The way we earn, spend, and save money is a practical expression of our most fundamental beliefs. When our priorities are out of sync, money can become the great divide in an otherwise harmonious relationship. By working together toward financial freedom, money can cease being a source of conflict and become a way to express […]
Love & Money: 25 Financial Tips for Couples Read More »
This month, as wedding bells ring for hordes of happy, hopeful newlyweds, my husband and I are celebrating our 29th anniversary. We’ve learned a lot over the years, and we wish all the new kids on the block as much happiness and good fortune as we’ve enjoyed. We especially wish them the will and wisdom
Money Talks … Love Listens Read More »
Want to give your kids a wonderful gift that will last a lifetime and help them achieve their dreams? No doubt you’ve guessed that it’s not the latest video game or computer gizmo at the mall. Those are fleeting contributions to a young person’s happiness. Give them a healthy, positive, self-confident attitude toward money and
Positive Money Messages for Kids Read More »
When Amber walked down the aisle eight years ago, she thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with Marcus. After their second child came along four years ago, they decided that Amber should leave her job as a product manager to take care of the children full time while Marcus continued
Are You Eligible for Alimony After Your Divorce? Read More »
Investing for the future is always a game of chance, and risk-taking is part of the game plan. All investing involves some element of risk. The secret is to be a wise risk-taker and find the right balance for you between hopeful excitement and sleepless nights. While it’s natural to fear risk, it helps to
A Wise Risk Today Brings Good Fortune Tomorrow Read More »
There are three parties to every divorce: the husband, the wife, and Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam is very picky about interest deductions on home mortgages, and a misstep can cost your client a tax deduction. Here’s a common situation that can trip you up, and ways to get around it. Your client agrees to transfer
Home transfers in divorce can render mortgage interest non-deductible. Read More »
Infidelity. Most couples think it’s a relationship breaker. But in many relationships a surprisingly amount of infidelity goes on every day without a word. Financial infidelity, rampant in many relationships, may go unnoticed at first. It could be as little as hiding small purchases from a spouse or as large as blatant disregard for a
Financial Infidelity Read More »
Take our marriage money skills quiz to improve your joint understanding and communication about money. You and your partner should answer the questions separately and then compare the notes. The results may surprise you! Download this Quiz (PDF) 1. My partner handles money: a. Like a bull in a china shop. b. According to our mutually
Test Your Marriage Money Skills Read More »
“When people argue over money, the argument is likely to have little to do with money. It almost always has to do with issues of control, security, self-esteem, and, above all, love.” –Grace Weinstein, author In our lives, we are pulled in many directions. We both desire and fear the power of money, and most
How to Manage Money — Together Read More »
Many years ago in a Milwaukee schoolroom my first grade teacher Mrs. Winkler worked hard to instill in her young pupils the principles of personal responsibility and proper behavior. She also made sure we girls and boys left her care with a solid grounding in the fundamentals of basic math—Two plus Two equals Four. Mrs.
Mrs. Winkler Was Right Read More »
As most parents agree, financial education for children is a great idea. In fact, many parents wish that they had learned more about money management way back when. Children are happy asking for and spending the money — until the day when Mom or Dad says, “That’s too expensive” or “We can’t afford that right
Money Camps and Other Ways to Inspire Your Budding Tycoons Read More »
As your children begin their college careers, there’s lots they need to know. Click here to read what your student needs to know about handling money, budgeting, buying textbooks, managing phone bills, working part time, and using credit cards wisely.
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off to School We Go Read More »
When it comes to money and marriage, do you and your honey talk through issues? Or scream about them? Or just ignore them? Communicating clearly about money is critical, so take this quiz to see how you score on the money conflict scale. Quiz Instructions Write the numbers 1 through 10 on a sheet of
How Do You Rate on the Money Conflict Scale? Read More »
Giving your children the gift of a financial education will pay off year after year. Of course, teaching your children about money goes beyond practicing their math skills with your change purse. There are 10 basic areas in which your children can learn about money, and how it works in their lives. Teaching Children Responsibility
Teach Your Children Well Read More »
Managing money with your significant other is difficult enough. Don’t burden your relationship with half-truths that can make it even harder. Make sure these five money myths aren’t keeping you apart. The partner who earns more, knows more. Your earnings are only a measure of how much you earn right now, period. They don’t represent
Five Money Myths That Can Keep You Apart Read More »
When I was growing up, I remember hearing my parents discuss money. It wasn’t usually pleasant: my father loved to find bargains, while my mother’s nickname was “Mrs. Rockefeller” for the way she spent. Now that I am grown, it is difficult for me to feel neutral about money. I always have the struggle within
What Our Parents Teach Us Read More »
After well over 25 years at the non-profit Women’s Institute for Financial Education (WIFE.org) we find that we’ve learned a lot. Here are some of the things that experience has taught us about investing. Saving a little can mean a lot. If you save $5 a day for your entire working life, you can retire
What We’ve Learned So Far Read More »
An excerpt from the seminar “Investing in the Future: What Every Woman Needs to Know” by Gail Buckner, Senior Vice President of Putnam Mutual Funds. Men think more about sex than money. Women think more about money than sex. Those were the surprising results found by Money Magazine in its 1996 survey. Why do men
Is Money More Important Than Sex? Most Women Think So Read More »
Are there really secrets to attracting and saving money that most people don’t know? Probably not. When you get right down to it, most money management concepts are centuries old. But, sometimes it’s worth our while to refresh our memory of what we already know to be true. So with that in mind, here are
The Ten Secrets To Attracting Money Read More »
Your financial future is up to you. No matter what your past financial history has been, you can begin today to build a solid financial foundation. With a healthy approach toward money you can cultivate sound financial management. How many of these traits do you have? You feel in control of money rather than being
Signs of a Healthy Approach Toward Money Read More »
Writing your money history can be helpful in identifying which money issues from your past were most important to shaping your attitudes today. Use these questions to begin exploring your relationship with money. Take one page and don’t worry about making it perfect. Write what you think and feel and get it down on paper
Your Relationship with Money Read More »
How we feel about money-whether fearful and constricted or open and generous-greatly affects how we approach our financial lives. Use this exercise to identify your money attitudes and develop a positive approach toward your financial life. Circle the words that best describe your feelings about money and finances at the moment. Circle as many as
How Do You Really Feel About Money? Read More »
Most money wisdom is pretty straightforward. You simply have to use your common sense to figure out that it’s good to save for a rainy day, spend wisely on things you really need, and keep a hopeful outlook for your financial future. Sometimes, though, a money rule comes along that calls upon your “uncommon sense”
Uncommon Sense: Some Money Rules That Might Surprise You Read More »
