Love Them Enough to Teach Them Well
My husband and I are having arguments about money where our children are concerned. They are both 16, and I think they should have part-time jobs and be learning the value of work. He feels they’re only young once and wants them to enjoy being teenagers. He also gives them money anytime they ask. I […]
Different Personality Types Can Be a Good Thing
My husband is an entrepreneur. He has a very hard driving, energetic personality and way of doing things, while I’m more laid back and soft spoken. How can I support him best in terms of encouraging and communicating with him? I want him to know I care, that I want to help and that I’m […]
Should I Cash in 401(k) to Pay Off Mortgage?
Should I cash in my 401(k) to pay off my car? I have just enough in the account to pay off the car and free up money in my budget. If I were in your shoes, and I could pay off the car in 18 months or less, I’d live on rice and beans—plus a […]
Is the Threat of De-Dollarization Real?
I’m hearing more and more about “de-dollarization” and how several countries are moving away from the U.S. dollar as their basis of international trade. Will this affect the strength of the dollar, and should I be concerned about how I’m saving and investing because of this? First and foremost, I care enough about you to […]
Gen Zers and Millennials in the Workforce
I am the managing partner of a family business. We would like to add to our team, but I’m worried we can’t try to hold millennials and Gen Zers to the same standards as other generations without losing them. How do you feel about this? Listen, I’ve got a building full of Gen Zers and […]
Sometimes Helping Means More Than Just Giving
Q. How do you handle a situation where someone needs financial help, but has misspent money you’ve given them in the past? My wife and I have been trying to help a young man we recently met. He told us he was trying to get his life together after a divorce and job loss, and […]
Work First, Play Later
Q. I brought about $15,000 in student loan debt into our marriage. I’m 26, my wife is 27, and we’ve been married a little over a year. During that time, our parents have helped us out with financial gifts occasionally. Whenever this happens, my wife and I get into an argument. She likes to use […]
Should I Provide Financial Help to My Aging Parents?
Q. My parents are both in their seventies. They have been healthy and active all their lives, but in spite of them both having good jobs they neglected to plan and save for retirement. Is it my responsibility now to provide them with financial help in their old age? A. It sounds like you might […]
Should We Wait to Buy a House?
Q. Is it even worth it to buy a house these days? I’ve always been told buying a house is the adult thing to do and that it’s a great investment, but I can’t find anything decent and livable in my area for less than $350,000. My wife and I are debt-free, and we’re expecting […]
Hope Is a Good Thing
What is the main difference between people who follow your plan, stick with it and succeed, and those who fall off along the way? I’ve walked with thousands of families through financial problems. Some of them were just speedbumps that needed to be smoothed out, while others seemed like mountains. The biggest factor I’ve noticed […]