Personal Finance

Changing Expectations: How Are You Planning For What Comes Next?

It’s tax time, and today is the last day before the filing deadline. If you spent your weekend filling out your tax forms, you have come face-to-face with your 2011 finances. Now is a time for reflection and reckoning – it’s also a time for planning. What will this year look like for you?

Credit: Flikr user 401k

Over the next two weeks, Changing Gears will be sharing stories about how people are planning ahead in a tough economy, and how their expectations have changed in light of the recession.

You can read some of the stories about changing expectations on our tumblr page: http://chgears.tumblr.com.

You can also tell us about your own experiences. How are you planning for what comes next? Are you coming up on a milestone like retirement, marriage, or a new career? How have your plans changed since the start of the recession? Follow this link to share your story.

FILED UNDER: Communities, Jobs, Your Story, personal finance, Public Insight Network, retirement, taxes, Your Story

April 10, 2012 | 3:22 PM | By Meg Cramer

It’s Tax Season, Let’s Talk About Money And Your Future

Changing Gears is collecting stories about how people are planning ahead in a tough economy, and we’d like your help. What’s on your mind as you plan for what comes next?

Tax forms shelved at a US Post Office. Credit: stevendepolo / Flikr

You can follow this link to share your thoughts.

We want to hear from you – whether you’re planning for retirement, saving for a home, sending kids to college, or just starting a career. If you’re retired, have you had to make some adjustments?

Are things different from what you expected? Tell us what kinds of choices you’re making.

FILED UNDER: Communities, Jobs, Your Story, personal finance, Public Insight Network, retirement, taxes, Your Story

December 9, 2011 | 12:00 PM | By Micki Maynard

Mortgages, Job Search, Debt, Retirement — Advice (And A Chance to Win a Book) from Ali Velshi and Christine Romans

Nobody has had an easy time getting through the recession. It’s made personal finance planning a nightmare — whether it’s paying for school, looking for a new job, figuring out retirement, or getting rid of credit cards. But Changing Gears is offering you the chance to get some advice.

Network anchors and authors Ali Velshi and Christine Romans are taking Midwest Money questions from the Changing Gears audience.

We’ll be posting their answers during the week of Dec. 19. And if they pick your question, you’ll win a copy of their new book, “How To Speak Money.”

Submit your Midwest Money questions by Monday Dec. 12.

FILED UNDER: Jobs, Your Story, Midwest Money, personal finance

December 2, 2011 | 6:00 AM | By Micki Maynard

Starting Over? Need Advice Getting Through The Recession? Get Midwest Money Help From Ali Velshi and Christine Romans

The recession has played havoc with personal finances all over the Midwest, whether you’re starting from scratch, or trying to stretch your budget to get through these hard times. It can be hard to get good advice on what to do.

Rest easy. We’re offering some Midwest Money help. Two of the country’s leading experts on personal finance issues — Ali Ve lshi and Christine Romans – are teaming up with Changing Gears to provide some answers.

They are the authors of the new book, How to Speak Mon ey: The Language and the Knowledge That You Need Now.

Here’s your chance for Midwest Money advice. Send us anything that’s on your mind, from retirement, to job hunting, to your mortgage and more.

We’ll pose your questions to Ali and Christine, and publish their answers every day during the week of Dec. 19. And, if they pick a question that you sent in, you’ll get an autographed copy of their new book

Post your questions here.