The earlier you start, the greater the compounding potential. If you’re investing for retirement in your twenties, you may gain an advantage over someone who waits to invest until his or her thirties.

Preparing for college while still in high school can be difficult for even the most academically-minded student. These days, you need to excel in the classroom, make sure you're involved in extracurricular activities, and enroll in challenging classes to impress a college admissions board. On top of that, the financial cost of higher education may add to what is already a stressful time in an ambitious student's life. Luckily, with a little preparation, you may be able to make applying for financial aid painless and stress-free. Read on to learn more.

For many people, college sets the stage for life. Making sure your children have options when it comes to choosing a university can help shape their future. Work with them today to make goals and develop habits that will help ensure their success.

Parents often judge their child's success by the letters they see on their report card. But helping kids develop strong habits and a can-do mindset can set them up for success inside and outside of the classroom for the rest of their lives.

Though Mark Twain famously quipped, “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow,” we know that procrastination can be detrimental, both in our personal and professional lives.

With the children now out of the house, financial priorities become more focused on preparing for retirement. At this stage, you may very likely be at the height of your earning power and fast approaching peak savings as you lay the groundwork for retirement. During this final leg to retirement—and throughout your retirement period—wealth protection is critical.

One reality of life is that risk is ever present. It exists in our commute to work, in our investment choices, and in our lifestyle decisions. Some risks can be transferred to an insurance company (e.g. auto or homeowners), while others we assume ourselves.

Anyone who is carefully building a financial portfolio may want to limit their exposure to risk. Umbrella liability can be a fairly inexpensive way to help shelter current assets and future income from the unexpected.

The only thing you can know about unexpected expenses is that they’re coming. Having an emergency fund may help to alleviate the stress and worry that can come with them. If you lack emergency savings now, consider taking steps to create a cushion for the future.

As a parent or grandparent, you may have diligently saved money in a 529 account to help fund your child's or grandchild's college education. But what happens if they decide college isn't the right path for them? It's a valid question that many families are facing as more and more people choose alternatives to traditional four-year colleges.

College marks a great milestone in a child’s life. It may be the first time he or she will live away from home. Dropping off your child at college may be an experience loaded with emotions, so here are a few tips for a smoother transition.

For current college kids, it may be too late to avoid learning about debt the hard way. But if you still have children at home, save them (and yourself) some heartache by teaching them the basics of smart money management.

Want to give your child or grandchild a financial head start? A Roth IRA might be a choice to consider. Read on to learn more about how doing this may benefit both of you.

New retirees sometimes worry that they are spending too much, too soon. Should they scale back? Are they at risk of outliving their money? This concern may be legitimate.

The typical retirement strategy is built on the pillars of your 401(k) plan, your Traditional IRA, and taxable savings. Getting the instruments of your retirement to work in concert has the potential to help you realize the retirement you imagine.

One of the most common questions people ask about Social Security is when they should start taking benefits. Making the right decision for you can have a meaningful impact on your financial income in retirement. Before considering how personal circumstances and objectives may play into your decision, it may be helpful to preface that discussion with an illustration of how benefits may differ based on the age at which you commence taking Social Security.

Preparing for retirement is not entirely financial. Your degree of happiness in your “second act” may depend on some factors that don’t come with an obvious price tag. Here are some non-monetary factors to consider as you prepare for your retirement.

As a parent, you teach your children to dream big and believe in their ability to overcome any obstacle. By investing wisely, you can help tackle the financial obstacles of funding their higher education – and smooth the way for them to pursue their dreams.

When the market drops, some investors lose the perspective that downtrends and uptrends are part of the investing cycle. When stock prices break lower, it's a good time to review common terms that are used to describe the market's downward momentum.

Regardless of how the markets may perform, these three principles should be incorporated into your financial strategy.

When the market acts like it’s been acting lately, it’s a good time to remind everyone that, while downturns feel bad, they should not be a surprise. The history of the market is dotted with peaks and valleys that must have been hard to live through, even if they were temporary.

If college were a party, then student loans are the hangover. Unfortunately, the "hair of the dog" won't cure this headache, but here are some ideas for managing your student loan debt.

Are you striving for greater tax efficiency? In retirement, it is especially important – and worth a discussion. A few financial adjustments may help you manage your tax liabilities.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released new limits for certain retirement accounts for 2025. See them here.

Tax preparation may be the only time of year many households gather all their financial information in one place. That makes it a perfect time to take a critical look at how much money is coming in and where it’s all going. In other words, this is a great time to give the household budget a checkup

Understanding the unique dynamics of these markets can help you make informed decisions while maintaining a sense of confidence and stability in your investment strategy.

Regular portfolio rebalancing is a proactive and essential component of effective financial management. By ensuring your investments stay aligned with your risk tolerance and goals, you enhance not only the stability of your portfolio but also its potential for growth.

Asset allocation is not merely a financial strategy but a cornerstone of long-term financial planning. It balances risk and reward, aligns with your investment goals, and enhances your ability to navigate market fluctuations.

Market volatility can unsettle even the most experienced investors, raising concerns about portfolio stability and long-term financial goals. Diversification, however, offers a time-tested approach to mitigate this uncertainty and manage risk effectively.