July 2015 | FIGuide

Planning for College – Managing Wants and Desires

Jul 30 2015

Children are often influenced in ways that are not always obvious. As mentioned in part 1 of this 3 part series on planning for college, family conversations about fond college memories and experiences, likely occur long before a child narrows their choice about where to apply and enroll. Children will also be influenced by friends and their ideas or maybe where a teacher encourages them to explore. Ideally, they consider their intellectual and vocational gifts and settle on a few schools that align well with their longer term professional or vocational aspirations.

All the while, parents may be trying to …

When Your Parent’s Financial Problems Become Your Problems…

Jul 30 2015

By Eve Kaplan, CFP® Professional

What should you do when your parent or parents’ financial problems become your problems? We Americans are notoriously private about financial matters; it’s common for adult children and parents to share very little in the way of financial information. This kind of privacy can come back to bite us, however, when issues or problems our aging parents face become our financial problems, too. Here are two examples of how adult children tackled these issues.

Janice and her mother, Joy:

Janice’s mother, Joy, is in her early 80s. Her father passed away several years ago. Both …

The Greek Tragedy and a Chinese Fire Drill

Jul 29 2015

Greece had been edging towards an exit of the Eurozone. Global market risk, while elevated from the news, had generally suggested that the direct outcome of this event would be limited / falling well short of anything that would constitute a genuine crisis. China, on the other hand, has emerged as a much more substantial issue with the weakness in the local Chinese market spilling into Hong Kong and global equity markets.

Until matters stabilize in China this will certainly continue to be the main driver of financial markets, and even the impact of a favorable end to the Greek …

Are There Any Disadvantages Associated With Paying off a Mortgage Early?

Jul 27 2015

I’m often asked if it makes sense to pay off a mortgage early or invest the cash in the markets. As is often the case in personal finance, the answer is, wait for it…..it depends.

The disadvantages, if any, may stem from the financial trade-offs that a mortgage holder needs to make when paying off the mortgage. Paying it off typically requires a cash outlay equal to the amount of the principal. If the principal is sizeable, this payment could potentially jeopardize a middle-income family’s ability to save for retirement, invest for college, maintain an emergency fund, and take care …

Handling Your Credit Cards

Jul 27 2015

Most people have credit cards. Your credit score matters, so don’t take it for granted. And if it is low, here are ways to give it a turbo boost. The most commonly used credit score is from FICO, and it … Continue reading →… Read More

Archive - July 2015