What happens if your child ends up not spending all (or any) of the funds in their 529 plan? Maybe they received a scholarship or opted to enroll in a U.S. Military Academy, and now you need to figure out what to do with the money you saved for them. Although it may seem farfetched that your child will not need every penny, about 10% of families end up having funds leftover that the original beneficiary did not need. To put that in perspective, there are more than 14.8 million 529 plan accounts, and at the end of 2020, they were holding a record-high of $425 billion! If you and your child find yourselves in such a predicament, don’t worry, you have plenty of options to ensure the remaining money is put to good use.
How To Help Your Teenager Start Investing
In this grand age of communication and technology, it is likely your teenager is on the internet and has come across the concept of investing. Perhaps their curiosity was sparked by reading the forum WallStreetBets on Reddit, seeing a Tweet about stocks, or a family member sharing an article on Facebook about saving for retirement.
If they are ready to start investing, the good news is they have options! Many custodians and platforms allow minors to open a retirement or taxable investment account with parental consent. This provides a great opportunity for teenagers to learn how to save and invest, all while gaining valuable financial literacy. In addition, the younger someone is when they begin investing, the more time their investments have to grow through compound earnings. It’s a win-win! [Read more…]
The Conversation on Paying for College
According to an article by Forbes, the average total cost of a four-year degree is now over $100,000, more than double, even when accounting for inflation, than it was 30 years ago. Perhaps even more shocking, the total college price tag grew nearly eight times as fast as wages over the same period. Working your way through college is nearly impossible and it’s no secret that student loans make up the largest slice of non-housing debt in the U.S.
So how do you plan for and advise your child as they weigh their post high school graduation options?
College Graduation (A Guide for Parents)
Congratulations! Your child is not the only one who should celebrate graduating from college; this is a major milestone for you too! You’ve been planning, saving, and working to help support your graduate and now it’s time for the next chapter.
Gifting Money to Your Children
As your children grow into adults, your relationship with them naturally evolves. You love them and may want to continue to support them in various ways but, when it comes to supporting them financially, things can get complicated.
