Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

0:00
0:00

J.P. Morgan’s wealth management guru has some advice for recent college graduates on managing money and building wealth

For students graduating college, the number they are concerned about is not a grade anymore - it is the number in their bank account. At least, that is what recent data shows. According to Federal Reserve data from 2021, more than 40% of college adults took on student debt. With financial literacy a well established key closing the wealth gap, J.P. Morgan says it is never too early to start thinking about money matters.

“Finances play a major role regardless of post-graduation plans,” head of J.P. Morgan Wealth Management Sam Palmer says. “Recent graduates might be starting to pay off student debt or invest for retirement. Those who learn about managing money when they’re young are often able to better handle their finances as adults.” For young graduates, it is all the more imperative because those entering the workforce are doing so at a time of immense volatility in the markets.

So what can rookie professionals do to manage money better, especially in today's economic climate? Fortune spoke with Palmer to gain insights into how recent graduates can see more green.


Think about the future


For graduates just starting a career, it might seem counterintuitive to think so far ahead. After all, they are young, and things like retirement seem light-years away. But Palmer says taking steps now can help graduates secure financial well-being in the future. Young professionals can take steps towards financial freedom even before they first set foot in the office.

Investing early, for instance, could set a recent graduate up well just a couple of decades down the line. “If someone were to start investing at age 22 versus age 42, the amount of money years later would look very different,” Palmer says. “If someone saved $200 a month, they’d have about $48,000 in 20 years. But if they invested $200 a month for 20 years, they could potentially have about $116,000 in a very strong market or about $82,000 in a median market.”

The job hunt also presents an opportunity for recent graduates to think about the future. Palmer urges job seekers to take advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans. Another key is 'maxing out' your employer's match, so try to stretch and contribute as much as your company will match so you aren't leaving any money on the table.

“We all know there are things we know that we should do, but we don’t because the benefits are only felt down the road,” Palmer says. “For example, someone might know they should order a kale salad today, but French Fries taste much better right now.”


Stay organized and prepared


Recent graduates likely spent time organizing to-do lists, filling out planners, and categorizing notes and assignments throughout college. Now that they enter the workforce, young professionals will likely need to apply those organizational skills to their own finances.

“To stay organized, it’s very important to centralize personal financial information in one place and also think about short-term and long-term goals,” Palmer says. “Having a clear view of their full financial picture will help recent grads make better decisions and be confident about their plan.”

What kind of plans prove useful to young professionals? Palmer advocates for a ground-up approach. Recent graduates need to take advantage of resources that “build on a strong foundation of financial health” in order to set them up for the future. Checking credit scores, for example, can help rookies get a picture of their financial health and take steps to improve it.

Plans that help them see the full picture can also make tasks like budgeting—which Palmer admits is tough for young professionals—easier to track. Clear, coherent organization can also help them be prepared and set aside money for an emergency fund, which Palmer recommends lasts 3-6 months.

Palmer says that, sometimes, being adequately prepared for the future might mean sacrificing independence. According to a study by Qualtrics, nearly a third of people born in the late 90s and early 2000s between the ages of 18 and 25 live with their parents or other relatives. "Living with parents can help lower costs while recent graduates start a career or graduate school, build up an emergency savings account or start paying off student loans," he said.


Can debt actually be good?


For people in college, words like “student debt” most likely sent shivers down their spines. Debt has long been treated as the financial equivalent of “stranger danger” - Palmer says most people are taught to avoid debt throughout their life. However, recent graduates can learn to use debt and student loans to their advantage.

Some people, for example, have longer than they think to pay off student loans, making them eligible to invest on the side. “Many people think they must pay off debt before investing, but the reality is that you can do both,” Palmer says. “In some cases you can get more from your money by investing for your long-term goals. Many people also think they need to reach a certain salary or net worth threshold to start investing. This isn’t true.”

Of course, when investing and paying off student loans at the same time, it is important for young professionals to be extra vigilant. Palmer warns about putting all of your eggs in one basket, especially in the stock market. The wealth management head points to the recent influx of meme stocks as an example of volatility. When it comes to securing returns in volatile periods, Palmer heeds the advice of many other advisors: a diverse portfolio is crucial. And even if you're just starting out, do your research. “If investing, recent graduates should consider talking to an advisor,” Palmer says. “If they’re going to invest on their own, they should make sure to take advantage of educational resources.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
×