College can seem costly, but with an early start and prudent planning, it can be reasonably affordable. Here are some options to start saving for your child’s college costs right now. The amount you’ll need to save depends on the college your child attends and the financial aid offered to you. The trick is to
You see money one way, your partner sees it another. Don’t let financial disagreements take a toll on your relationship. Differences about money can cause friction in your relationship. That’s why a trusted, impartial financial advisor can be such a valuable intermediary when couples disagree about spending, savings, and investments. A financial advisor can address
Financial mistakes can occur throughout your lifetime. Whether you’re in your 40s, 50s or 60s, it’s important to be aware of financial pitfalls to avoid. Planning is the best way to avoid financial mistakes, and those plans should be responsive to your current age and future needs. The double-squeeze afflicts 40-somethings. People in their 40s
Auto-pilot is regularly used to fly airplanes. But is it a good idea for your retirement investments? An increasing number of automated retirement plans are appearing on the market, promising to adjust your investments over time. These plans have features such as automatic enrollment, default contribution rates, and automatic asset allocation based on a target
Your investment strategy and estate plan should keep pace as your views evolve. Time changes our perspective on many things, including our finances. Perhaps you used to think that money would solve all your problems, or that you didn’t want to spend your time and energy thinking about your finances. You’ve lived, and you’ve learned.
As you head into retirement, it makes sense to reevaluate your insurance coverage and make sure it’s sufficient. Now that you’re about to retire, it’s an excellent opportunity to take a fresh look at your life insurance coverage. It might be that you can give up a policy or two, or that you can change
It’s a great time to take stock of your career. It was once unthinkable to stray from your primary career before you retired, but that’s no longer the case. A career change in your 40s is a great way to redeploy all the business and interpersonal skills you’ve accumulated over the previous decades. The trick
Lessons to learn from this experiment. Retirement is ideally a happy time of your life, freeing you up to do things you’ve long postponed. However, the prospect of retirement can also cause stress if you’re not sure you have enough money to retire in the lifestyle you’d like. We suggest a dry run: Try living
Your insurance at mid-life: Gauging if you are underinsured. Life comes with all sorts of curveballs. Sometimes, they’re easily overcome and even end up being positive experiences. But every now and then, something unexpectedly serious can happen. When was the last time you assessed your insurance coverage? It may be time to reevaluate your needs.
Say ‘no’ to loan requests and protect your wealth—and relationships. Some people may treat you differently when you’ve acquired substantial wealth. Chalk it up to human nature, but you might find an unusual friendliness mixed with the occasional request for funds—a loan, a gift, a pledge, or some other way to spend your money Saying