A Dutch-oven cooking workshop, community singing, book discussions and story times, and free trash-dump days - check out what's going on around Garvin County!

If you’ve been thinking about life insurance, especially if you have family, loved ones, or anyone who depends on you financially, you might be curious about the different kinds of policies available. Which type is right for you?

You might not have thought much about beneficiary designations — but they can play a big role in your estate planning. When you purchase insurance policies and open investment accounts, such as your IRA, you’ll be asked to name a beneficiary, and, in some cases, more than one.

We all hope to remain healthy and independent throughout our lives – but life can be unpredictable. If you were ever to need some type of long-term care, would you be financially prepared? Long-term care encompasses everything from the services of a home health aide to a stay in an assisted living facility to a long residence in a nursing home.

You’ve probably heard stories about fortunate investors who “get in the ground floor” of a new, hot company and quickly make a fortune. But while these things may happen, they are exceedingly rare and often depend on hard-to-duplicate circumstances — and they really don’t represent a viable way of investing for one’s goals. A far more tried-and-true approach is the “slow-andsteady” method. To follow this strategy, consider these suggestions:

One of your important sources of retirement income will likely be Social Security — but when should you start taking it? You can start collecting Social Security benefits at 62, but your checks will be considerably bigger if you wait until your full retirement age, which is likely between 66 and 67. You could even wait until you’re 70, at which point the payments will max out, except for yearly cost-of-living adjustments.

More than three years after a massive winter storm blasted Oklahoma and the central United States, utility customers have seen little progress in lawsuits filed against natural gas companies and traders over the huge spike in prices.

The Oklahoma 4-H Foundation received a $25,000 grant from the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma to support the 2024 Oklahoma 4-H Innovate Summit. “This money from the Masonic Charity Foundation helps us keep the cost low for attendees and also supports meeting spaces and workshop supplies,” said Kelly Wardlaw, STEM specialist for Oklahoma 4-H.

Spring is almost here, which means it’s time for some spring cleaning. This year, in addition to tidying your home and surroundings, you might want to consider sprucing up your financial environment, as well.

If you have student loans, you likely received a “payment vacation” over the past few years, due to legislation related to COVID-19. But if you’re like millions of other borrowers, you may have recently been required to resume your payments. How will this affect your overall financial situation?