When you think of things that could impact your child’s future education, your mind probably goes to thoughts of your child not getting into the college they want, insurmountable student loan debt, or missing important steps in the planning process. And while these are all valid concerns, there are little-known and often ignored threats that could make or break … [Read more...]

Think back to your last major decision, whether it was a career move, a relocation, a medical treatment, or something else entirely. Did you make a quick choice without exploring your options, or did you conduct research and gather as much information as possible? Did you approach the decision-making process on your own, or did you look to trusted mentors, … [Read more...]

Have you ever had the thought, “If only I knew then what I know now”? Hindsight is 20/20, and whether or not we have regrets from our younger days, there are plenty of things we probably wish we had done differently. While we can’t change the past, we can use the wisdom we have gleaned over the years to make better decisions going forward and to help others on … [Read more...]

Credit is a touchy subject in the financial world. There are plenty of pundits who advocate for staying away from any and all credit, saying that you don’t need a credit score if you have cash. Unfortunately, that’s not reality. We will all need a healthy credit score at some stage in our lives in order to function in the world in which we live. Why Is Your … [Read more...]

Preparing your child for their college years is an exciting time. Think of it this way: you’ve spent almost two decades feeding them, clothing them, encouraging their talents and independence, and teaching them responsibility. Now you get to send them out on the next phase of their journey and watch them grow and learn even more. But what many parents don’t … [Read more...]

You don’t have to be neck-deep in the college world to know that college planning is complicated. As soon as you start looking at colleges and making calculations, you realize how many details and steps are involved. Even if you have an idea of the process and have already started getting your ducks in a row, it’s important to have someone alongside you who knows … [Read more...]

Throughout my years of experience in financial services and a substantial number of those focusing on college planning, I have come across many pieces of sound advice. You’ve probably heard some of them as well, such as the importance of saving early and often, avoiding too much debt, and not using your retirement accounts to fund college.   The other day … [Read more...]

Next to retirement, saving for college is the number two savings priority for parents. (1) But despite the importance of having a college plan, many Americans feel ill-equipped to tackle their goals. On top of that, there are multiple ways to save for your child’s post-secondary education and not all savings vehicles are created equal. It can be difficult to know … [Read more...]

When you first held your child in your arms, you might have dreamed of all the things they would do in their life. Was one of those dreams seeing them get a top-notch college education that would launch them into their career? According to a ChildTrends report, almost 90% of parents expect their children to go to college, (1) yet 35% of parents have not started … [Read more...]