Prepare for job loss, natural disasters, medical bills, and other personal catastrophes by building a cash savings account (a bank account!) that equals 3-12 months of annual income. Hopefully the balance of your cash account will eventually protect you from poverty during retirement. Think of your cash savings account as an emergency fund during years of employment and a retirement fund during retirement.
Necessities
Financial necessities of life are the same for all people, but sadly, few of us possess a complete set. Most people are unaware of the five main necessities:
Protection begins at birth with the personal safety provided by caregivers to ensure food, shelter, healthcare, and a healthy lifestyle for children. Our best chance for living a full, meaningful life includes safeguarding the well-being of young people (and dependent adults), saving for unemployment, and seeking consumer protection.
Skills are the learned abilities of reading, communication, thinking, and performance. Education and experience provide these skills. High school graduates are more likely to find employment than high school dropouts. Trade schools and higher education improve your chance for employment after high school graduation.
Income is the money received as a gift or earned as a reward for work. Either way, income is essential for paying the usual expenses of living and recovering from financial hardship. Use a budget to plan for paying current and future expenses.
Savings are the valuable items we set aside for future use. One example is the use of a food pantry to store food at home in case of a food-shortage in grocery stores. The loss of income due to unemployment or disability is almost certain to happen at sometime during life. Saving money in an insured bank account is strongly recommended for everyone. Investing money to pay for future expenses is also strongly recommended.
Sharing with other people brings personal satisfaction and strengthens your community network.
Copyright © 2020 Douglas R. Knight
Practical investing
Concepts: Impractical investing is the riskiest, often expensive, way of saving money for future use. Practical investing is the safest way to save money. The most practical investments are savings accounts, bonds, and brokerage accounts.
Practical investing is the long, slow process of saving money for future use. Not by stashing it at home, but by giving it to a trustworthy person outside of home who will protect it, and better yet, put it to work earning extra money on your behalf. ‘Protected money’ helps defend against future emergencies. ‘Extra money’ helps pay for expensive things, caring for family members, and retiring from work. The most practical investments are savings accounts, bonds, and brokerage accounts.
Savings accounts are available in banks and credit unions. Shop around to find the best deal for you and when you apply for an account, be sure it is FDIC insured (FDIC stands for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation). The FDIC insures against accidental or criminal loss of all the money held in your account up to the limit of $250,000 per account holder, per bank.
- ADVANTAGE- Money is easily deposited and withdrawn.
- DISADVANTAGE- The interest rate is very low, usually below our national rate of inflation.
- RECOMMENDATION- Use your savings account as an emergency fund to pay for catastrophes such as job loss, medical bills, and other overwhelming events. Try to save 3-9 months of wages in your emergency fund for the rest of your life.
Bonds and CDs (CDs are certificates of deposit) usually pay more interest (interest is ‘extra money’) than savings accounts. Bonds sold by the U.S. Government are guaranteed to be fully repaid with interest after a specific period of time. Bonds sold by companies are fully repaid with interest unless the company is unable to make the payment. CDs are sold by banks and credit unions, and insured by the FDIC.
- ADVANTAGE- The seller promises to repay you the full amount of the bond plus interest.
- DISADVANTAGES- The full amount plus interest is not repaid until the maturity date. “Investment grade” bonds are usually repaid, but “junk bonds” may not be repaid.
- RECOMMENDATION- Purchase bonds and CDs with maturity dates at or below 5 years in order to save for startup projects such as buying a car, new business, or new house.
Brokerage accounts sell securities such as stocks and stock-index funds. The accounts are “SIPC insured” if the broker is a member of the SIPC (SIPC stands for the Securities Investor Protection Corporation). The SIPC insures against financial failure of the broker and unusual loss of securities by the broker. The SIPC insurance limit is $500,000 per customer, including no more than $250,000 cash, for all of the customer’s accounts combined. SIPC insurance does not protect against investment losses.
‘Extra money’ from stocks and stock-index funds might exceed the interest rates of bonds and CDs, and also exceed the rate of inflation. But stocks and stock-index funds are riskier investments than bonds and CDs because you could lose money in the stock market.
Three good ways of earning money in the stock market are 1) buying shares of a reputable stock-index fund, 2) holding the shares for a long time, and 3) reinvesting stock dividends. All three ways are illustrated in the following graph:
The graph shows 33 years of growth-in-value of a stock-index fund that was invested in a group of stocks measured by the Standard & Poors 500 Index (the “S&P 500″). The stock-index fund earned ‘extra income’ in 2 ways: 1) from stock dividends and 2) from growth-in-value of the fund. When all dividends were reinvested by buying additional shares of the fund (blue line), the final fund value of $6,000 was twice what it would be, $3,000, when the original number of shares were held without reinvestments (red line) for the entire time. The blue line represents compounded growth.
Impractical investing is a very risky, often expensive way to save money. The very risky investments include junk bonds, initial public offerings, partnerships, leveraged funds, commodities, currencies, collectibles, options, derivatives, hedge funds, and property ownership. The possible expenses are high commissions, high tax rates, tax accountant fees, illiquidity (tied-up money), and costly mistakes.
Useful references
FDIC. https://www.fdic.gov
SIPC. https://www.sipc.org
Introduction to Treasury Securities. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/073113/introduction-treasury-securities.asp
TreasuryDirect®. https://www.treasurydirect.gov/
The Index Card. Why Personal Finance Doesn’t Have to be Complicated. {http://wp.me/p1LlDo-KQ} Helaine Olen, Harold Pollack. Penguin Publishing, New York, 2013.
roadmap to investing. https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsroadmaphtm.html
Copyright © 2020 Douglas R. Knight
Proverb 1
If you have spare money,
Invest it wisely.
Questions from a friend
Questions: I was wondering if you have some favorite web sites to get information about investing for a thirty something person. And also for a teenager that has a part time or full time job. In both cases, to save for retirement or even to save up for a down payment on a condo or house.
Thanks for your questions. My advice to teens and young adults is to start an emergency fund before investing in securities. They should gradually build a large emergency fund of dollars in the bank to use for job-loss and other big financial emergencies (see book called the Index Card in the Young Adults section of the link below).
Teens who declare earned income to the IRS can deposit an equal amount of earnings in a custodial Roth account (see video on Hannah’s Roth account in the teens section of the link below). It’s important for teens to learn how to open and manage an investment account such as the Roth. In the Roth, I recommend holding a broad index stock fund for life; it will weather the ups and downs of the stock market over time (several good internet sites for teens in the link below).
Thirty something persons need a tax-advantaged retirement account. Employed persons should participate in their employers 401(K) plan [or similar plan] to the fullest extent above all other financial goals, with exception of building an emergency fund and getting out of debt as very top priorities; the condo and house are lower priorities. Unemployed persons should check eligibility for SEPs, other retirement accounts, or IDAs (start with the “money basics” and sec .gov websites in the Young Adults section link)
Link:
- Reading list for young people and their families, https://wp.me/p9F6Bd-7v
Copyright © 2019 Douglas R. Knight
Family topics
Starting your family’s tradition of investing [under FAMILY TRADITIONS]
Childhood is the perfect time to learn about investing and responsible adults are the ideal teachers. The best way for parents to teach money management is by setting a good example. Parents can reinforce their example by playing financial board games and video games as a family activity. Assistance and supervision reinforce the development of good financial habits such as creating and using a budget. Discussions and field trips are powerful methods for showing children how adults use bank and investment accounts.
Desired skills and knowledge of young investors:
- Resilience and self-control
- Reading
- Counting money
- Managing money
- Shopping wisely
- Sharing
- Saving
- Investing
- Taxes
- Debt management
Copyright © 2019 Douglas R. Knight
Reading list for young people and their families
References to books and online materials are sorted by age groups from pre-schoolers to grandparents. URL links are printed in blue letters to provide quick access to a website. Click the computer’s mouse on those letters.
Pre-Schoolers
books
- Dollars, by Mary Hill. Welcome Books (™): Money Matters. Danbury, 2005. Teaches children to recognize and count money.
- Spending and Saving, by Mary Hill. Welcome Books (™): Money Matters. Danbury, 2005. Examples of good ways to use money.
internet reading
- money: https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/about-us/mint-facilities. Explains where money is made and provides educational games.
internet videos
- money: https://youtu.be/amIalU3Shqc. Teaches children to recognize and count money.
- counting money: https://youtu.be/amIalU3Shqc .Teaches children to recognize and count money; monitor the ads.
Pre-Teens
books
- The Kids’ Money Book. Earning, Saving, Spending, Investing, Donating. by Jamie Kyle McGillian, Sterling Children’s Books, New York, 2016. Author encourages children to earn and use money wisely.
- Money $ense for Kids. by Hollis Page Harmon, Barrons, Hauppauge, 2005. An age-appropriate explanation of investing.
- Investing Money. by Helen Thompson, Mason Crest, Broomall, 2011. A thorough and useful explanation of investing.
- Personal Management. Boy Scouts of America Merit Badge Series. Brent A. Neiser, et al. 1996, 2012. A brief guide to personal finance.
internet reading
- APP for chores: https://busykid.com . An app that helps pre-teens earn an invisible allowance and manage the earnings.
- money: http://www.themint.org/kids/. Describes uses of money; a brilliant “try it” tab provides calculators and quizes.
- money games: www.kidsfinance.com. Download drawing tasks, word puzzles, and more for school children.
- game of track a dollar bill: http://www.wheresgeorge.com/. Solve the mystery of where your dollar bill been recorded in our financial system.
- business ideas: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/9098-business-ideas-for-kids.html. Parents can help their child start one of these businesses.
- custodial Roth IRA: http://time.com/money/4193253/kiddie-roth-ira-child-retirement-savings/ . A description of the custodial Roth IRA. Discuss it with your parents.
- custodial Roth IRA:- https://www.fidelity.com/retirement-ira/roth-ira-kids . Rules for owning a custodial Roth IRA.
internet videos
- counting Money: https://youtu.be/Z7hwaeaDk-I. An introduction to purchasing power and practical accounting; skip the ads!
- all the stuff that matters: https://www.cdc.gov/bam/index.html. Good advice for having a sound mind and body.
- business ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/197876977350534040/. A posterboard of business ideas for pre-teens.
Teens
books
- The Teenage Investor. How to Start Early, Invest Often, and Build Wealth. Tim Olson, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2003. This teenage author gives a complete explanation of the methods, risks, and rewards of investing in financial markets.
- A Gift to My Children. A Father’s Lesson for Life and Investing. Jim Rogers. Random House, 2009. A successful investor’s good advice to teens.
- Dollars & Sense. A Kid’s Guide to Using- not Losing- Money. by Elaine Scott and David Clark, Charlesbridge, Watertown, 1916. A practical explanation of our financial system.
- Neale S. Godfrey’s Ultimate Kids’ Money Book. by Neale S. Godfrey and Randy Versogstraete. Simon & Schuster, New York, 1998. An illustrated introduction to personal finance.
- The New Totally Awesome Money Book for Kids. by Arthur Bochner, Rose Bochner, and Adriane Berg, Newmarket Press, 2009. For pre-teen and teenage entrepeneurs.
- TeenVe$tor. The Practical Investment Guide for Teens and Their Parents. by Emmanuel Modu and Andrea Walker. teenvestor.com. Guidance on ways of earning an investment return.
- Street Wise. A Guide for Teen Investors. Janet Bamford, Bloomberg Press, Princeton, 2000. A narrow view of investing, focused on the time consuming of investing in stocks.
- Exploring Business and Economics. Investing Your Money. Fred Barbash, Chelsea House Publishers, Philadelphia, 2001.
- Confessions of a Scholarship Winner. Kristina Ellis, Worthy Publishing, Brentwood, 2013. An inspiring story of a teenager’s quest for earning $50,000 in scholarships.
internet reading
- online financial literacy: https://teachbanzai.com/ . A free interactive learning tool for pre-teens and teens.
- money management: http://www.themint.org/kids/. Suggests wise use and safeguarding of money; a brilliant “try it” tab facilitates financial planning.
- money talks (2 languages): http://moneytalks4teens.ucanr.edu/ . An interactive program for financial training.
- small business ideas: https://smallbiztrends.com/2016/11/business-ideas-for-kids.html . 50 business suggestions for teens.
- business ideas: https://www.howtomakemoneyasakid.com/ways-to-make-money-as-a-kid/ . 200 business suggestions.
- interest rate: https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-the-interest-rate-on-loans-or-savings-315437. Describes the kinds of interest that you earn and pay.
- money market: https://www.investopedia.com/university/moneymarket/ . A tutorial on various low-risk investments with dependable returns.
- U.S. Treasury securities: https://www.investopedia.com/university/20_investments/18.asp?ad=dirN&qo=investopediaSiteSearch&qsrc=0&o=40186 .A tutorial on safe investments in government bonds with dependable returns.
- certificates of deposit: https://www.investopedia.com/university/certificate-of-deposit-cd/?ad=dirN&qo=investopediaSiteSearch&qsrc=0&o=40186 . A tutorial on safe investments in banks with dependable returns.
- broker ratings: https://topratedfirms.com/brokers/brokerage-firm-reviews.aspx. A guide to brokerage firms that offer investment accounts and services.
- stock transfer agents: https://www.astfinancial.com/transfer-agent-services; https://stockplans.broadridge.com; https://www-us.computershare.com/Investor/ ; https://www.shareowneronline.com/UserManagement/WFIndex.aspx . Custodians of stock investments; beware of the fees.
- calculators: https://www.360financialliteracy.org/Calculators . A collection of useful calculators from estimating various financial costs.
- child labor laws: https://www.thebalance.com/children-as-employees-397364.
- planning for college: My Future, My Way. First Steps Toward College. A workbook for middle and junior high school students_pdf. Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education. July, 2017. Available online at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/resources#efc.
- student aid, federal: www.studentaid.ed.gov . More federal advice about planning for college.
- compare colleges: https://www.collegedata.com. Allows comparisons of colleges, costs of admission, and calculators.
- paying for college: https://www.khanacademy.org/college-careers-more/college-admissions/paying-for-college/introduction-pfc/a/timeline-paying-for-college . A useful timeline; review it with your parents!
- AP students: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/home . Learn about advanced placement (AP) courses in high school.
- community college admissions: http://www.cscc.edu/admissions/getstarted/. A sample website; there are others!
- private college admissions: http://otterbein.edu/public/FutureStudents.aspx. A sample website; there are others!
- public university admissions: http://undergrad.osu.edu/apply/freshmen-columbus/apply-step-by-step . A sample website; there are others!
- trade school aid: https://careerschoolnow.org/financial-aid. How to get financial aid for trade school.
- managing college costs: https://www.mycollegeoptions.org/Core/SiteContent/Students/Advice/College-Resource-Center/For-Parents/Paying-For-College/Managing-College-Costs.aspx. Advice on preparing a budget for college.
- federal student aid (FAFSA): https://fafsa.ed.gov . A tool for filing the FAFSA form.
- institutional student aid (CSS): https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/. A tool for filing the CSS form.
- college advice: www.collegedata.com . Impartial advice about selection, application, and financing college; potentially useful tool.
- student aid, merit vs need: https://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/college-planning/financial-aid/gpa-financial-aid1.htm . A discussion of GPA and other factors affecting financial aid.
- student aid, child’s Roth IRA: https://www.kiplinger.com/article/college/T042-C002-S001-roth-iras-and-financial-aid.html . This good news was published in 2007, so be sure to verify in FAFSA’s latest guidelines.
- income protection allowance for students: https://thecollegefinanciallady.com/2016/07/13/income-protection-allowance-for-students/ . The first several thousand dollars of a student’s annual earnings were excluded from the FAFSA calculation of EFC in year 2016; be sure to verify the exclusion in FAFSA’s latest guidelines.
- scholarships: https://www.scholarships.com/. A search tool.
- grants for national service: https://www.nationalservice.gov/build-your-capacity/grants. Contains a listing of funding opportunities.
- scholarships and financial aid: https://www.fastweb.com/about . A search tool.
- self-evaluation of college stress: http://www.ulifeline.org/self_evaluator . A tool to help you, a friend, or family member to evaluate the possible emotional stress of college.
- estimator, college financial aid: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/estimate.“FAFSA4caster” helps estimate your eligibility for financial aid.
internet videos
- how the Economy works: how the economic machine works, by Ray Dalio, (YouTube). Good & bad debt, plus a superb explanation of our Economy!
- compound interest in a Roth IRA: https://youtu.be/6dzpNd3megg. Hannah will spark your interest in saving for retirement.
- playlist for entrepreneurs: https://www.youtube.com/user/BizKidsTV/playlists.
- who should go to college?: https://youtu.be/iPrnfM7LNDE . A thoughtful challenge to your expectations of college.
- why go to college?: https://youtu.be/WZjhwWvzdbs . A review of the benefits of attending college.
- college prep by low income high school girls: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/stepmovie/. The trailor for a motivational documentary.
- paying for college: https://www.khanacademy.org/college-careers-more/college-admissions/paying-for-college . Kahn Academy’s playlist of videos on paying for college. Review them with your parents!
- FAFSA and CSS: https://www.khanacademy.org/college-careers-more/college-admissions/paying-for-college/financial-aid-process/v/overview-of-fafsa-and-css-profile . The first in a playlist of 4 videos on preparing applications for financial aid.
- institutional methodology (IM) for CSS profile: http://learn.collegeboard.org/higher-ed-institutional-methodology/ . A good explanation of CSS application for financial aid in private colleges.
- transfer from 2-year college: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/college-101/tips-on-college-transferring-from-a-2-year-to-a-4-year-college. A good strategy for reducing costs of 4 year colleges.
- beware of scholarship displacement: https://www.khanacademy.org/college-careers-more/college-admissions/paying-for-college/introduction-pfc/v/watch-out-for-scholarship-displacement . A potential negative impact of outside (private) scholarships on college financial aid.
- custodial Roth IRA: http://irakids.com. Hannah opened her IRA after she began earing a taxable income at age 12 years. Visit her website to learn more.
- shopping mall safety: http://ftc.gov/youarehere . Valuable training on how to be smart and safe consumers at shopping malls.
Young Adults
books
- The Index Card. Why Personal Finance Doesn’t Have to be Complicated. Helaine Olen, Harold Pollack. Penguin Publishing, New York, 2013. Read my book review in http://wp.me/p1LlDo-KQ.
- The Little Book of Common Sense Investing. John C. Bogle, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, 2007. The scope of this book concerns investing wisely and cheaply in the U.S. stock market. See book review in http://wp.me/p1LlDo-qI.
- All About Index Funds, second edition. Richard A. Ferri, CFA. McGraw Hill, 2007. Author describes the market indices, high-risk index funds, and low risk index funds.
- Investing Made Simple. Anthony L Loviscek & Randy I Anderson, Broadway Books, New York, 1992, 2003, 2004. An excellent description of investment choices accompanied by the advantages and disadvantages of those investments.
- Stocks for the Long Run, 3rd Ed. Jeremy J. Siegel, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2002. An authoritative textbook on investing in stocks.
- Investing in REITs, Real Estate Investment Trusts. 4th Edition. Ralph L. Block, Bloomberg Press, Hoboken, 2012. A thorough explanation of the risks and returns from REITs.
- How to make your money last. The Indispensable Retirement Guide. Jane Bryant Quinn, 2016, Simon & Shuster, New York. 366 pages. The author is an acclaimed financial journalist who advises people about financing and reinventing life after leaving the workforce. Here’s a link to my book review, http://wp.me/p1LlDo-JE.
internet reading
- entrepreneurs: https://www.entrepreneur.com . A gateway to podcasts and articles about successful entrepreneurs.
- investments: https://www.investopedia.com/university/20_investments/. A gateway to 25 types of investments encountered by adults.
- investor publications: https://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs.shtml. Securities and Exchange Commission.
- lending money: https://www.moneytalksnews.com/tired-loaning-money-friends-and-family-heres-how-stop/ . Good advice on responding to requests for loans from friends.
- monthly budget: https://www.moneycrashers.com/home-personal-budget-categories-monthly/. Offers ideas for making a practical budget.
- monthly budget: https://personal-money-management.utah.edu/blog/posts/2016/the-jars-system-the-secret-to-building-long-term-wealth.php. Offers a simple way of budgeting to build wealth.
- long-term financial goals: https://www.moneycrashers.com/setting-long-term-personal-financial-goals-examples/. An outline for making a financial plan.
- investment mistakes (updated 5/21/18): https://www.investopedia.com/articles/younginvestors/09/common-mistakes-young-investors.asp . Outlines an investment strategy for young people.
- money basics: https://www.smartaboutmoney.org/Courses/Money-Basics . Tutorials on spending & saving, credit & debt, insurance, investing, and employment; a good review for delinquent investors and latecomers to financial literacy.
- youth rescources: https://www.investor.gov/additional-resources/specialized-resources/youth-resources. Sober advice about investing and investment fraud is found in the Students tab.
- taxes: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-17 . A guide to paying taxes.
- college planning: bigfuture.collegeboard.org . Good information for middle school and high school students.
- CLEP: https://clep.collegeboard.org . College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams aim to help adults earn college credits toward graduation.
- grad school admissions: http://law.capital.edu/JD_Application_Instructions/ . A sample website for law school.
- majoring in money: https://news.salliemae.com/research-tools/majoring-in-money. How college students and young adults manage their money using mobile payments.
- student loan for undergraduate students: https://www.salliemae.com/student-loans/smart-option-student-loan/ . A discussion of loan options; choose wisely.
- retirement savings plans: https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans . An authoritative government publication that defines all tax-protected retirement plans for employed and self-employed workers.
- retirement accounts: https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2014/12/19/7-retirement-savings-accounts-you-should-consider . Author includes the health savings account in her list of 7 types of retirement accounts.
- retirement accounts: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/09/definitive-guide-to-retirement-savings-accounts.html. Advice on saving for retirement.
- 401(k) retirement plans: http://www.pensionrights.org/factsheet-topic-areas/retirement-savings-plans . A catalog of informative websites about 401 savings plans.
- deferred compensation: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/deferred-compensation.asp . Part of an employee’s wages are set aside for future use, such as retirement, and receive tax benefits.
- millenial-catchup on retirement savings: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/07/05/young-investors-late-bloomer/103394004/ . An entrepreneur’s advice on saving for the future.
- retirement insecurity: http://nefe.org/What-We-Provide/Primary-Research/Enhancing-Retirement-Savings-with-School-Based-Financial-Education. A report for young adults on retirement insecurity due to low levels of financial literacy.
- individual development accounts (IDAs): https://www.occ.gov/topics/community-affairs/publications/fact-sheets/fact-sheet-individual-development-accounts.pdf. A description of IDA programs that assist low-wealth persons who are saving for high cost, short term projects aimed at employment, housing, etc. [seeking the American Dream].
- individual development accounts (IDAs): https://www.ohiocdc.org/individual-development-accounts/ . Sample IDAs in the state of Ohio.
- personal bankruptcy: https://files.stlouisfed.org/files/htdocs/publications/review/07/01/Garrett.pdf . Authors explore the causes of household filings for bankruptcy.
- investment fraud: www.finra.org. Good information from the financial industry regulatory authority (FINRA) about protecting your investments.
- investment protection: https://www.investor.gov/protect-your-investments . An interactive infogram that thoroughly reviews the methods of protecting your investments.
- income taxes (AGI): https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/agi.asp . A good explanation of your adjusted gross income (AGI).
- tax benefits for education: https://www.irs.com/articles/tax-benefits-education . A list of tax benefits for education with brief explanations.
- calculator, debt payment. http://moneychimp.com/features/debt_payment_calculator.htm . Estimate the cost of borrowing money.
- calculator, compound interest: http://moneychimp.com/calculator/compound_interest_calculator.htm . Requires an understanding of principal, interest, and interest rate.
- calculator, emergency savings: https://www.360financialliteracy.org/Calculators/Emergency-Savings-Calculator . A flexible planner for emergency savings.
- calculator, retirement savings: https://www.bankrate.com/calculators/retirement/retirement-plan-calculator.aspx . Create a plan that includes present income, inflation, social security, and savings longevity.
- investment magazine: www.aaii.com . American Association of Independent Investors (AAII) charges a membership fee and strives to educate do-it-yourself investors about the process of investing.
- budgeting app: https://www.thestreet.com/personal-finance/is-mint-safe-14814998. Mint is a free app that creates ar budget by synching your financial accounts to track cash flow. Is it safe?
- financial protection: https://www.consumerfinance.gov . The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a government agency that offers advice and accepts complaints.
- debt management: https://www.incharge.org/about-us/ . Find advice on managing debt.
internet videos
- short term savings: https://youtu.be/zer96OhQdxg . Creative ways of saving for current needs during periods of fluctuating monthly income (‘income inequality’).
Parents and Teachers
books
- Dollars & Sense for Kids, by Janet Bodnar. Kiplinger Books, Washington D.C., 1999. Advice on teaching the value and use of money to children and young adults.
- How millennials manage money. https://www.navient.com/assets/about/who-we-are/April_2018-Money-Under-35-Managing-Money-report.pdf . This 2017 survey offers a profile of the financial behavior of young-adult Americans.
- The Money Tree Myth: A Parents’ Guide to Helping Kids Unravel The Mysteries of Money. Gail Vaz-Oxlade, Stoddart Publishing, Toronto, 1996. A thorough volume of advice to parents on teaching their pre-school, pre-teen, and teenage children to manage money for a lifetime.
- Kids and Money. Giving Them the Savvy to Succeed Financially. Jayne A. Pearl. Bloomberg Press, Princeton, 1999. Author interviewed parents, used experience with own child, and sought advice of consultants to write this book for parents.
- Smart Money Smart Kids. Raising the Next Generation to Win with Money. Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze. Lampo Press, 2014, Brentwood. Author speaks with experience about recovering from catastrophic debt and teaching children how to avoid debt.
- Make Your Kid a Money Genius (even if you’re not). Beth Kobliner, Simon & Schuster, New York, 2017. See my book review in the following web site, http://wp.me/p1LlDo-P8.
- Happy Money, The Science of Smarter Spending. Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton. Simon & Schuster, New York, 2013. Includes good ways and benefits of sharing money, illustrated by video in https://youtu.be/c39wUIKUSk0 .
- Earn It, Learn It. Teach Your Child the Value of Money, Work, and Time Well Spent. Alisa T. Weinstein, Sourcebooks, Naperville, 2011. The pre-teen child earns money from their parent by choosing a task from a career profile and completing it in a timely fashion.
- Paying for School. How to Cover Education Costs from K to Ph.D. Robert Brokamp, The Motley Fool, Inc. 2003. Discusses ways to finance the costs of attending private schools, colleges, and graduate schools.
- Paying for College Without Going Broke. 2018 Edition. Kalman A. Chany with Geoff Martz. Penguin Random House. The Princeton Review, 2017. Authors offer strategies for selecting colleges and paying the cost.
- The Financial Diaries. How American Families Cope in a World of Uncertainty. Jonathon Morduch and Rachel Schneider. 2017, 233 pages, Princeton University Press. Authors describe the coping mechanisms of families trapped in conditions of financial insecurity.
- Can the Poor Save? Saving & Asset Building in Individual Development Accounts. Mark Schreiner & Michael Sherraden. Transaction Publishers, 2007. Low-income persons might benefit from an individual development account (IDA).
internet reading
- APP for learning money management: https://pennybox.com . A free app for learning to manage money wisely.
- APP for college savings: https://u-nest.com/ . Helps parents build a 529 savings plan for young children with the aid of Invesco brokerage firm.
- family conversations: https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/spending/T065-S003-10-things-to-teach-your-kids-about-managing-money/index.html?rid=EML . Great topics for family discussion.
- financial literacy resources: https://www.edutopia.org/financial-literacy-resources-guide . An amazing collection of useful downloads and resources for teaching financial literacy to youth K-12.
- financial literacy resources: http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/resources-for-teaching-financial-literacy.html . Articles on financial standards, lesson plans, lesson sets, resources, and games.
- financial literacy posters: https://www.pinterest.com/weareteachers/financial-literacy-and-money-skills/ . The “WeAreTeachers” collection provides a unique catalog of financial training sites.
- key financial concepts: https://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/young.html. Age-appropriate lesson plans for 5 age levels between pre-school and young adult.
- financial literacy courses: www.practicalmoneyskills.com/teach/lesson_plans/ . Lesson plans and student activities for youth of all ages and special needs students.
- financial literacy courses: https://www.cde.state.co.us/cofinancialliteracy/resources . Colorado’s website provides a useful gateway to EverFi’s™ free financial litercy courses for grade school, middle school, and high school students and teachers.
- financial literacy courses: http://www.kidsmoney.org/org.htm A listing of after-school training programs for youth.
- financial education: https://economicscenter.org/%5C$martpath.aspx . “$mart path” is an interactive teaching program for grades 1-8 that includes pre-tests, lessons, and homework tools; website includes 3 video tutorials for the teacher.
- financial lessons, K-8: http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3757932 . Age-appropriate lessons for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8.
- financial lesson plans, K-12: https://www.usmint.gov/kids/teachers/financialLiteracy/ . Finanical lessons are grouped by subject, grade level, and other educational categories.
- pre-schoolers’ attitudes about money: http://ns.umich.edu/new/releases/25356-spendthrift-or-tightwad-children-form-attitudes-about-money-at-young-age . Surprise, their attitudes about spending and saving may be fixed by age 5.
- adolescents’ attitudes about money: https://csd.wustl.edu/publications/documents/wp12-20.pdf. Search for the title Saving in Childhood and Adolescence, by Annette Otto, 2012.
- importance of parental participation (in 9 languages): https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/heres-why-childhood-is-an-important-time-to-learn-about-money/. Why teach young children about money?
- allowance statistics: http://www.kidsmoney.org/allstats.htm Statistics and FAQ.
- allowance for chores: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-mistakes-parents-make-when-giving-kids-an-allowance-2016-05-06 . Advice and statistics.
- money management: http://www.themint.org/kids/. Practical advice on the financial training of youth.
- money management by young children: https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/life/culture/article/2016/07/13/how-teach-kids-money-smarts-young-three . An explanation of the money jar system for ages 3 years and above.
- money management by young children: https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2013/10/16/5-steps-to-teach-kids-about-spending-vs-saving . Suggestions for using the money jar system during pre-school.
- money mangement at all ages: https://personal-money-management.utah.edu/blog/posts/2016/the-jars-system-the-secret-to-building-long-term-wealth.php . A refinement of the money jar system for youth and some adults.
- financial resources for youth: https://www.mymoney.gov/Pages/for-youth.aspx. Teaching aids for parents.
- personal finance: https://www.incharge.org/financial-literacy/resources-for-teachers/college/. Ten lessons on personal finance for kids, high schoolers, and college students.
- age-appropriate financial topics: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferwoods/2015/06/08/11-financial-words-all-parents-should-teach-their-kids/#3728f78372e9. 11 topics that every parent should discuss with children and when to discuss them.
- age-appropriate financial topics: http://www.investopedia.com/university/teaching-financial-literacy-kids/ . A tutorial on teaching financial literacy at home.
- homeschooling: https: //www.pinterest.com/pragmaticmom/personal-finance-for-kids/. Excellent source of visual aids.
- youth savings programs: https://www.fdic.gov/consumers/assistance/protection/depaccounts/youthsavings/index.html . Information about protected youth-banking accounts.
- resources for teachers: https://www.incharge.org/financial-literacy/resources-for-teachers/financial-literacy-for-kids/ . Lesson plans for all age groups through college.
- national standards for K-12 personal finance: https://3yxm0a3wfgvh5wbo7lvyyl13-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2017_NationalStandardsBook.pdf. A excellent pdf that you can download to help guide homeschooling of the 5 basic elements of children’s finance.
- online library of financial education resources: https://jumpstartclearinghouse.org. A clearinghouse for numerous educational materials.
- money management: http://www.moneyskill.org. A set of educational modules that explain the fundamentals of money management to students.
- financial education: http://nefe.org. An offering of free courses on financial planning for high school and college students.
- financial education: https://www.hsfpp.org . A free personal finance curriculum for teens.
- attracting high school students: https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2014/03/03/3-ways-to-engage-high-schoolers-in-personal-finance. 3 ways of gaining high school students’ attention.
- effectiveness of financial education: https://www.newamerica.org/asset-building/policy-papers/the-effectiveness-of-youth-financial-education/ . A policy paper on the effectiveness of youth financial education.
- explain taxes: https://www.usa.gov/lesson-plans?source=kids . A lesson plan.
- subscribe to lesson plans: https://www.financialeducatorscouncil.org/personal-finance-for-kids/.
- entrepreneurship: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/276753. Ways to help your child start a business.
- Young Entrepreneurs Academy: http://yeausa.org/about/introduction/ . A non-profit organization dedicated to providing entrepreneurial training to teens.
- leadership training: https://www.deca.org. Leadership and entrepreneuer training programs for high school and college students.
- taxes: https://www.irs.gov/publications/p929 . Tax rules for children and dependents. Guidance.
- kiddie tax: https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc553. Tax rules for child’s investment income and other unearned income.
- is a college education worth it?: https://college-education.procon.org .
- the risks of investing in a college education: Jonathan F. Foster. Fortune, March 25, 2015. http://fortune.com/2015/03/25/the-risks-of-investing-in-a-college-education/ .
- why go to college?: https://www.collegeatlas.org/why-go-to-college.html
- education statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372 .
- employment data of high school and college graduates: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/hsgec.nr0.htm .
- emotional health in college. https://www.settogo.org . JED Foundation’s guidelines on preparing for the transition year in college.
- college (un)affordability: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/03/measuring-college-unaffordability/520476/ . College is unaffordable from many low-income families.
- saving for college: http://www.savingforcollege.com/family-guide/. Family Guide to College Savings, by Joseph F Hurley and Brian Boswell [discusses all savings plans and strategies].
- college preparation checklist. Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education. https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/sites/default/files/college-prep-checklist.pdf . Download this useful pdf file to view the steps of college preparation from pre-school to adulthood.
- return on investment in college education. Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. 2017. https://www.agb.org/sites/default/files/report_2017_guardians_roi.pdf . Download this scholarly article on the cost-benefit of college.
- College funding topics: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/features/college-savings-101. An updated series of news articles about 529 plans.
- compare college savings plans: http://www.savingforcollege.com/compare_savings_options/ . A comparison tool.
- compare college savings plans: https://investor.vanguard.com/college-savings-plans/which-account. A comparison table.
- coverdell ESA: http://www.savingforcollege.com/coverdell_esas/ . Note: Coverdells are being replaced by 529s.
- 529 plans: https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsintro529htm.html. An authoritative introduction.
- 529 plans: http://www.savingforcollege.com/college_savings_101/ . A tutorial help your understanding of 529 plans.
- 529 plans: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/investing/529-plans-list/ . Provides a table of state-sponsored college savings plans.
- 529 plans: http://www.savingforcollege.com/529_plan_details/ . Browse 529 plans by state or type.
- custodial vs 529 savings plans: http://finance.zacks.com/custodial-vs-individual-529-plan-11363.html . Outlines the characteristics of various 529 and custodial savings plans.
- Ohio’s 529 plan: https://www.collegeadvantage.com/about-us . A sample state-sponsored plan.
- private student loans: https://www.edvisors.com . Advice for parents.
- student aid, debt: https://www.fastweb.com/financial-aid/articles/do-outstanding-loans-affect-eligibility-for-financial-aid . Effect of outstanding loans on student aid.
- student aid, professional advice: http://www.savingforcollege.com/find_a_529_pro/ . A directory to financial aid consultants.
- student aid, professional advice: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2017-07-05/decide-if-you-need-a-private-financial-aid-consultant. An interview with a financial aid consultant.
- homeschooling for retirement: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/business/retirement/helping-your-children-plan-for-retirement-even-as-you-plan-for-yours.html . Good advice on how to start talking about retirement during early childhood.
- autism & special needs: http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20171016/FREE/171009949/retirement-planning-is-possible-while-caring-for-a-child-with-autism . Children with these conditions need financial help; here are some suggestions.
- financial health of American families: https://www.federalreserve.gov/2015-report-economic-well-being-us-households-201605.pdf . The findings of a household survey (SHED) on the financial health of American households.
- financial health of American families: http://www.usfinancialdiaries.org . The online version of The Financial Diaries, a financial survey of low- and middle-income families.
- financial health of American families: https://www.jpmorganchase.com/corporate/institute/report-weathering-volatility.htm . A survey (JPMCI) on the volatility of monthly incomes determined from financial transactions in bank accounts.
- financial health of American families: http://www.unitedwayalice.org/ . “ALICE” describes the struggles of working families above the federal poverty level whose cost-of-living exceeds their income.
- personal bankruptcy: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/649033 . An academic analysis and report on the causes of personal bankruptcy.
- bankruptcy process: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.497.7830&rep=rep1&type=pdf . The legal process of filing for corporate and personal bankruptcy.
- poverty measurement: https://poverty.ucdavis.edu/policy-brief/supplemental-poverty-measure-better-measure-poverty-america . A discussion of the official and supplemental measurements of poverty.
- longitudinal household survey: https://psidonline.isr.umich.edu . The PSID began in 1968 to collect financial data from 5,000 U.S. households; primarily a scholarly effort.
- household income levels: http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2012/08/22/chapter-7-income-and-wealth-by-income-tier/. A 2012 publication by the PEW Foundation on lower-, middle-, and upperclass income and wealth.
- youth finance: http://www.childfinanceinternational.org . Child and Youth Finance International (CYFI) is non-profit group aimed at providing financial advice to impoverished young people in 170 countries.
- youth microfinance: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/child-and-youth-finance/child-and-youth-microfinance_b_4096232.html . A news story about global efforts to empower youth living in poverty.
- protective factors: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/protective/index.htm. Recommended ways that parents can help protect teens from peer pressure and risky behavior.
- truancy: https://kidslegal.org/truancy . Truancy leads to dropout. Here are the state of Maine’s policies and recommendations.
- violence protection: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/index.html . A wealth of information about the recognition and prevention of child abuse and neglect.
- suicide prevention: https://www.youthsuicidewarningsigns.org . The warning signs of youth suicide.
- behavior training (resilience): https://goodbehaviorgame.org . The PAX behavior game is a system of behavior training in school classrooms.
- well-being of youth: http://www.ytfg.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Investing-in-Well-Being-small.pdf . A family and community framework for protecting the well-being of vulnerable youth.
- securing their financial future: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2017/05/04/7-things-you-can-do-now-solidify-your-childs-financial-future/101151486/. A checklist of 7 items that help secure your child’s future.
- custodial accounts: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-things-to-know-about-custodial-accounts-for-kids-2013-05-28 . The legal and tax implications of custodial accounts.
- custodial accounts: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/custodialaccount.asp . A description of UGMA and UTMA custodial accounts.
- custodial accounts: https://www.oppenheimerfunds.com/investors/article/ugma-utma-accounts The types and purpose of custodial accounts.
- irrevocable trust: http://www.douglasturner.com/custodial-account-or-trust-which-is-best-for-children/ . Wealthy parents can ensure their child’s retirement funds with an irrevocable trust.
- custodial trust: https://legalbeagle.com/facts-7360473-custodial-trust-agreements.html .
- gift tax: https://www.irs.com/articles/7-things-you-should-know-about-gift-tax . IRS rules for giving money to children.
- calculator, college cost: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/college-costs/college-costs-calculator . A single-step calculator.
- calculator, college cost: https://www.savingforcollege.com/calculators/worlds-simplest-college-cost-calculator . A multistep calculator.
- calculator, college savings: http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/saving-for-college-calculator.aspx. Helps create a generic college savings plan and compares the result to an estimated cost of your child’s college.
- calculator, college savings: https://vanguard.wealthmsi.com/csp.php . Assumes you will use a 529 plan or similar tax-protected plan.
- K-12 financial literacy: http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/fl/finlitk12.asp . Educational resources for families and teachers.
- “finance tracker”: A search term for finding smartphone apps to help manage personal finances. Kids like to use apps, but first check the app for effectiveness, fraud, and fees.
- organization, NEFE: https://www.nefe.org/about/default.aspx. A financial training program for teachers.
- organization, VCEE: http://vcee.org. A financial training program for teachers.
- teaching aids: http://financeintheclassroom.org/teacher/print.shtml . Printable resources for teachers K-12.
internet videos
- financial training: http://bizkids.com/teachers . A wide selection of lessons and videos on important financial topics for pre-teens and older.
- teachable moments: https://www.wsj.com/articles/whats-the-best-way-to-teach-financial-skills-to-children-1456715769. The importance of talking about money with children.
- teachable moments during pre-school: https://youtu.be/bmyzRf3bV3k. Ideas for field trips with parents.
- money skills (in 9 languages): https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/money-as-you-grow/ . Advice for American and immigrant familes of teaching children to manage money.
- what is a 529 savings plan? https://youtu.be/_Iqf9FpfOjw. Discusses the 529 investment plan for college.
- effect of 529 savings plan on financial aid: https://youtu.be/10w92pDQhqY. Discusses the impact of 529 plans on FAFSA applications.
- adverse childhood experiences: https://ted.com/talks/nadine_burke_harris_how_childhood_trauma_affects_health_across_a_lifetime?utm_source=tedcomshare&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tedspread–b. A physician explains the health and emotional effects of abuse at home and school.
Grandparents & Third parties
internet SITES
- financial gifts: https://www.grandparents.com/money-and-work/kids-and-money/investment-gifts-kids . 6 good gifts for grandchildren.
- financial gifts: https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-give-money-to-grandchildren-1695735 . Grandparent money can be used for payments or enrichment experiences.
- college funding: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/28/your-money/the-best-way-to-help-a-grandchild-with-college.html. Ways of helping pay for college with least impact on your grandchild’s financial aid from other sources.
- college funding: https://www.savingforcollege.com/intro-to-529s/does-a-529-plan-affect-financial-aid. Payments from third parties count as college student income on the FAFSA.
- college funding: http://www.savingforcollege.com/articles/10-easy-ways-grandparents-can-help-pay-for-college-801. 10 ways grandparents can help pay for college.
- grandparent-guardians: http://www.bankrate.com/personal-finance/smart-money/financial-help-with-raising-grandchildren/ . Financial advice for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.
- grandparent-homeschooling: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/08/05/grandparents-baby-boomers-spending/13582883/. Advice for discussing money with grandchildren.
- grandparents and divorce: https://www.thespruce.com/children-divorce-how-grandparents-can-help-1695753. Ways to help grandchildren of divorced parents.
- grandchild investment plans: http://time.com/money/4126472/grandparents-financial-help-529-plans-savings/ . 3 ways that grandparents can invest in grandchildren.
- grandchild investment plans: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/insurance/6-ways-grandchildren-great-financial-future/. Does and don’ts for helping improve a grandchild’s financial future.
- grandparent’s impact on college financial aid: https://www.dywealth.com/resources/blog/safe-ways-grandparents-help-college-costs. Students who need financial aid benefit from a low EFC [EFC is part of the financial aid formula], so avoid heedless inflation of the EFC.
- grandparents & college savings: https://investor.vanguard.com/college-savings-plans/grandchild-niece-nephew . Tips on heeding the financial aid formula when gifting money for college.
- grandparents & 529 plans: http://time.com/money/3851764/the-best-investment-gift-for-a-grandchild/. Authors consider the 529 plan to be the best investment gift for a grandchild.
- grandparents & 529 plans: www.collegeadvantage.com. Ohio’s 529 plan is used as an example of grandparent gifting.
Copyright © 2019 Douglas R. Knight
What is investing?
The spending of money, effort, or time to earn a profit or achieve a desired result (derived from the Cambridge Dictionary).
Simple Conversations About Money
Mary Hill is an author of children’s books. Her set entitled Money Matters is designed to teach beginners how to count and use money. The book titles are Pennies, Nickles, Dimes, Quarters, Dollars, and Spending and Saving. These small thin books are easy for pre-school children to read and carry. About 18-24 pages in each book alternate between a simple sentence on the left page and a full sized illustration on the right page. The sentences are printed in large letters and illustrated with attractive photographs of real money and real people. A simple glossary is provided on the last page to facilitate understanding of the terms and pictures.
I found 2 of her 6 books in the Children’s section of our city library. In Dollars (ref 1), the U.S. dollar bill and dollar coin are described by appearance and cash value. Denominations of dollar bills are illustrated for $1 through $100. The attentive reader will quickly learn to recognize real money in contrast to play money.
In Spending and Saving (ref. 2), author Hill explained how earned income is saved and spent. Her pictures of adults at work show a healthy lifestyle for generating personal income. Children learn that they can save money by giving it to a bank teller or putting it in a piggy bank. The topic of spending money applies to choices among expensive items, such as a house, and everyday items such as groceries and school supplies. The attentive reader is exposed to several ways that adults earn money and use it wisely.
Young children who like to use computers can learn more about money at these websites:
References
- Dollars, by Mary Hill. Welcome Books (™): Money Matters. Danbury, 2005.
- Spending and Saving, by Mary Hill. Welcome Books (™): Money Matters. Danbury, 2005.
Copyright © 2019 Douglas R. Knight
Why This Blog?
Everyone needs money to take care of themselves. Yet people generally mismanage their money and retire with inadequate savings. Poverty is a miserable condition and I see no other way to completely escape it than to invest wisely. The purpose of this blog, “Raising Young Investors”, is NOT to create a generation of tycoons but RATHER to guide young people toward financial security. I hope WE can inspire young people to make investing a lifetime habit. The process of developing young investors is summarized in an Overview.
Douglas R. Knight