As a nation, we are knee deep in debt. In fact, the average Maryland resident is carrying around $7,000 in credit card debt alone. Add in the mortgage, some car payments, and student loans, and it’s easy to see that consumers are barely hanging on. The problem, according to many financial experts, is that people are spreading their money too thin, leaving very little to save and get out of debt with.

“If you put all your earnings into your debt then you will have a difficult time ever getting ahead or saving for a decent retirement,” explains Brad Glickman, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Professional, and President of Bernard R. Wolfe & Associates, Inc., a company specializing in offering wealth management strategies. “The good news is that it is never too late to make some changes that can have a meaningful, and lasting, impact.”

Acclaimed writer Joyce Carol Oates will discuss her new book Mudwoman, an exploration of success and self-identity.

On Wednesday, May 23, 2012, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., The Hay-Adams Author Series will welcome award-winning author Joyce Carol Oates, one of the most acclaimed writers in the world today, to discuss her latest novel, Mudwoman, while dining with guests at the Top of the Hay, the Hotel’s elegant rooftop spaces overlooking the White House.