Start The Year Off Learning & Earning

The beginning of the year is a great time to think about how to make smarter financial decisions in 2026. But with volatile interest rates, shifting markets, budgeting realities and rapid advances in AI technology, it can be hard to know how to best navigate your spending, saving, and investing—from major decisions such as buying a home or saving for retirement to everyday shopping. Join us January 28th at 12pm ET for a members-only panel moderated by Associate Editor Emma Waldman with clear, actionable guidance and a 101 of many of the new AI tools. This forward-looking discussion will help you navigate the year with confidence and clarity.

We’ll Discuss:

• Actionable money moves for the year ahead, from investing in an uncertain environment to managing debt and strengthening long‑term plans
• What’s really driving the 2026 financial landscape, including inflation trends, rate expectations and the signals that matter more than the headlines
• Clear, practical guidance to stay financially resilient, with expert insights on habits, strategies and trends to build your confidence
• How new technology (especially AI‑driven tools) is reshaping personal finance, and what consumers should embrace or approach with caution.

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Speakers

The Penn Township commissioners unanimously voted Wednesday to fire Finance Director Jaime Peticca after about five months on the job.

Peticca was hired by the township Aug. 20 to fill a vacancy left by Colleen Gain, who resigned in June.

Township Secretary/Manager Mary Perez declined to comment on the reason for Peticca’s termination. Perez said her last day was Jan. 9.

Attempts to reach Peticca on Wednesday evening were unsuccessful.

Before working for the township, Peticca worked about three years as manager of Trafford Borough and 3½ years as secretary and zoning officer for South Greensburg. She also previously worked as a recruitment specialist and membership manager for the Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania.

Perez, who is operating as the interim finance director, said the township will advertise the position in the coming weeks.

It has been difficult for the township to fill vacant job posts in recent years, she said. A code enforcement officer and building inspector role that commissioners will vote on filling next week has been empty for nearly two years, Perez said.

“It’s helpful if (candidates) have government experience. A lot of folks do not,” Perez said. “It’s difficult to find someone from another municipality. A lot of what we do is different than the private sector. There’s a lot of unique reporting requirements that we have that they just aren’t familiar with when they come in.”

The finance director is the only employee of its kind in Penn Township, meaning that person manages everything from accounts and payroll to audits and financial reporting.

“We have a larger budget,” Perez said. “We need to have someone here who understands how to read those financial statements, how to prepare those financial statements alongside our auditors and perform the accounting functions that are necessary to issue those statements.”

The township commissioners approved a $12 million spending plan for 2026 in December, holding property taxes at 17.4 mills and the fire tax at 1.3 mills.

While you certainly do not have to wait for the beginning of the new year to overhaul your financial habits, the calendar’s fresh start can offer a natural opportunity to reassess. But all too often, when we identify an area of our life that is not quite going as planned, there is a temptation to tear it all down and start from scratch, in the form of a broad-ranging — and overwhelming — resolution.

Sometimes, though, making small tweaks to existing habits, or introducing some fresh ones, is all it takes to course correct, allowing one good financial decision to snowball into the next. Sounds more manageable, right? Read on for some ideas to get started.

1. Dial up your retirement contributions