What would you say your passion is?
“My passion is helping people. I’m a residence hall coordinator, where my job is to live with students, help them with academic and personal concerns, and it’s all about giving back. You have to be someone of service to do this because the hours are very unconventional. The requests are very unconventional. You have to be ready at a moment’s notice.”
What does successful financial planning mean to you?
“Successful financial planning is freedom; it gives you the ability to have choices. I want to one day open my own business, and I also want to be a homeowner, but before I do that, I’m looking to pay off my student loans. With successful financial planning, I’ll be able to accomplish anything I put my mind to.”
How are you realizing your financial goals?
“My two current financial goals right now would be to pay off student loan debt, as well as to open my own business. I save [at least] 25% of my check every month, and try to live off of $200 a month by choice. Some of my friends are like, ‘I can’t believe it…what are you doing’. But, at 25 years old, you have to get it together now, because if you wait any longer, it could become a really bad habit.”
How has your experience been with TIAA?
“My experience with TIAA has been absolutely amazing. When I decided that I wanted to be more conscious about my finances and setting up for retirement, I called them and spoke with a financial consultant, and they were very patient. They understood that I was new to this and were willing to answer my questions, making me feel like this was something that was an easier process than it may seem.
"I wanted to [also] know how to get involved with [investing in the] stock market. They explained it to me and [I realized it’s] relatively simple. I’m actually going to call back soon, because I want to buy some mutual funds and want to know what they recommend.”
