Budgeting, Planning & Family Money

One of the worst feelings in the world is not knowing whether you have enough money to pay your bills. It also can be difficult when you don’t know from where your next paycheck will be coming. Financial insecurity can cause stress and anxiety in your life, and it can contribute to strain in your [...]

While your big travel plans might be focused around visiting family for the holidays, one of the best ways to enjoy family fun without a lot of planning, and without busting your budget, is to take a “staycation.” You don’t have to go very far to make memories—a staycation can be enjoyed in your own [...]

One of the best ways to build wealth over time is to invest. Many parents know this truth, but unfortunately they do little when it comes to teaching their children about investing. While you want to help your child learn about saving money and making smart spending choices, don’t forget to help him or her [...]

It’s tough enough to budget money—by which I mean keeping your expenses from exceeding your family’s income—when you have regular paychecks. But if you’re self-employed like me, or if you work on commission, you know it can be even tougher. In most cases, your family’s set monthly costs don’t change all that much, but, on [...]

The government cannot "steal" an investor's 401k and brokerage account assets in order to pay off debt. These are investment misconceptions. Q: On Ilyce’s radio show this past week, she took a call from someone who asked what worries her about the economy. She talked about the upcoming presidential election, among other issues like the [...]

A person can help pay his monthly bills and avoid over-extension by going into foreclosure, doing a short sale or considering bankruptcy. Q: I will try to make a long story short. I have credit card debt of about $12,000, a car loan of $20,000 and a ton of mortgage loans. I owe $156,000 on [...]