5 Money Conversations to Have With Your Kids Before They Go to College

Over the past century, life expectancy in the United States has dramatically increased, a fact that has profoundly impacted the financial security experienced during our golden years.

After World War II, the first generation of retirees were generally expected to live less than a decade after leaving the workforce. Now, the average American is living to be about 78.8 years old, and as a result retirement can last anywhere from 20 to 30 years, with some people spending more time retired than they did working.

That sort of longevity is wreaking havoc on the best of financial plans, particularly when combined with the rising costs of some of life’s most significant expenses.

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If you didn’t grow up around people who invested, then chances are that you still may not know a whole lot about the process. It may seem like something you should do as an adult but otherwise difficult to wrap your head around. Particularly for young adults who entered the job market during the Great Recession, the idea of investing heavily in the stock market still carries a certain level of fear.

Yet, with the right knowledge and guidance, young investors are quite capable of successfully creating a portfolio that will deliver solid returns. To help you gain that crucial insight, 15 members of Forbes Finance Council share the most important things young investors should know about getting started with stocks…

Many view the stock market as a roller coaster, but they ride it the wrong way. Instead of a quick ride full of highs and lows, start the ride early, travel through the small bumps and know it will go back up in the decades between today and retirement. Remember, though, the key to financial success doesn’t depend on the market’s performance but on the sound financial decisions you make each day. -Jeff Motske CFP®, Trilogy Financial

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