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If you’ve started college planning at all you’ve heard about the FAFSA. Do you need to fill it out? For the vast majority of families, the answer is yes. This application is your gateway to all federal aid. The FAFSA, which stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the government application that millions and millions of parents fill out every year in order to qualify for federal and state college aid. [...]

Premarital financial planning can help a couple start off on the right foot. Whether it’s a first marriage or a subsequent union, make it a priority to discuss these seven issues before the big day. BUDGET PLANNING Once married, your expenses will likely change. Sit down and figure out what your expenses are likely to be and decide whether you’ll maintain separate accounts, with each being responsible for certain household expenses, or throw all [...]

Forty-six years and seven husbands after inheriting her $40 million Woolworth fortune, Barbara Hutton died with a mere $3,000. Learning from her mistakes, you may better prepare your children and grandchildren for stable futures— both financially and emotionally. At the age of 10, Barbara Hutton, granddaughter of F. W. Woolworth and niece of E. F. Hutton, inherited some $25 million. The money stayed in trust, managed by her stockbroker father, Frank (E. F. Hutton’s [...]

Inheriting a fortune may prevent a life of financial hardship, but the inheritance may bring other problems. Consider how much to leave your kids by asking some important questions. A popular belief today is that too much money spoils kids. Over the years several heirs have gone public with their stories about the corrupting influence of large inheritances. Jessie O’Neill, granddaughter of former General Motors CEO Charles E. Wilson, founded the Affluenza Project to [...]

It began the first time I gazed into your eyes. A connection I had not known before. You were mine . . . but I would one day have to let you go. And as I prayed for you, cared for you, taught you, disciplined you, and loved you, my heart prayed over you words only my Spirit fully knew. For moms today whose hearts have been poured out on behalf of your children, [...]

Those “How much do you know about Social Security?” quizzes you see online are fun and interesting, but the bigger questions you should be asking are those that can help you get the most out of the program. Q#1: DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SOCIAL SECURITY YOU STAND TO RECEIVE OVER YOUR LIFETIME? People in their early 60s who are thinking about when to start Social Security tend to focus on the here and [...]

Evidently this weekend there is a holiday, "National Honesty Day". Honesty Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated on April 30th of each year, created in the early 1990s by M. Hirsh Goldberg, an author, and former press secretary to a Maryland governor. The purpose of Honesty Day is to encourage people to be truthful and honest with each other . . . even and especially when it is hard to do. This got me thinking. In [...]

If you got hit by a bus tomorrow, would your loved ones know how to access your important records? Would they know which accounts you hold and where your money is? What about insurance policies? Real estate ownership papers? You may have your records organized in a way that works for you, but imagine what your loved ones would face if you weren’t around to show them where everything is. This is why an [...]

Is it time for assisted living? How do you know when loved ones are ready for assisted living? Use these guidelines to help spot the warning signs of aging and illness. Rosalyn Carter once said: “There are only four kinds of people in the world—those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” In light of the longer lives we now enjoy, it’s [...]

Millennials and retirees are choosing to leave fast-paced cities for a better quality of life. Consider these questions before making the move. Housing is a large item on any person’s budget. But folks about to enter or leave the workforce have to be especially thoughtful about how their living situation is going to impact their financial plan – especially if they’re contemplating a big move. Could leaving behind the hustle and bustle of a big [...]

At the beginning of each new year, there is an opportunity to start fresh. Don't carry last year's attitude to this year's income. There are many forms and tools that you can use to refresh your financial outlook and planning. Here are just a few: Budgeting calculator and sheets: These can help you track your income and expenses and plan how to allocate your money. Net worth statement: This is a form that lists all of your assets [...]

Every year as we prepare for Christmas, I am struck by the fact that Christ's gift of grace just keeps on giving. He did not just give us grace once, but grace that continues and carries us through year after year. He did not just give mercy for our sins but lavished on us grace we did not deserve. Max Lucado says it well, "The difference between mercy and grace is that mercy gave [...]