Thursday’s need-to-know money news

imagesToday’s top story: The FAFSA changes students and their parents need to know about. Also in the news: Why you shouldn’t increase your spending when you have extra money, podcasts that will teach you about investing, and what your children should know about money at different stages of development.

The FAFSA Changes You Need to Know About
What students and parents need to know.

Don’t Increase Your Spending When You Have Extra Money
Don’t set yourself up.

9 Podcasts That Will Teach You About Investing
Learn about different approaches and strategies.

What your child should know about money by grade school, middle school and high school
Teaching the basics

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

budgetToday’s top story: How to take the fear out of budgeting. Also in the news: Finding everyday opportunities to teach kids money smarts, how to retire comfortably, and how to break your income addiction before you retire.

10 Ways to Take the Fear Out of Budgeting
The payoff is worth the effort.

Using Everyday Opportunities to Teach Your Kids Money Smarts
Opportunities for valuable lessons.

Smart Ways to Comfortably Retire
Pay close attention to your accounts.

How to break your income addiction before retirement
Don’t ignore your financial dependency.

Should you send your kid to college with a credit card?

teen-creditSavvy parents know the importance of building a good credit history. They also know that paying with a credit card can be more convenient and secure than other methods.

But personal finance expert Janet Bodnar has one word of advice for parents thinking of providing their college-bound children with a credit card: don’t.

“It’s dangerous and it’s not necessary,” said Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and mother of three college graduates.

On the other hand, personal finance columnist Kathy Kristof—who also writes for Kiplingers and who has sent two children to college—says students who have been taught how to handle money can be responsible credit card users. She added her kids as authorized users to one of her credit cards, and said it’s worked out well.

You can read more in my Reuters column this week, “Start college kids with bank accounts, not credit cards.” Bodnar has more tips for parents at “Rules for raising money-smart kids.”

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: How to save for retirement while getting out of debt. Also in the news: money lessons to teach your kids this summer, money myth busting, and how to protect your Facebook information from identity thieves.

How to Save for Retirement While Getting Out of Debt
It’s not impossible.

9 Money Lessons To Teach Your Kids This Summer
And have fun while doing it.

5 Foolish Money Myths You Can Stop Believing Right Now
Myth busting!

How to Master Your Facebook Privacy Settings
Protecting your personal information from identity thieves.

Monday’s need-to-know money news

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: Tax credits that can save you a lot of cash. Also in the news: How to make your kids smarter about money, why we overspend with our credit cards, and how to get through the most awkward money conversations.

5 Tax Credits That Can Save You a Boatload of Cash
Don’t miss out.

9 ways to make your kids smarter about money
It’s never too early to start.

How credit cards get us to overspend
Mind games.

The 9 most awkward money conversations and how to get through them
The conversations you can’t avoid.

Friday’s need-to-know money news

College SavingsToday’s top story: What new grads wish their parents had told them about money. Also in the news: How to maximize your savings, what to know before starting a small business, and how free trials can end up costing you big bucks.

5 Things New Grads Wish Their Parents Had Taught Them About Money
It’s not too late!

6 personal finance hacks to maximize your savings
Getting the most from your budget.

5 Things To Know Before Starting A Small Business
Research is key.

The Hidden Costs of Free Trials
Why companies are banking on your bad memory.

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

FICO-score-calculation-300x281Today’s top story: Unraveling the mysteries of the FICO score. Also in the news: What you shouldn’t buy with your tax refund, teaching your kids good money habits, and 11 common money mistakes to avoid.

How Many FICO Scores Are There?
More than you’d think.

5 things not to buy with your tax refund
Put down that solid gold Apple watch.

How to Use Allowances to Teach Kids About Money
Instilling good money habits early.

Don’t Make These 11 Common Money Mistakes
Avoid getting caught in a spending trap.

5 Vital Questions To Ask Before Retirement
Remember, this isn’t a permanent vacation.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: It’s tax day! Also in the news: Apps to teach your kids about money, personal loans vs credit cards, and why a good FICO score matters when buying a home.

Time’s Up! It’s Tax Deadline Day
No more excuses!

5 apps to teach your kids about money
Just in time for Financial Literacy Month!

The Pros & Cons Of Personal Loans vs. Credit Cards
It’s all about the interest rate.

The One Graph That Explains Why a Good FICO Score Matters for Homebuyers
The better the score, the better the terms.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

Stress Level Conceptual Meter Indicating MaximumToday’s top story: How to pass a financial stress test. Also in the news: How smart parents teach their kids about money, the worst money mistakes made by Millennials, and what to do if your homeowner’s insurance claim is denied.

5 Tips For Passing a Financial Stress Test
How would you do?

7 Ways Smart Parents Teach Their Kids About Money
Valuable lessons for your kids.

5 Worst Money Blunders Made By Millennials
Avoid these at all costs.

What to Do If Your Homeowner’s Insurance Claim is Denied
Don’t panic.

Will You Finally Be Able to Get Rid of Your Student Loans in Bankruptcy?
Introducing the Student Aid Bill of Rights.

3 new, must-read money books

College SavingsThree recently-published books are well worth your time and money, thanks to talented authors who offer new takes on some familiar financial topics: Social Security, raising money-smart kids and investor manias.

The first is “Get What’s Yours: The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security” by economist Laurence J. Kotlikoff and journalists Philip Moeller and Paul Solman. This book is a deep dive into Social Security claiming strategies, which may not sound sexy until you learn that people are costing themselves hundreds of thousands of dollars by making bad decisions about when and how to get their benefits. Larry is one of my go-to sources for Social Security questions, and his grasp of the intricacies of this complex system is amazing. Even more amazing is how readable this book is given those complexities.

The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money” by New York Times personal finance columnist Ron Lieber is one of the best books I’ve read about children and money. Ron aims his book at more affluent families–those with incomes over $50,000–but most of what he writes pertains to any American family that can buy its children everything they need and at least some of what they want. The chapters on what to tell your kids about how much you make and how to handle allowances are particularly thought-provoking.

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute” by best-selling author and all-around wunderkind Zac Bissonnette. You don’t even have to be old enough to remember the Beanie Baby craze to enjoy this gossipy (but deeply researched) account of how so many people lost their minds–and not infrequently their savings–in a frenzy to corner the market on mass-produced stuffed animals. It’s not just collectors who should read this book. Any investor who wants to avoid being taken in by an unsustainable mania should take note. In fact, this book should be required reading for every high school personal finance course, although some of Beanie creator Ty Warner’s weirder proclivities might have to be edited out.