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kids and money

Why you should freeze your child’s credit

March 27, 2018 By Liz Weston

For years, identity theft expert Eva Velasquez warned parents that freezing their children’s credit reports was difficult, problematic and probably unnecessary.

Velasquez, chief executive officer of the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center, has since changed her mind. Or rather, the sheer volume and severity of database breaches — including last year’s breathtakingly huge compromise at Equifax credit bureau — changed it for her. She now recommends that parents “strongly consider” credit freezes for their kids.

“The landscape has changed,” Velasquez says.

In my latest for the Associated Press, how to protect your child’s credit.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: Credit, credit freeze, kids and money

Friday’s need-to-know money news

March 23, 2018 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: The single parent’s guide to life insurance. Also in the news: How to pay your taxes with a credit card if you must, life insurance and suicide, and how to prepare your kids for “adulting.”

The Single Parent’s Guide to Life Insurance
Protecting your children’s future.

If You Insist on Paying Taxes With a Credit Card, Here’s How
Don’t pay more than you already have to.

Does Life Insurance Cover Suicide?
Practical issues to address.

Here’s how to prepare your kids for ‘adulting’
Having the “money talk.”

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: adulting, credit card, kids and money, life insurance, paying taxes, single parents, suicide, Taxes

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

January 11, 2018 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: 5 tips to get back on budget after the holidays. Also in the news: Thinking twice about that in-flight credit card offer, how a Roth IRA works, and how paying your child an allowance can pay off in the long run.

5 Tips to Get Back on Budget After the Holidays
Reigning in the spending.

Think Twice About That In-Flight Credit Card Offer
Reading the fine print.

How Does a Roth IRA Work?
Know this important retirement tool.

Paying allowance can pay off, if you do it right
How much is enough?

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: allowances, budget, Credit Cards, holiday spending, in-flight credit cards, kids and money, retirement savings, Roth IRA, tips

Friday’s need-to-know money news

January 5, 2018 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: How to make a money resolution that succeeds. Also in the news: Cashless kids’ allowances, 3 things to know about Spotify’s IPO, and why you should prioritize your job’s 401(k) benefits over offers of student loan help.

Ask Brianna: How Do I Make a Money Resolution That Succeeds?
How to stick with it.

For Kids’ Allowance, No Cash Required
Preparing your kids for life in the digital world.

Spotify’s Oddball IPO: 3 Things to Know Before You Buy
The streaming service is going public.

Prioritize Your Job’s 401(k) Benefits Over Their Offers of Student Loan Help
Taking the long view.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: 401(k) benefits, advice, allowances, IPO, kids and money, money resolutions, Spotify, Student Loans

Friday’s need-to-know money news

December 8, 2017 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: Is Bitcoin safe? Also in the news: How to buy better gifts with credit card rewards, must-have tools and tips for year-end retirement planning, and smart money lessons for kids that can last a lifetime.

Is Bitcoin Safe?
A roundtable debate.

How to Buy Better Gifts With Credit Card Rewards
Using your rewards strategically.

Must-have tools and tips for year-end retirement planning
Getting on the right track.

Smart money lessons for kids that can last a lifetime

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: BItcoin, credit card rewards, Credit Cards, cryptocurrency, gifts, kids and money, retirement planning

Make your teen a millionaire this summer

July 31, 2017 By Liz Weston

Gary Sidder set up Roth IRAs for his sons when they turned 13. Each year, the Littleton, Colorado, certified financial planner and his wife, Francie Steinzeig, a school psychologist, contributed an amount equal to whatever the two boys earned cutting lawns, shoveling snow and doing odd jobs. As the sons’ earnings increased, so did the parental contributions.

“Initially we started with $400, and now we do $5,500 for each,” the annual maximum allowable contribution, says Sidder, whose sons are 32 and 27. “Now that their accounts are worth more than $100,000 and $65,000, respectively, they do see the value of saving and starting early.”

Even if no further contributions are made, both sons could see their accounts top $1 million by retirement age, assuming conservative 7 percent average annual returns.

In my latest for the Associated Press, how setting up your kids with an IRA could pay off big dividends for their future.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: IRA, kids and money, Retirement, Roth IRA, Savings

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