How to Afford One of Your Most Expensive Investments for Your Children
By Kathy Longo, CFP®, CAP®, CDFA
Wednesday, 09 February 2022
Over the past several decades, a college education has come to be seen as a necessity. If you want to secure a good job with the possibility of upward mobility, you’ll likely need at least a bachelor’s degree to help you get there. However, with tuition costs greatly outpacing the overall cost of inflation, actually affording college has become a real challenge for many individuals and families.
From estimating the overall cost for higher education a decade from now to trying to determine how much financial aid you will be able to secure, there’s a lot to consider when planning to fund an education. Review the five strategies below to start developing your plan of action for your children’s future college education.
The Path Toward Combining Finances Will Look Different for Every Couple
By Kathy Longo, CFP®, CAP®, CDFA
Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Your money can feel like a very personal matter. Our behaviors and motivations around money are unique to us, encompassing our upbringing, experiences, and current situation in life. This can make merging finances as a couple a complicated process if it’s not approached in a thoughtful and intentional manner. If you and your significant other are considering merging finances as a couple, it’s important to understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. How you go about merging finances will depend on the comfort and trust present in the relationship, your relative income levels, the dynamics of your relationship, and more.
Ultimately, you have three options:
- Keeping your finances completely separate
- Keeping your finances partially separate
- Fully combining your finances
Below we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each option, as well as ways to determine which option might be best for you and your spouse or partner.
How to Navigate Financial Dynamics When Merging Two Families into One
By Kathy Longo, CFP®, CAP®, CDFA
Wednesday, 12 January 2022
Preparing financially for marriage can always feel a bit challenging, and that can be an even bigger challenge for blended families, meaning families in which one or both spouses have been married before.
Today, about 40% of new marriages represent a second marriage for at least one spouse, meaning more people than ever before are facing the unique financial dynamics involved with blending two families into one. The money management tips for blended families below can help you navigate the hurdles you may face in your own blended family.
An Interview with MoneyGeek
Wednesday, 03 November 2021
Many people promise their partners to love and to cherish one another for richer or for poorer. Yet many skip the financial part of the vows and avoid talking about money, leading to trouble in the relationship. A CNBC survey found 56% of divorced Americans said they never talked about their finances with family members.
Not talking about finances eventually leads to arguing about it. Multiple studies and surveys show arguing about money is strongly correlated to divorce. While the topic can feel taboo, discussing money can lead to a better marriage.
Because finances in marriage can make or break a relationship, MoneyGeek created a playbook for couples to take control of their shared finances and build a strong partnership for the future.
Take these steps to create a strategy for lasting financial health
By Kathy Longo, CFP®, CAP®, CDFA
Wednesday, 27 October 2021
When you consider your overall health, you probably take stock of your physical health and mental health. You may even think in terms of spiritual health. However, how often do you factor your financial health into the equation of your overall well-being?
According to a recent article from CNN, seventy-three percent of Americans are stressed about their finances. When it comes to younger generations, including Millennials and Gen Z, that stress level increases above eighty percent.
Financial health is a critical component of your overall health. By taking a proactive approach to your finances, increasing your financial literacy, and committing to some consistent habits, you can achieve financial success. Use the 10 ingredients below to create a recipe for financial success in your life.
