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Why Should I Contribute Extra to My 401(k)?

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max your 401kMany people contribute to their 401(k) to get the matching contributions from their employer, if that is offered to them. However, a lot of people do not contribute more than the amount that their employer will match. Unfortunately, by not contributing extra to your 401(k) account, you’re missing out on plenty of benefits. Here are some of the top reasons why you should definitely contribute extra to your 401(k). You can check out the Suncorp superannuation calculator to find out how much you really need to retire.

 

1. You Get Automatic Savings

Contributions to your 401(k) plan are taken out of each of your paychecks every pay period, allowing for simple, automatic savings. You don’t ever have to make a bank transfer or write a check to deposit funds into your 401(k) account, making this an excellent option to save money, especially for those who don’t feel like they have the discipline to add to their savings regularly.

 

2. Tax Breaks are Available

When you contribute to your 401(k) plan, you are reducing your taxable income, as the government allows you to put a certain dollar amount each year into your plan before taxes are calculated on your gross income. While your funds are in your plan, taxes on all of the interest you make on both the money you contributed and any matching contributions your employer made are also deferred.

So, you don’t have to pay taxes on them until you take the money out of your 401(k) plan when you are ready to retire.  In addition, your contributions into your 401(k) plan can also help to drop you into a lower tax bracket where you would pay a lower rate on your taxes.

 

3. Your Contributions are Portable

All of the funds you contribute to your 401(k) plan are portable, allowing you to take those funds with you even if you switch jobs. It is important to keep in mind that you only have a 60-day deadline to do so, though, before you have to pay taxes on those funds, as well as a 10% penalty if you are less than 59 ½ years of age.

 

4. You Can Contribute More Than an IRA

The government allows for higher annual contributions to 401(k) plans than IRAs, which have a much lower limit on the amount of tax-deferred money you can contribute each year. In fact, you can contribute more than triple the amount each year to your 401(k) plan than you can to your IRA.

 

5. Social Security Will Not Provide Enough

Social security is only supposed to provide a percentage of your retirement income, not the full amount. So, a 401(k) could definitely help to make up another part of your retirement income, so you can live comfortably in your retirement. Contributing money into your 401(k) plan each month could definitely help you save up plenty of funds for your retirement, allowing you to retire when you want to and without worry of financial stress.

Do you try to max out your 401k contribution?

Pros and Cons of Separate Checking Accounts for Couples

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couple financesLearning to manage money together is an important step for married couples.

Financial matters can get complicated and messy. Partners should decide as early as possible how they are going to handle their finances. No two couples are identical in their attitudes to spending which means that no single solution is guaranteed to work for all.

Couples can choose to open up a joint checking account online from which they both can draw, or they may choose to have separate accounts as a means of maintaining their independence; some couples opt for a combination of the two. It is important for couples to decide which solution works for them as poor handling of finances is among the more common sources of friction in relationships.


Pros of Having Separate Checking Accounts

Some people see separate accounts as a sign that the partners are not fully committed to their relationship. This is not the case; in fact, separating finances can help a relationship by eliminating all of the problems that come with joint accounts. The benefits of separating finances include:

  • Shared Burden
    With a joint checking account, one person is usually in charge of managing finances. This includes making sure that shared bills are paid on time and tracking all expenses. With two accounts, this work is split between the partners.
  • Privacy
    Spending habits are kept private. Some people are uncomfortable sharing their spending habits with their significant other. Separating accounts keeps them from having to justify spending money in a joint account.
  • Security
    Separate accounts provide financial security as one partner’s spending does not directly affect the other. This is especially important when partners have dramatically different attitudes to the handling of money.
  • No Loss of Independence
    The loss of independence that comes with a joint account may make some people uncomfortable. While married couples will have to share some expenses, separate accounts can make the transition from single life to married life easier.
  • No Shared Debt
    Separate accounts make sense when one partner enters the relationship with significant debts or poor credit. A partner can protect their credit as well as their funds by keeping their money in a separate account. Protecting credit is important for borrowing money such as via a home equity line of credit.
  • Less Drama
    Keeping finances separate can eliminate many of the money-related issues that can plague a relationship. Joint accounts can lead to conflict regarding how to save and how comingled finances are used. Some couples find that keeping things separate prevents disputes.

 

Cons of Having Separate Checking Accounts

  • Lack of Convenience
    A shared expense like payments for a home equity line of credit can be a hassle with separate accounts.
  • They do Not Require Communication About Finances
    Whereas joint accounts require partners to communicate about money, separate accounts may mean that money matters do not get discussed regularly. Without communication, a couple may have an incorrect view of their financial situation.
  • Makes Financial Collaboration Difficult
    The work of managing finances is doubled and collaborating to buy a home, vehicle or other expensive item becomes a far more complicated proposition.

Flexibility is essential as no particular method is guaranteed to work; if a method does not work, the couple should be willing to try something else. The key is to find the solution that works for their particular relationship. Just because joint accounts are traditional does not mean that finances have to be handled that way. What is important is that whichever method a couple chooses, they should make sure to communicate and be honest with each other.

Major Illness/Injury: How to Protect Your Finances…

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Protect your family by protecting your finances from major illness or injuryIn the past six months, my dad has had an emergency quadruple bypass and an 11.5 hour operation to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm (look it up on Google – you’ll be shocked that he survived). Needless to say, he’s also been out of work for just about all of that time. However, they’ve managed to survive financially. Could you?

[Read more…]

The True Cost of Owning a Car

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new car true costThe American dream is a house with a white picket fence as well as two cars in the driveway.  In the American culture, two cars are often necessary because of the distance between your home and work or other events.  If you have children, you certainly need a car to take kids to school, drop them off and pick them up from extracurricular activities, and for the many errands that you must run.

But is a new car always necessary?

If you’re on a tight budget, and most families are, especially when one parent stays home, you might want to consider the thriftier alternative–buying a used vehicle.

I love to read Infographics, and I was surprised to read how much the true cost of owning a car can be.  Did you know that one hour after driving your new car off the lot, it loses 10% of its market value.  Ouch!  On a $25,000 car, that’s $2,500 for one hour!  Within a year, it loses 28% of its market value.

If you instead buy used, not only do you pay less out of pocket, but you let the first owner take the hit to the market value rate.  Why should you be the one to take out a large loan, pay interest, and be tethered to the payment for 5 years?  Why not buy a car a couple of years old, and get a much more modest loan from a company and only pay for 3 years?

There are other advantages to buying used, too.  Likely, your insurance rate will be cheaper because the car isn’t brand new.  This is especially important if you have younger drivers in the household. Plus, with the money you save on the cost of buying the car, you might even be able to invest in extra accessories or modifications, like getting automotive PPF wrap in Raleigh, that can give you the aesthetic and driving experience you’ve always wanted from a car.

If you worry that you’ll face many repairs if you buy a used car, rest assured that you can now buy certified pre-owned vehicles.  For the vehicle to receive this distinction, the first owner must keep detailed records and follow a strict schedule of maintenance.  You’ll likely face no more repairs than you would had you bought the vehicle new.

In an ideal world, we’d be able to get by with only one car per family.  However, in the United States, two vehicles are often a necessity.  There are steps you can take, though, such as buying a vehicle used, that will save you thousands of dollars on the cost of vehicle ownership.

Do you buy used vehicles or only new ones?

Creating a 2014 Family Budget

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family budgetI’m a big advocate for having children participate in the family finances. Unfortunately children don’t get enough personal finance taught in school so it will be our responsibility as parents to prepare them the best we can.

I grew up in a very frugal house. My mom wasted nothing and was always on the hunt for a good deal but this doesn’t mean I had any true understanding of money. Sure I knew how to grocery shop on a dime and could sniff out a sale miles away but she never taught us how to budget, even though I knew she was doing it regularly.

Money itself was never really talked about. We had basic cable because she wasn’t willing to buy the full cable package we so badly wanted (this was pre-28464 channel options for cable) because it was simply too expensive and a waste of money. I wanted to know what ”too expensive” was and why it was a waste of money when her kids wanted, and would use, it. Because I didn’t totally understand, in my nine-year-old mind, I just though my mom was being a big meenie.

I plan on involving our children in the family’s budget. I want them to see where our money goes towards running a household and why we may not be able to afford something or what we may need to change in order to make room for a new category. If kids decide they want a cell phone and mom and dad aren’t willing to pay more than X amount of dollars per month (ie they will not be having a $75 smartphone plan under moms dime), I want them to understand why we simply can’t do it. If we decided to cancel cable as a family decision we, as a family would also decide how and where to reallocate the money. If the kids want to partake in extracurricular activities, they need to know how these decisions affect the family.

Obviously mom and dad get the final word (since it’s our money!) but I think its important to allow children young and old to have a say and gain and understanding of how the family is run.

With older children, as soon as they get a job of any kind, it will be important to sit down with them and map out how they will use their money, before the manage to go to a mall and blow it all at the food court. Decide together how much will be saved, what it will be saved for (maybe long-term for post secondary, maybe saving for something like a laptop) and teach the value of a dollar. I’m not suggesting they don’t eat their money at the food court as long as they understand they only have ”x” amount of spending dollars to last ”x” amount of time, they can do what they want with it! Instilling the understanding will be the hardest part.

Involve young children with the purchase of things for them. Tell them you have $100 to buy school supplies and bring them with you so they can see what exactly $100 does or does not buy. To a child $100 is a lot of money, allowing them to see how far (or not-so-far) that money actually goes is a great lesson to teach.

Instilling money lessons in our children is invaluable. They’re never too young and it’s never too late to start.

Do you budget as a family? 

Revisit Your Insurance in the New Year

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insuranceThe New Year is a great time to revisit all aspects of your personal finances.  However, after budgets and investments, a lot of people forget to re-evaluate their insurance needs.

Not only could your needs have changed, but by shopping around for insurance, you could get a better rate and possibly save some money.  Here’s some simple things that you should look for in the New Year.

 

Home Insurance

Have you moved lately?  Have you bought new stuff for the house,mor maybe remodeled?   If any of these situations apply, it’s important to remember that your home insurance needs could have changed.  You may need to look at increasing the value of coverage, or even adding more personal property.

The worse thing that you can do is be under-insured, and that can happen easily if you don’t make sure that your policy keeps pace with the improvements you make to  your home.  Just imagine installing a brand new wood deck, having a BBQ accident, and not having enough insurance coverage to have it replaced.  That’s not a good thing, and you’ll regret it later.

 

Auto Insurance

Auto insurance is one of those insurance types where it pays to shop around.  The sad thing is that your insurance company typically locks you in at a set amount, regardless of changes that happen in the industry.  I recommend calling around to several different companies, or getting quotes online, so that you can really see if you’re still getting the best rate possible.

Plus, if you’ve moved at all, simple changes like your zip code can make a difference in the rate you’ll pay to insure your car.

Personal Property Insurance

Did you get a pretty, shiny diamond for Christmas?  Well, if you did, you’re extremely lucky, but you should also consider getting a personal property policy to cover your jewelry.  Typically, most home insurance policies don’t cover jewelry, and so you have to purchase an additional policy that just covers the jewelry.  They aren’t expensive, but they can help you with the piece of mind that will make you comfortable wearing your new ring or necklace as much as possible.

What other insurance moves do you think people need to make in the New Year?

Strategies to Make Your Home Search Quicker and Easier

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home buyingIf you’re in the housing market, you may be daunted by the task of finding the perfect house and carrying out all the steps you need to in order to qualify for a mortgage.  However, the process doesn’t have to be as hard as you think.  There are several things you can do to make your house search quicker and easier.

Ask Family and Friends

One of the best things you can do is ask your family and friends what realtor they recommend and what bank they used for obtaining their mortgage.  If more than one person refers you to the same housing expert, consider investigating further.

Use the Internet

The Internet has made it easier than ever to search for a house.  Real estate agents like Dan Plowman as well as other places, have moved their listings online.  From the comfort of your home, you can take virtual tours and get specs on the property as well as determine how much the annual property tax will be.

In addition, you can check the crime rate in the area where your potential home is located.  You can see with one click if there have been any crimes committed and what type of crimes they were.

Finally, you can also see what comparable homes in the area sold for as well as the pricing history of the home you are considering.

Know What You Want

Before you even begin your home search, think of what qualities you want in your home.  How many bedrooms do you need?  How many bathrooms would you like?  How big do you want the kitchen to be?  What architectural style appeals to you?  Do you need a large yard?  How close do you want the neighbors to be?

You also need to decide things such as the best location for your new home, how close you need it to be to amenities like schools and essential shops, and whether you want to be within working or driving distance of other areas, such as national parks, golf courses, or beaches.

Knowing these variables beforehand can make the job search easier.  If you must have 3 bedrooms, you don’t need to waste your time checking out a 2 bedroom home, or if you want to live within a close distance of the best bethany beach things to do, there’s no point looking for a home outside of eastern Delaware, for instance.

Be Flexible

Having said that, make sure you’re also flexible.  If you think you must have a home with a large yard but you find your dream home and it only has a medium sized yard, be willing to compromise.  You’ll likely never find an absolutely perfect home that has every quality you’d like.  There are some qualities that you likely can’t compromise on, but for others, be willing to be flexible.  You’ll make the house search go much faster.

Searching for a home can be fun and frustrating.  However, if you use some of these strategies, hopefully the search will be more fun, and you’ll find your perfect home sooner.  After all, that means you’ll sooner be moved in and settled.

What other advice would you recommend for people embarking on their home search?

5 Easy Ways to Lower Your Expenses

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lower grocery costsIf you’ve resolved that 2014 will be your year financially, take heart that there are many things, small and large, that you can do to improve your finances.  You don’t have to go extreme to make a real impact on your finances.  In fact, with careful planning, you can live the same lifestyle you are used to at a fraction of the cost.

Here are some smart choices you can make to conserve your funds:

1.  Use coupon and rebate sites.  If you buy things on the internet (and who doesn’t nowadays), make sure to take advantage of the many sites out there that offer coupons or discount codes.  Try to never make a purchase without using an online code or getting free shipping.

Also take advantage of rebate sites like Great Canadian Rebates.  Typically, with these sites, you go to the rebate site first, then are redirected to the online store and earn a rebate.  This can add up surprisingly quickly if shop online frequently.

2.  Find cheaper ways to get the services you need.  If you have a land line still, consider switching to a service like Ooma Telo.  You’ll pay less than $5 a month for home service, including long distance calls.  If you still have cable television, can you cut the cord and pay for Netflix streaming instead?  At only $8 a month for Netflix, you’ll save over cable.

3.  Save on groceries.  Feeding your family a healthy diet is important, but there are ways you can do that on a budget.  If you don’t already, consider shopping at a discount grocery store like Aldi or Food4Less.  Another option is to calculate how much your regular repertoire of meals costs.  Try to make the meals with the lowest cost per serving more often than the other ones that are pricier.

4.  Embrace minimalism, to a point.  Many of our financial struggles come from our culture of excess.  Even if you’re a shoe connoisseur, how many shoes do you really need?  Do you need more than five?  Sure, you may want more than five, but focus on what you need.  Asking yourself before each purchase if you NEED something is a good way to cut down on excess consumption and save money.

5.  Consider buying used.  This concept may take a while to get used to if you haven’t bought used, but with diligence, you can find what you need used and save 80 or 90% off the price of buying new, especially for tools and household goods.  This principle also applies to cars.  Considering the loss of value in a new car when you drive it off the lot, buying used makes sense.  Let someone else take the financial hit.

Utilize some or all of these strategies, and you’ll find your bottom line improving faster than you thought possible.

What strategies do you use to keep your expenses down?

Lifestyle Check List

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lifestyle checklistLife can get so busy and so full on that we often forget about putting everything into order ready for any unfortunate circumstances, or even when we pass on. Too often we claim we can’t afford to seek outside help, or we simply don’t have enough time, and yet, as asked by Saga when discussing your financial future, can you afford to put it off? When you consider how much we all worry about our finances, it makes perfect sense to seek out seasoned, professional help in order to settle those worries.

 

Make Sure You’re Prepared for the Future

As expected for any lifestyle check list, drawing up a Will is possibly the most important and crucial move you can make in putting your estate and assets into order. Considering that almost three out of five people won’t bother writing a Will, it’s now more vital than ever to make sure that your money and belongings go to the people you want them to go to. Furthermore, once you’ve drawn up your Will make sure to keep it up to date, although this might sound tedious, it’ll prevent any unpleasantness after you’ve gone – divorce, marriage, children and various other circumstances which can throw a spanner in the works if you don’t keep on top of your legal documentation. If you’re in need of help Saga is on hand to offer sound advice whatever your query.

 

Don’t Wait For Tomorrow What You Can Do Today

As well as Saga Legal allowing you to take out a Will, not to mention their other services such as insurance and health, you can also take this opportunity to put smaller, less legally orientated plans into action, such as finishing off any DIY projects you’ve been putting off. Just as we put off drawing up legal documents, we also put off various home improvements, because we feel we don’t have the time or the money, and yet these are all things that, once sorted, will leave you with a relatively easy and stress free means of keeping on top of your assets and estate.

Whatever you decide to organize and put on your check list, make sure you take the time to seek professional help from respected sources, with the right help you’ll find that the whole process speeds up and gets sorted a lot quicker.

Why a Career in Mortgage Lending Could Be Right For You

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Working Mom“Being a mortgage loan officer can be very rewarding,” begins Sharon McCormick, a senior loan officer at Prime Lending in Dallas, Texas. “Firstly, you are working with people who are making a very big and usually positive step in their lives. You are the person who helps to deliver their dream — the American Dream — of homeownership. That’s incredibly rewarding. Second, this job is less of a job and more of a business, unless you’re working in the standard bank environment. You can set your own hours and there is no limit to how far you can go or how much you can make. There is no waiting for a promotion or raise — if you are working hard and doing a good job, your income will continuously increase.”

If you’re looking for banking jobs or finance jobs and that hasn’t sold you already, read on. We spoke to a couple professionals who work in mortgage lending to find out what the field has to offer, and why it might be right for you.

 

Working With People

“The thing I like most about the mortgage business is that you really get to know people in the first 15 minutes you meet them,” says Patrick Palzkill, owner of Boston-area Beacon Rock Real Estate and Mortgage. “Many times you get to know more about that person after the first interview than 95% of their friends and even their family!

“You hear about the successes in their life (the children/grandchildren), about the new job promotion and the exciting new home they are getting,” he says. However, it’s not all happy news all of the time, and that comes with the territory. “You also see the other side of the coin, when you look [through] the divorce decrees, bankruptcy papers, and verify the negative items on the credit report.”

Perhaps it’s this very close knowledge of your clients’ lives that can make the reward of seeing some get their first home so powerful. “It’s always great to go to the closing for a first time buyer and watch them pick up the keys.  Every deal is different and that keeps things exciting,” shares Palzkill.

 

Good Salaries

There can be financial rewards as well for this and similar banking jobs. CBSalary.com lists the average annual salary for a loan officer in the U.S. to be a respectable $73,366. A mortgage lender is listed as earning, on average, $68,078. Of course, these figures can vary quite a bit depending on what part of the country you live in and, more importantly, how well you perform.

On the subject of performance, we ask what kind of person tends to do the best in mortgage work. McCormick gives a few insights.

“The recipe for success is very consistent,” she replies. “What matters is that you have the right personality and attitude. First, to become a success as a mortgage loan officer you must be self-motivated and driven, because no one is going to chase after you except for your competition. You have to be detail oriented, so that you can manage the very specific regulatory requirements and work through very tiny yet very important details. Strong communication skills are absolutely essential. Patience, flexibility and agility are must-haves, since this industry is incredibly dynamic. The way things are done one day will be changed the next, and you have to be willing and able to roll with the punches.”

 

Lot’s of Paths to Success

To that end, she goes on to say that mortgage lending is a field in which very few consistent background factors can predict success. Good news for those seeking banking jobs and are worried they didn’t study the right thing in college or start off on the right foot when they were in their twenties.

“Conversely,” McCormick explains, “there is no specific demographic that is more successful in this line of work — your age, background, gender and even level of formal education really don’t matter. Wes Ley, the adjunct professor teaching residential finance at DePaul University in Chicago describes the diversity of his class as ‘Amazing. It’s like the United Nations in a classroom. We have people of virtually every race, with no actual majority. We have people of every age.’”

What are your thoughts about working in the mortgage lending industry?

Money Saving Tips For First Year College Students

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first year college studentsAll over the world high school students are preparing to graduate and embark on their post secondary adventures. I know all too well how expensive post secondary can be after completing two degrees and accumulating over $90,000 in debt. In my six years of university I have made many financial mistakes but learned something from all of them.

 

Textbooks

Don’t buy new textbooks. If you are absolutely required to even buy a book at all, buy used textbooks. In my first year I went to the book store and dropped hundreds of dollars on my brand spankin’ new books for my accountancy and finance degree course . What a total waste of money. I could have managed just fine with used or nowadays, digital copies. Always check online at stores like Amazon or Better World Books before succumbing to the campus bookstore. Even better, borrow the book from the library. By year three or so I figured this out and did quite well without books. I went to the library almost everyday, took good notes, photocopied pages I may have needed and went home. This forced me to study and saved money.

 

Living Arrangements

Obviously living at home would be an ideal situation but if it’s not an option, find roommates and share costs. While you may think you’ll need a nice big apartment for yourself you’ll end up spending 90% of your time out socializing, in your room pulling all nighters sleeping or somewhere like the library. As long as you have a room of your own to retire to at the end of the day for some Z’s and a little privacy, shared accommodation should work just fine. If you’ve been accepted into a specific program try to reach out to fellow students via Facebook, Craigslist or other social media outlets and see if anyone else is seeking roommates. Living with someone else within your program means live-in study-buddy!

 

Paying Tuition

If you’re responsible for funding your own way through post secondary, getting an early start with a part-time job is a must. If getting loans is inevitable, borrow only what you need! Depending on the program you get accepted to you may have an opportunity to borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even with these funds being offered to you, if you don’t need them don’t borrow.

If you’re able to, make the most of your long summers off and work to save as much as possible. There are many summer job options to college students from working at resorts to manual labour jobs. It isn’t impossible to find a summer-only position. Capitalize on your summers to get a job somewhere you would like to travel to. Children’s summer camps are around the world and always looking for university students to work for them. See the world while getting paid, why not?  Plus, it helps you avoid college budget woes!

Though the primary focus of post secondary should always be academics, if you’re able to maintain a part-time job while in school, even better. Anything you can do to offset your monthly costs will help.

 

Budget

If you aren’t already, the most important thing you can do regarding your finances in post secondary is budget. This is especially important if you’re borrowing to pay for school, but even if your expenses are being taken care of by someone else, the monies still need to be accounted for and budgeted appropriately. Learning how to budget now will make the rest of your life much easier, trust me!

Graduating high school and embarking on a post secondary education is an exciting time. It is expensive but there are ways to help off set the costs. Enjoy your new adventures but watch your expenses!

What money saving tips do you have for college students?

Are Your Children Ready to Handle Adult Finances?

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adult moneyNow is the time that high school seniors take their college entrance exams and send out their application packages to the colleges of their choice.  In so many ways, these kids are on the brink of adulthood.  Yet, because very few high schools now have personal finance classes, many of these students are not ready to handle their own finances.  However, in just one short year, they’ll be in college and financially independent.

Before your child leaves the nest, make sure you cover the personal finance basics with him or her.

 

Have the Student Loan Chat

Many students see the price tag for college and then see the financial aid package.  If they get approved for enough loans, they think they’re okay and they can afford the particular college of their choice even though they’ll be buried in student loan debt.

Make sure that your child understands the repercussions or student loan debt completely.  Show her how much she will be paying over the life of the loan.  Let her know what her monthly payment will be and how much of that monthly payment will be interest alone.  Show her how much she will likely take home from her job and how much of her salary those loans will eat into.

 

Teach Him to Save for Retirement

The earlier your child can save for retirement, the better.  Again, give him hard numbers and show how much his money will grow the sooner he begins investing.  Even investing 10 years earlier can make a big difference in the amount of money he has for retirement.  In addition, show him some resources such as reading up on retirement on Suncorp’s website.

 

Teach Him to Live Like a Pauper in College

Sure, living in the best apartment on campus, hitting the bars and restaurants every night and taking great spring break trips are fun, but they’re also likely the activities that will land your child in deep credit card debt.  Teach her to live like a pauper in college so she can begin her career and her adult life unencumbered by debt repayments.

 

Just Say No to Debt

This point links in with point three.  The earlier you can teach your child the he can only afford what he can pay  cash for, the better.  If he can stay out of credit card debt as well as substantial student loan debt while in college, he’ll have greater freedom when he graduates.  If he wants to take a job for a year or two working for a non-profit or joining the Peace Corp, he’ll have a much smoother path if he doesn’t have debt weighing him down.

Ideally, your child has learned many of these lessons, but if not, don’t despair.  Many American teens haven’t yet learned these.  Just make sure to teach them to your child before she heads off to college, a place where she can make–or break–her financial future.

How do you help your children become ready to handle adult finances?

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