Money is something every couple talks about and struggles with at some point and it can be one of the biggest sources of stress in a relationship. Add kids to that, and you’ve got even more financial demands and desires to think about. It’s something Chris and I constantly have to work on and we’re still not where we’d like to be in the twilight of our careers. But outside of winning the lottery, how can we fix our financial woes? Is it too late for us?
It’s the time of year when many parents have watched their children graduate from high school. While no doubt proud of their offspring’s achievements, in the back of their heads, all parents wonder about one thing: does my child have good financial habits. As they embark for the first time into that brave new world of adulthood, they’ll also be venturing into the terra incognito of money. Are they prepared?
It’s a challenge for parents to teach their children everything they need to know to ready them for their lives ahead. A good, practical, common sense financial education often falls far to the back of the priority list (though sometimes for good reasons). It shouldn’t. “If there’s one huge gift we as parents can give our kids,” says Jessica Ludvigsen, Sr. Vice President of Retail Banking at Axiom Bank in Orlando, Florida, “it’s the knowledge they need to grow up to be financially stable adults.”
...As a parent, it’s natural to want to help your children succeed. In fact, in a recent survey of parents, 37% of respondents said no investment goal is more important than saving for a child’s college education.
If you plan to pay for all of your child’s college expenses, you can expect to shell out tens of thousands of dollars for one year, according to the College Board’s 2017-2018 figures.
While it might feel good to give your child a head start in life, choosing to pay for their education might not be an easy choice for everyone.
“The decision to contribute to a child’s college education is a deeply nuanced and personal decision,” said Jeff Motske, a certified financial planner and the president of Trilogy Financial.
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