Juana Baumgartner | AFM - FINANCE

How to Invest in Money Market Mutual Funds for Low-Risk Short-Term Savings

Finding the right balance for your short-term savings can feel like walking a tightrope. You need your money to remain completely safe and accessible for near-term goals—like an emergency fund, a home down payment, or upcoming tax obligations—while still earning enough to fight inflation. In a shifting interest rate environment, keeping cash in a traditional, low-yielding checking account means you are losing purchasing power.

For savers looking for a reliable parking spot for their cash, money market mutual funds offer an attractive alternative. They provide liquidity, safety, and steady yields without the turbulence of the stock market.

What Is a Money Market Mutual Fund and How Does It Work?

A money market mutual fund (MMF) is a specific type of mutual fund that pools investor money to purchase ultra-safe, short-term debt instruments. These underlying assets typically include U.S. Treasury bills, certificates of deposit (CDs), and high-quality commercial paper issued by …

Financing

How to Get Approved for Financing a Car with a Low Credit Score

February 5, 2026September 16, 2026 - by Juana Baumgartner

Shopping for a car when your credit score isn’t where you want it to be can feel overwhelming. The fear of rejection, high interest rates, and predatory lending practices can make the entire process stressful. However, having a low credit score does not mean you are locked out of the car market. Thousands of buyers secure auto financing every day by taking a strategic, informed approach. With the right preparation, budgeting, and awareness of your rights, you can successfully navigate financing a car and even use the loan as a stepping stone to rebuild your financial standing.

Understanding Where You Stand

Before visiting a dealership or filling out online applications, you need a clear, realistic picture of your financial profile. In the auto lending industry, a credit score under 580 or 620 is typically classified as subprime. Lenders view these scores as carrying higher risk, which is why they often …

Money

Beyond Pay Stubs: Personal Loans for Self-Employed with Bank Statements Only

December 8, 2025December 12, 2025 - by Juana Baumgartner

Securing a personal loan can be challenging for the self-employed, even when their businesses are thriving. Traditional lenders often rely on W-2s and consistent pay stubs, documents that simply don’t exist for freelancers, contractors, and small business owners. The good news is that the lending landscape has evolved, and there are now viable avenues to secure personal loans for self-employed with bank statements only, which serve as direct proof of income and cash flow.

The Self-Employed Lending Hurdle

For salaried individuals, lenders assess risk based on two years of W-2s and recent pay stubs. Self-employed applicants face scrutiny because their income is often variable, tied to business expenses, and sometimes optimized for tax efficiency (which can make net income appear low).

Lenders who accept bank statements are looking beyond the tax return’s bottom line. They are focusing on gross deposits and cash flow stability to determine repayment ability.

Types

Business Finance

Cracking the Code: Calculating Break-Even Point for a Multi-Product Service Business

December 1, 2025December 12, 2025 - by Juana Baumgartner

For a multi-product service business, understanding when revenues will finally cover costs is critical for survival and growth. Unlike single-product businesses, which have a straightforward break-even calculation, a service provider with a diverse offering faces a more complex challenge. Successfully calculating the break-even point for a multi-product service business requires accounting for varying prices, cost structures, and sales mixes across different services. It’s a vital tool for strategic pricing, resource allocation, and identifying profitability.

The Core Concept: Break-Even Point (BEP)

The break-even point is the level of sales (either in units or revenue) at which total costs (fixed and variable) equal total revenue, resulting in zero profit.

Fixed Costs (FC): Costs that don’t change with the volume of services provided (e.g., rent, salaries, insurance).
Variable Costs (VC): Costs that vary directly with the volume of services (e.g., materials for a service, hourly wages directly tied to service delivery, commission).
Contribution

Personal Finance

Maximizing the Marathon: Best Index Funds for a Roth IRA for Beginners in Their 20s

November 26, 2025December 12, 2025 - by Juana Baumgartner

Starting a Roth IRA in your 20s is one of the most powerful financial decisions you can make, thanks to the decades of tax-free growth it offers. For beginners, the best investment strategy is simple, low-cost, and diversified—qualities perfectly embodied by index funds. Choosing the right index funds allows you to capture the market’s long-term returns without the stress of stock picking.

For young investors, the goal is maximum growth with minimal expense.

The Beginner’s Investment Philosophy: Growth & Simplicity

When you’re decades away from retirement, you have a high risk tolerance and the advantage of time to recover from market downturns. This means your portfolio should be heavily weighted towards stocks (equities) rather than bonds (a common allocation for those in their 20s is $\text{90\%}$ or more in stocks).

1. Prioritize Low Expense Ratios (ERs)

The single most important factor is the cost. An expense ratio (ER)…