Greetings!
Irish eyes are smiling and everyone else for that matter, now that the days are finally longer and brighter, and spring is literally just around the corner! Did you know this May we will celebrate our 5th anniversary? We have so much to be excited for at CURO with a lot of fun happenings in the works over the next few months.

Have you heard we are going to be the spotlight sponsor of WHYY on their radio broadcasts April 2nd ? We are still in need of volunteers to help us answers calls from passionate supporters such as us, so let us know below if you can join us.

Also coming up for the spring will be the Badass Women of History walk in Philadelphia on April 18th and a revival of the outrageously fun adventure into dragon boat racing with our 2nd Annual Women's Outing on the Water , proposed for June.

If you're connected with us on Facebook , you may have seen the video we recently posted. A few weeks ago, we had the chance to see our end-of-year donation in action, when Unite For Her held their annual Pink Invitational gymnastics meet, to raise money for wellness care and services in support of women going through breast cancer treatment. What an amazing weekend that was and how proud we are to have been a part of it! You can see some photos and read more about it below.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Marianna
NEWS THAT AFFECTS YOU
MARKET COMMENTARY: Another Strong Month for Markets
February was a short but sweet month for investors. U.S. equity markets followed up their strong performance in January with another solid month of positive returns. The Dow Jones Industrial Average led the way with a monthly return of 4.03 percent. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite were close behind with returns of 3.21 percent and 3.60 percent, respectively. All three indices have already returned double digits to start the year.

Improving fundamentals supported this positive performance. According to FactSet, the blended earnings growth rate for the S&P 500 stands at 13.1 percent (as of February 22, 2019). This result is up from estimates of 12.1 percent at the end of December. Further, this improvement was widespread, with 7 of 11 sectors reporting better earnings than at year-end. Technicals were also supportive, with all three indices ending the month above their 200-day moving averages.

The international story was much the same...

Why Having a Will is So Important
and the Key to a Comprehensive Estate Plan
In August 2018, Aretha Franklin passed away, leaving four children and an estate in the tens of millions of dollars. She did not, however, leave a last will and testament. This lack of planning has created the potential for legal conflict over settlement of her sizeable estate.

While failing to create a comprehensive estate plan generates national news in the case of celebrities, it is an issue that extends to all demographics. A  2017 survey by Caring.com  showed that only 4 in 10 Americans had a valid will. Often a result of procrastination, not having a will may also come from misconceptions and a lack of understanding of its benefits.

Why Having Only a Will is Not Enough
A will is a set of written directions to a probate judge explaining how the decedent would like the probate process to progress. It indicates whom the decedent wants to manage the estate and to whom he or she wants property distributed. Without a valid will, state statutes and local procedures dictate what happens, regardless of what the decedent wished.

Data Breaches:
A Guide to Reducing Impact
Overwhelmed by what feels like constant news of  data breaches ? With headline after headline about companies being breached, it’s easy to feel like it’s out of our control. That’s why it’s more important than ever to know how you can protect your information from cyber attacks like the ones we’re always hearing about. But how do you accomplish that without stopping Internet use altogether? Although there is no way to prevent a breach entirely, there are plenty of best practices you can employ to significantly reduce their impact.

The Breach Landscape
You may feel that people are making a bigger deal about these breaches than they’re worth, but consider the breach landscape 10 years ago, which you can see in this image from  InformationIsBeautiful.net . Each bubble here represents the magnitude of database breaches by the number of records compromised.

CURO IN THE COMMUNITY

“If you give something or someone enough love and support, time and time again, you will see it flourish.”
CURO Goes PINK for Her
Last week, we were honored with the opportunity to support this amazing organization, Unite for Her , as a sponsor of their 11th Annual Pink Invitational Gymnastics Meet. Over the 3-day event they raised $500,000 in net proceeds that will directly fund and administer programming to 1500 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer this year, in need of their unique wellness services.
If you don't already know of this local non-profit supporting women in our community, check them out and support their outstanding work helping women!
Don't Miss These Fun & Unique APRIL Events
We need volunteers to join us at WHYY Studios in Philly, taking calls from members who want to support the arts and great programing. This will be a fun way to get to know new people while giving back to our community. Snacks and dinner will be provided as well.
Thurs. April 18th, 5-8pm
From Independence Hall to the world famous Saligman Studios, we'll unearth the history of Philly’s most badass women, “cool colonial women, change makers, sex workers and more" who changed the face of Philadelphia, quite literally with their contributions. This is sure to be a fun filled evening, ending at Tria Wine Bar.
We are Collecting for Local Foster Children
Did you know that everyday at least 1200 kids in the United States enter foster care? Currently, there are about 400,000 in America's foster care system.They are typically given trash bags to gather their few worldly possessions and then are sent to a foster home, where items are often lost without having a secure place to hold them.

Once again, later this year, we will be helping these children in need by providing new,  personalized duffle bags called Sweet Cases , filled with teddy bears, blankets, hygiene kits and more, to show them they matter!

We need your help to fill them with new toys, books, night lights, hygiene items and more and will be collecting in our office through the Summer. Please consider sending (via the link) or bringing a contribution on your next visit. Thank you for your help and support of this worthy cause .
Where does your journey begin?
VISION

Young professionals often have a unique financial situation that doesn’t quite fit the “traditional” financial advisor model. Some are just beginning their careers, while others are already climbing the ladder. Everyone is unique, but one thing young professionals have in common is a vision of the future they aspire to achieve . 
PURPOSE

Working families are the Hercules of the American society, often balancing children, aging parents, work, life, and future goals. The families are often busy, the days are never-ending and the to-do lists pile up, but they find purpose in the hectic times: to create a better life for themselves and those they cherish most.

HARMONY

The Golden Years are hopeful times. Most of the stress of children and growing careers has subsided however, other issues arise: the estate, healthcare, taxes, and income. Since life has taught them to persevere, they are confident that all their hard work will harvest harmony for their future.