Blog Posts

By John Fales

Did you know September is College Savings Month? A great reminder to consider how saving for college (or any education) fits into your overall financial plan. There are steps you can take to help ease the burden of education costs and many you can start at any age.

As a parent, you of course want to give your child the best opportunity for success, and for many, attending the "right" university or college is that opportunity. Additionally, the earlier you consider how you expect to pay for college costs, the better.

Today, the average college graduate owes $28,950 in debt, while the average salary for a recent graduate is $55,360.

Preparing for college means setting goals, staying focused, and tackling a few key milestones along the way—starting in the first year of high school.

By Marc C. Shaffer

My wife recently gave birth to our first child, a baby boy. Not only was he an infertility miracle in the making (that’s another financial story for another day!), but his birth also created the need for estate planning updates across the board.

Caring.com’s 2021 Wills and Estate Planning Study showed a promising statistic for young parents: In 2021, 18-34 year-olds are, for the first time, more likely to have a will than 35 – 54 year-olds. Bringing a child into the world means you’re responsible not just for keeping them alive and healthy each day, but for setting them up for success in the event that you’re not around to care for them any time in the future, which is where a strong estate plan comes into play. Here are three main steps to help you get started:

By Jessica Searcy Kmetty

A child turning 18 is as much a milestone for them as it is for their parents or guardian.

When your child turns 18, they could find themselves in a variety of life stages. They could be heading off to college, starting a job and forging out on their own, or even still be in high school and living in your home.

For parents, no matter where your child finds themselves at this age, you will now be in a position where information about them isn’t available to you. At 18, parents are abruptly cut off from their child’s protected information, such as medical, financial and academic records.

By Marc Shaffer

Congratulations! Your child has received a scholarship and now you’re probably wondering how this will factor into your 529 Plan.