Iron Man is also a money man
Sparking a 13-year-old’s interest in investing often comes down to finding stocks that he or she can relate to. And this superhero has several investment angles.
A solution to tuition inflation
The University of Dayton, beginning with this fall’s incoming class of freshmen, will offer merit-based scholarships and grants that will grow each year to match tuition increases dollar for dollar.
Straightforward videos aim to enhance financial education
Bruce Palmer, who recently relocated to the Kansas City area after many years in Florida, believes his labor of love, Be Street Smart About Money, is an effective learning tool on using credit, balancing a checkbook, budgeting, protecting your identity and other personal finance basics. If he is successful, the benefits will be felt for generations to come.
Student loan rates could double in July
Unless Congress acts, rates on new subsidized Stafford loans will rise from a fixed 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. Stafford loans, which don’t require repayment until six months after leaving school, account for more than a third of federal student aid.
Bank helps young people start off right
Young Americans Bank in Denver always seems to be doing something new and special for its young clientele. And this year the bank has ambitious expansion plans.
Get familiar with how health care works
Mastering the new health care system will require our kids — at least to the extent that they are making their own coverage decisions — to educate themselves on a topic that’s not taught in a college campus lecture hall, although perhaps it should be.
Learning from student loan borrowers
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reached out earlier this year to individuals and education organizations for advice on reshaping the market for student loans coming from private lenders, such as banks and other financial institutions. The comment period ends April 8.
A plan for building youths’ financial skills
Teens and young adults today need to know much more about money than just how to spend it.
Reading the fine print on credit card fees can be a money saver
The lure of credit runs strong in our society, and a piece of plastic is a convenient, necessary survival tool. That’s why it behooves young consumers to understand all the tiny details of the credit card application. Reading the fine print can be a money saver.
Compare costs with the College Scorecard
It is the latest in a series of developments by the Obama administration to increase transparency and simplify information about higher education expenses.
Economy hampers how families are saving for college
A Sallie Mae survey of parents with children under age 18 noted that 50 percent were saving for college, down from 60 percent from when the survey was taken two years ago.
Impulse buys can destroy your best savings plans
It takes discipline and basic money smarts to avoid the unanticipated stops, the store distractions and the “can’t resist” spending sprees.
Help for those rushing to finish financial aid forms
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is designed so that with a few clicks, you can automatically transfer information from your tax return to the financial aid application.
Dating adds new dimension to teens handling money
Rather than popping for movie tickets, dinner and gas for the car, encourage your 16-year-old to become more financially responsible for date nights.
Financial newcomers have a variety of ways to track spending
It’s a good idea for young people with credit cards to develop the habit of monitoring their expenses and income.
Consumers may be gaining the upper hand with cable, internet services
The market for cable, high-speed Internet and telephone services might finally be turning ever so slightly in favor of consumers. In short, there may be more supply than demand.
FDIC money manual offers straightforward explanations
Credit cards, interest rates, the magic of compounding: Learning to manage money can be complex and confusing for any teenager. That’s why the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has decided to help in a straightforward, simple way with a new money guide on its website aimed at teens, young adults and their parents.
Don’t let gift cards go unspent
Gift cards once again were among the most popular presents for teens and other young consumers this past holiday season. And that means that once again millions of dollars worth of gift cards will go unspent, like so many lumps of coal.
Do you have a cash rebate card? Use it, don’t lose it
Unlike gift cards that come with far-off expiration dates and protections against fees, rebate cards don’t offer the same terms. In fact, if you don’t use the rebate card quickly, you might come to find a few months from now that fees have eaten away a good portion of its value.
Inspirational thoughts for a financial discussion
Face it, talking to your kids about debits, credits and collateral is probably not going to boost their money IQ. You need a new plan, and I’m here to help. Use these quotes as talking points the next time your 10-year-old throws a tantrum at the toy store or your teenager pooh-poohs the idea of finding a job for the summer.
Some states still have matching money for college
Here’s something that sounds like a perfect fit for family game night over the holiday season. It’s called match play. It’s not a board game. It’s a program operated by about a dozen states, including Kansas and Missouri, that provides matching funds to low- and middle-income families saving for their children’s college educations.
Charitable giving can be as easy as a swipe and a click
Kids use their smartphones to find the nearest pizza joint, stay connected with friends on Facebook and keep up with their fantasy football team. So what about supporting a good cause during the holiday season? There are smartphone apps for that, too.
Holiday danger lurks for young credit card holders
Now that we’re in the thick of the holiday shopping season, many young credit card holders may be getting into the spirit of paying with plastic a bit too much. That could lead to a cruel surprise in January when the credit card bill comes due, complete with hefty interest payments if not paid in full.
Fiscal cliff provides a real-life civics problem
It’s sgood to talk about the collection of tax increases and spending cuts known as the fiscal cliff because so much is at stake, and the ramifications will still be felt as your kids enter the workforce a few years from now. The challenge for parents may be how to make the topic relevant.
Financial gifts can pay off now and later
Though piggy banks and savings bonds might not bring smiles to the face of an 8-year-old, such financial gifts are likely to be appreciated in the future.
