Kelly Lannan’s Post

Take me out to the ball game ⚾ Last week, our Boston office held a Red Sox Opening Day Event, and I was able to splurge on some baseball-themed goodies and swag! I love this event, not only because the Red Sox are naturally my favorite baseball team, but because in my opinion it's the official kick-off to spring and nice weather (FINALLY)! I was even able to introduce the famous Fidelity choir. It couldn't have been a better day for #RedSoxNation to celebrate (well besides from the loss, but hey! It's a long season!) Who are you rooting for this baseball season?! Let me know in the comments below! #FidelityAssociate

Tax Day is here, and understanding the importance of taxes is important to your financial journey and maximizing your investment potential! But let's call out the elephant in the room - filing taxes can be overwhelming. I remember the first time I filed mine and the feelings of anxiety and stress that came with it. If you waited till the last minute - don't fret! To help you out, here are a few tips to keep in mind: 1. Stay organized: Keep track of all your tax-related documents, including W-2s, Form 1098 (mortgage of student loan interest paid), Form 1099 (various forms of income receive), and investment documents (e.g., purchase/sale records, dividends, and expenses). I personally store all my documents in a folder and keep track of them (and more) in an Excel file. Having organized records will make tax filing stress-free and ensure accurate reporting. 2. Learn about the tax credits and deductions you may be eligible for: Credits (such as the child tax credit and residential energy credit) and deductions (including medical and dental expenses, as well as student loan interest) can help lower your tax obligation or taxable income, respectively, and potentially increase your refund. 3. Stay informed about tax laws: Tax laws are constantly evolving, so it's essential to stay up to date. Keep an eye on any changes that may affect your investments or tax strategy. 4. Consult a tax professional: If you're unsure about your tax situation or want to optimize your tax strategy, don't hesitate to seek advice from a qualified tax professional. They can help you make informed decisions and maximize your tax benefits. This is something Brendan and I have done over the past couple of years and has been something that has helped us. Make this Tax Day tax-cellent, and be sure to file yours by today (or file an extension if you need more time 😊). #FidelityAssociate

Wow - 18.7M viewers tuned in to Sunday's record-breaking NCAA women's college basketball championship game between Iowa and South Carolina!!! That's awesome! Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to travel to Cleveland and participate on a panel before the big game. I spoke to a group of female basketball players from across the country who are part of the NCAA's Above the Rim Summit (ATRS), a leadership development program geared towards providing education and career development support to women’s basketball student-athletes. On the stage alongside me were ESPN's Holly Rowe, Invesco's Kristina Hooper, and basketball legend and superstar Candace Parker. Holly and Kristina were amazing, but to say that I was a little more than starstruck by Candace is an understatement! Speaking to athletes on financial basics (and honestly a bit of the basics of life) is such an amazing part of my job. Thank you, Invesco US, for having me! #FidelityAssociate

We launched Fidelity Youth® at the end of last summer and the app has been getting so much love from both parents and teens! And today, we are launching a VERY exciting update to the experience - Fidelity Youth® Baskets! Teens (and parents!) will now be able to purchase investment baskets within the app. Each basket includes 10 individual securities or ETFs that are managed like a single investment, making investing easier than ever. With this new capability, teens will be able to enhance their investing skills by building a portfolio of investments that reflect their own interests. What’s really cool is that our very talented Fidelity analysts used input from teens to create these baskets. We surveyed the most active Fidelity Youth® app users about the trends and sectors that interest them most and created baskets based on their input! The 3 baskets are: 1️⃣ Clothes, Shoes & Beauty 2️⃣ Entertainment 3️⃣ Gaming, Social Media & Connectivity Learn more about Fidelity Youth® Baskets and the resources available to teens and their parents here: https://lnkd.in/eYEB_yqD.

Look at this powerful group of Fidelity women! This was my third year attending the Women of Power Summit and I think it gets better every year. Not only do I have the opportunity to hang out with some of my amazing Fidelity colleagues, but I always come home feeling inspired and energized by the speakers in attendance. Something that stuck with me the most from one of this year's honorees - "You rent your title - you own your character. The goal is not the job - the goal is the impact." I could not love this more! No matter what your job is, no matter how it shifts and changes - striving for that impact, while remaining true to who you are, is everything. If you want to learn more about this awesome event, check out this link: https://lnkd.in/e_W73GM4. My fellow attendees - what were your biggest takeaways?! Tell me in the comments below! #FidelityAssociate

Last week I had a busy (but super fun) week filled with events, filming, networking, AND travel! As I mentioned during our last (but certainly not least!) Women Talk Money #WomensHistoryMonth event, Fidelity is teaming up with Invest in Girls (A Program of CEE) to launch the Women Talk Money: Teen Girl Learning Series to help parents/guardians and teen girls build positive money habits and take actions to set them up for success. This FREE self-paced program includes videos, conversation starters and activities for parents and teen girls to do together. I’m so excited to share that it’s also NOW LIVE – be sure to register and check out the series here: https://lnkd.in/eKgYBqzm One of the many things I had on the docket was filming an episode for this series! I’m so honored to share my personal story, learnings, and tips when it comes to student debt, college, and careers in the hopes of helping the next generation of women. I can’t wait to tell you more about this new series AND my trip – BUT not so fast! Based on the background in my selfie, can you tell where I traveled to?! Drop your guesses in the comments below and stay tuned for my next post!

Did you hear?! Younger generations are taking the “tired” out of “retired” 😉  Fidelity’s 2024 State of Retirement Planning study reveals that nearly 60% of Gen Z and Millennials say traditional retirement is not a goal. Traveling, relocating, taking on passion projects, and even starting new businesses in retirement are all options on the table. To build on that, 3-in-4 Gen Z and Millennials feel confident in retiring when and how they want.  I love to hear how younger generations are reimagining and reinventing long-standing concepts like retirement. I know I hope to be somewhere warm and on a beach when I #retire. Tell me your retirement plans in the comments below! #FidelityAssociate 

Looking back, I wish I had learned about money at a younger age so I could have gotten a head start on my future (but really, don’t we all?!) This has fueled my passion to help the next generation build healthy money habits and start saving and investing so they can have a strong start on their own journey to financial success. On March 27th, I’ll be joining Dani Stadelmann and Sangeeta Moorjani in a discussion about teaching young girls about money. I’ll also be giving a sneak peak of our *NEW* Teen Girl Learning Series that is designed to help teen girls (and parents of teen girls!) master key money topics and more. You don’t want to miss it! Check out the following link for more information and to register for the event: https://lnkd.in/eBQ-pYA4. I want to know – if you could go back and give your younger self one piece of financial advice, what would it be? Drop them in the comments below!

What is the best part about having kids? A 529 account of course! Ok – ONE of the best things! For our first FinLitin30 for 2024, I invited my friend and colleague Tony Durkan to explain 529s! Did you know you can start saving for your kid’s education the moment they’re born with a 529 account?! I know I didn’t until I joined Fidelity – one of the first things I did for both Kinnon and Scottie was to open up this account for both of them. Check out the video and let me know what you want to see explained next on FinLitin30!

I loved connecting with Emily Cervino, CEP again about young customers and equity compensation plans! A recent Fidelity study revealed that young people are hungry for financial education, including education on stock plan services. Understanding awards, the value they can bring, and how they can be used to improve overall financial wellbeing is a critical part of the participant experience for those young and beyond.   If you haven't already, be sure to check out the full study here: https://lnkd.in/eFe9vs4T