Blog Family Planning
Written by Guest Contributor: Brady Woodford along with Chelsie M. Smith, CFP® What is FAFSA? Started in 1992, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form the federal government provides for upcoming and returning college students to apply for financial aid. FAFSA provides students and families with fixed-rate federal loan options or grants…
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John and Sarah (not their real names) are getting frustrated with Christmas gift-giving. Their kids are doing well and can pretty much buy anything they want. They struggle to come up with something meaningful to give during the holidays. This year, while commiserating at a warm coffee shop, they decide to write checks for their…
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Is it time to involve your family in your account management? There are different levels of involvement that can be helpful in various situations. Below is a chart to show the progression of participation from signing an IDC that allows us to share specific information with a particular person to a Power of Attorney that…
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Sometimes a bad diagnosis puts you on a new life path you didn’t consider. Diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia come with many medical decisions, but we often get asked how to organize finances in light of the change. There are a few things you can consider financially to prepare yourself. First, make sure your…
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Last month, we looked at ways to start teaching younger children about money and how to handle it wisely. This month, we will look at ways to teach older children about finances, including savings, budgeting, and credit. Below are some additional steps parents can take to help their children build a solid financial base. Earning…
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Even before your children can count, they already know something about money: it’s what you have to give the ice cream man to get a cone or put in the slot to ride the rocket ship at the grocery store. Every parent wants to raise their children to be responsible, including with finances. So, as…
Read MoreWhat would happen if you were mentally or physically unable to take care of yourself or your day-to-day affairs? You might not be able to make sound decisions about your health or finances. You could lose the ability to pay bills, write checks, make deposits, sell assets, or otherwise conduct your affairs. Unless you’re prepared,…
Read MoreNaming your Beneficiaries: Avoid the Pitfalls We get a lot of questions from people on naming beneficiaries to their accounts. While the paperwork is relatively straightforward, it is important to pay attention to a few key areas to avoid some common mistakes. Updating your will is not enough Your beneficiary designations trump your will. Even…
Read MoreCredit Traps for the Unwary It’s hard to imagine functioning in today’s society without access to credit. However, you need to be careful not to fall victim to some of the pitfalls associated with it. Revolving credit can make it hard for you to pay off debt Credit cards allow you to spend money you…
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Coronavirus Aid and Economic Security (CARES) Act Passes
The Coronavirus Aid and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27th. While there are many details to work out in implementation, we wanted to run through a couple of the highlights with you. We start with a few of the provisions that apply to everyone, including the rebate checks. We follow…
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