans.

Does access to financial services improve living standards?

A growing number of policymakers see financial inclusion—greater access to financial services throughout a country’s population—as a way to promote and make economic development work for ...

What Amazon is Doing in Financial Services as Well as Fintech

From payments and lending to insurance and cash deposits, Amazon is attacking financial services from every angle without even applying to be a conventional bank. In this report, we break down how these efforts impact merchants and consumers. We also dive into various initiatives Amazon is pursuing, ranging from cashierless payment terminals to health insurance for sellers.

What Does a Mortgage Banker Do?

A mortgage banker originates, funds and can service mortgage loans. Let's break down their services, responsibilities and how to hire one.

Why Wall Street suddenly soured on Discover and other consumer lenders

Investors worry that rising inflation means fewer people will be paying their credit card bills on time.

5 Things You Should Expect Your Mortgage Banker to Ask About

If you are thinking about purchasing a home, you'll want to know about these 5 things.

Is mistrust of the financial services industry killing the retirement dream?

Just 11 percent of consumers trust insurance agents and brokers. Here's how you can change that.

Will Financial Services Move to the Cloud?

Many financial services organizations are wary of moving sensitive data to the cloud – but we all know it’s coming. What are some of the indications that the tide is turning? What are the first apps, or processes that you believe will move to the cloud? What are the implications for security and best practices for reducing risk?

Is DevOps right for financial services?

When faced with strict regulations and procedures, it can be hard to constantly innovate. It’s especially challenging in the financial services industry where we must develop innovative digital software solutions within an environment controlled by tight regulatory requirements, a desire to mitigate risk and a need for ensuring high quality technical processes.

3 applications of machine learning in financial services

Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence that allows computers to “learn” from data without explicit programming from humans. In financial services, it can transform business processes related to customer service, personal finance, and fraud and risk management. Here are some real-life applications of machine learning in each of these areas. Customer Service Chatbots […]

What are the VAT rates for financial services?