The 2018 stock market was a wild ride. It began with the best-performing January in 29 years, the longest stretch without a 5% pullback, and the first 10% correction in years, which occurred over a three-week period. For the ensuing six months, the market worked its way to another record high in September. Then, for the first time since 1950, the market experienced another lightning-fast correction, with many more stocks declining even further.

When you’re looking to purchase a new home, you probably first think of securing an affordable monthly payment. Buyers have several options when it comes to structuring a mortgage loan and, in recent years, many have chosen adjustable rate mortgages (ARM) to keep their payments affordable.

With all the various decisions that come with a home purchase, one of the most important is deciding between a 15-year mortgage and a 30-year mortgage. Both options have their benefits and drawbacks, so there’s no across-the-board “correct” answer. Besides, every home buying scenario is unique, so your rate will be unique to you as well. Weighing the pros and cons of both options is a great first step for finding the loan that’s best for you. For instance, let’s assume the 15-year rate for a loan is 4.0% and the 30-year rate is 4.5% and see how both affect a home-buying scenario.

The summer rally continued through August, once again defying market pundits and conventional wisdom. In the midst of this move higher, however, there has been wide disparity among the various sectors. The market continues to favor growth-oriented sectors given accelerating economic growth and consumer spending, as well as robust spending on technology to fuel efficiency gains, while rising interest rates have made yield-oriented sectors less attractive.

Are you one of the many who believes that once you get your finances and investments in order, everything will fall smoothly into place and your wealth will grow on its own? The truth is, regularly reviewing your finances is essential to ensuring your investments are moving in a positive direction. Below are the seven financial decisions you should review on a regular basis: