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November 27, 2021

Stock Market Today: Stocks End Mixed After Data Dump

Investors had plenty to think about ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, chewing through a huge helping of economic data.

Kicking things off were weekly jobless claims – released a day early due to tomorrow’s holiday – which plunged to 199,000 in the week ended Nov. 20, well below last week’s 270,000 and economists’ forecast for 260,000 claims. What’s more, this was the lowest level for initial unemployment applications since 1969.

Also in focus were October’s personal income and spending data, which came in above estimates (up 0.5% and 1.3%, respectively, from September), and an upwardly revised reading on third-quarter gross domestic product (to 2.1% versus an initial estimate of 2.0%).

However, it wasn’t all roses. The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index arrived at its lowest level in 10 years in November and the core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index – a key inflation measure used by the Federal Reserve – rose 4.1% year-over-year in October, the quickest annual pace since 1991.

Plus, the release of the minutes from the latest Fed meeting showed several members of the committee said the central bank “should be prepared to adjust the pace of asset purchases” and/or raise interest rates sooner than anticipated if inflation continues to run hot.

“In terms of the Fed’s economic outlook, it’s clear that inflation has accelerated more than anyone expected it to, and the breadth of rising prices has increased substantially,” writes Bob Miller, BlackRock’s Head of Americas Fundamental Fixed Income.

“While the bar for an acceleration in the tapering of asset purchases is high, it is not insurmountable and looks reasonably likely to be cleared should we see another solid payroll report and inflation data release in December,” he adds. “Accelerating the asset purchase tapering would potentially end purchases in March 2022 and would then open the door for the Committee to consider lift off from the zero policy rate sometime in the second quarter of the year.”

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At the close, the S&P 500 Index was up 0.2% at 4,701 and the Nasdaq Composite had gained 0.4% at 15,845. The Dow Jones Industrial Average wasn’t as resilient, falling 0.03% to 35,804.

As a reminder, the U.S. stock market will be closed tomorrow for Thanksgiving and trading will end early on Black Friday.

Other news in the stock market today:

The small-cap Russell 2000 gained 0.2% to 2,331.
U.S. crude futures slipped 0.1% to end at $78.39 per barrel.
Gold futures eked out a marginal gain to settle at $1,784.30 an ounce.
Bitcoin retreated 0.7% to $57,453.50. (Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day; prices reported here are as of 4 p.m. each trading day.)
Gap (GPS) took it in the chin after earnings, with shares sliding 24.1%. In its third quarter, the clothing retailer reported adjusted earnings of 27 cents per share on $3.94 billion in revenue, well below the 50 cents a share and $4.43 billion in sales analysts were expecting. GPS also lowered its full-year forecast, citing rising freight costs and supply-chain disruptions due to factory closures in Vietnam. “In the third quarter, the Athleta and Gap brands continued to be the bright spots for GPS, as the brands have grown 48% and 8%, respectfully, compared to fiscal 2020,” says CFRA Research analyst Zachary Warring, who maintained his Hold rating on the stock while lowering his price target by $8 to $22. “The company reiterated its plan to open between 30 and 40 Old Navy stores and 20-30 Athleta stores in 2021 while closing 75 Gap and Banana Republic stores. We need to see how sales and margins hold up in fiscal 2023 to get more bullish on shares of GPS.”
Supply-chain issues were also a noted in Nordstrom’s (JWN) quarterly update. “While many retailers are dealing with macro-related supply chain disruptions, Rack [the retailer’s off-price chain] faces a unique challenge as off-price procurement of the same top brands we carry at Nordstrom is particularly difficult in an environment with production constraints and lower levels of clearance product,” said CEO Erik Nordstrom in the earnings call. While Rack contributed to roughly 50% of total sales in 2019, he added, it’s only brought in 42% of sales for the year-to-date. Overall, the company reported earnings of 39 cents a share and revenue of $3.6 billion in its third quarter, missing analysts’ estimates for earnings of 57 cents per share and revenue of $3.5 billion. The stock plunged 29% today.

The Pricing Power Advantage

Some of the best stocks to buy now are those that are able to navigate higher inflation.

Pricing power should be an important theme for investors when assessing relative returns of stocks, says a group of analysts at global research firm UBS, especially given the current environment of “surging shipping costs, rising raw materials, supply chain issues and accelerating wage growth.”

The team has been studying the share performance of companies with pricing power for some time. They found that shares of firms that can raise prices without consumers balking and taking their business elsewhere and that have solid margin momentum tend to outperform those without by around 20%, on average, over 12 months once inflation rises above 3% on an annualized basis.

So, if you’re looking for ways to protect your portfolio against rising inflation, consider this list of the stocks with a pricing power advantage, according to UBS. Each of these names has a high-conviction Buy rating from the research firm and ranks in the top third of its sector for pricing power, margin momentum and input cost exposure.

Source: kiplinger.com

November 27, 2021

The Difference Between Current Balance and Available Balance

Numbers don’t lie, but they may play a trick or two.

And one of the most bothersome can be determining whether the current balance or the available balance on a bank account is the most correct. In actuality, they both are. A current balance is the amount of cash presently sitting in a checking or savings account at any given time. However, the available balance is the current balance minus any pending transactions that haven’t been fully processed yet.

Financial institutions provide both of these balances in an effort to provide account holders with the most detailed picture of their funds, however, it has been known to confuse many uninformed account owners. Understanding the differences between a current balance and an available balance is extremely important as it provides a clear guide for future spending.

What is Current Balance?

The current balance of an account is a reflection of the amount of funds that are moving throughout a checking account or savings account at any given time. This is a compilation of both credits and debits — incoming and outgoing funds — within an account. It includes transactions that have been completely processed on both ends and posted to an account.

Pending transfers or payments that have been authorized but have not been fully processed yet may be listed in your transaction history but are not included in the tally. So any debit card payments, mobile deposits, or automatic bill payments that haven’t been fully processed will not be calculated into the current balance.

For example, let’s say Brian’s checking account balance is $200. On Monday, his employer deposits an $800 payment into his account that clears and posts on the same day, raising Brian’s current balance to $1,000. On Wednesday, Brian uses his debit card to pay $100 for dinner, and the restaurant places a hold on his account for the amount. Because the payment is pending and awaiting processing, Brian’s current balance is still $1,000. However, if on Friday the restaurant charge is fully processed and posted onto his account, his current balance would drop to $900.

What is Available Balance?

An available balance is the current balance of a checking or savings account, minus any pending payments and deposits. At essence, it takes the total amount of all fully processed and posted credits and debits, and subtracts the total amount of any pending payments that have yet to be fully processed, providing a more accurate reflection of the money in your account that remains available to be spent.

For example, Danielle’s checking account balance is $500. She uses her debit card to pay a $100 internet bill, and her landlord cashes her $300 check for her rent — both payments appear on her account as pending. Despite her current balance being $500, her available balance is only $100 due to the pending payments. If she were to make other payments totaling more than $100, she will risk an overdraft fee.

Recommended: Different Types of Savings Accounts You Can Have

What is the Difference Between Current Balance and Available Balance?

If an account goes a week or two without any activity, its available balance and current balance will likely be in sync. However, once purchases and payments are made with a debit card, that is when the available balance is likely to fluctuate.

The key difference between a current balance and an available balance is “promised payments.” A current balance is the total amount of money in an account including money that has been promised to other people or businesses. An available balance, on the other hand, is the specific amount of money available that has not been promised to any person or business. While spending the full amount of a current balance with pending payments could result in overdraft fees, spending the full amount of an available balance will not.

Generally, when a current balance and available balance differ, the available balance is the lower of the two, and it’s nearly always due to a pending payment. In some rare cases, however, an available balance may appear larger than the current balance. This could be due to receiving a refund from a purchase or the reflection of a bank overdraft protection buffer on an account. Either way, in this case, it would be wise to contact your bank for a better understanding of your current account standing.

How Long Does It Take for a Current Balance to Become an Available Balance?

The amount of time it takes for an available balance to sync back up with a current balance depends on the specific amount of processing time needed to complete each pending transaction, and those times can vary depending on the type of transaction and how quickly the establishment processes it. The account holder’s ability to refrain from spending with their debit card and adding more pending payments to the account is also a major factor.

As a general rule of thumb, individual pending payments can take as little as 24 hours, or as long as 3 days to be completely processed and posted to an account. The process requires communication and confirmation between the banks of the account owner and the establishment they purchased from. If a transaction remains pending for up to a week, that is when it would be wise to contact the merchant or your bank for clarity.

Which Balance Should I Rely On?

The current balance and available balance each serve their own purpose and both can be relied upon as an accurate representation of a checking or saving account. However, there are specific instances when it would be better to reference one over the other.

If you’re planning on making a purchase or withdrawal, that is an instance where it would be more beneficial to reference the available balance on your account. It’s the best way to know exactly how much money is available to be spent without disrupting any other pending payments. Checking the available balance will give the most exact account of what is freely available to be spent and will also help you avoid incurring any overdraft fees.

If you’re more interested in your account balance as a whole and how much money you have flowing through your account at any given time, that is when you’ll want to reference your current balance. It accounts for every dollar entering and exiting your account at the very moment you check it. Do keep in mind, however, that the available balance total may change quickly due to any sudden pending transactions, therefore it would be wise to check it daily for the most up-to-date tally.

Recommended: How Often Should You Monitor Your Checking Account?

The Takeaway

Knowing what your account balances mean and how to interpret them is a basic financial skill that can literally save you money. Even the slightest misinterpretation of the two could result in costly overdraft fees and disrupt your financial goals.

SoFi Money® is a cash management account that can help you keep tabs on your cash and help you reach your financial goals. You can save, spend, and earn all in one account with no account fees.

Check out SoFi Money.

Photo credit: iStock/fizkes

SoFi Money®
SoFi Money is a cash management account, which is a brokerage product, offered by SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA / SIPC . Neither SoFi nor its affiliates is a bank. SoFi Money Debit Card issued by The Bancorp Bank.
SoFi has partnered with Allpoint to provide consumers with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. Consumers will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.
The SoFi Money® Annual Percentage Yield as of 03/15/2020 is 0.20% (0.20% interest rate). Interest rates are variable subject to change at our discretion, at any time. No minimum balance required. SoFi doesn’t charge any ATM fees and will reimburse ATM fees charged by other institutions when a SoFi Money™ Mastercard® Debit Card is used at any ATM displaying the Mastercard®, Plus®, or NYCE® logo. SoFi reserves the right to limit or revoke ATM reimbursements at any time without notice.
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Source: sofi.com

November 27, 2021

Fixed Expense vs Variable Expense

Budgeting is the best way to get a better handle on where your money is going — which can help you get a better handle on where you’d like to see your money go.

But before you dive into the nitty-gritty of each individual line item on your ledger, you first need to understand the difference between fixed expenses and variable expenses.

As their name suggests, fixed expenses are those that are fixed, or unchanging, each month, while variable expenses are the ones with which you can expect a little more wiggle room. However, it’s possible to make cuts on items in both the fixed and variable expense category to save money toward bigger financial goals, whether that’s an epic vacation or your eventual retirement.

Let’s take a closer look.

What Is a Fixed Expense?

Fixed expenses are those costs that you pay in the same amount each month — items like your rent or mortgage payment, insurance premiums, and your gym membership. It’s all the stuff whose amounts you know ahead of time, and which don’t change.

Fixed expenses tend to make up a large percentage of a monthly budget since housing costs, typically the largest part of a household budget, are generally fixed expenses. This means that fixed expenses present a great opportunity for saving large amounts of money on a recurring basis if you can find ways to reduce their costs, though cutting costs on fixed expenses may require bigger life changes, like moving to a different apartment — or even a different city.

Keep in mind, too, that not all fixed expenses are necessities — or big budget line items. For example, an online TV streaming service subscription, which is withdrawn in the same amount every month, is a fixed expense, but it’s also a want as opposed to a need. Subscription services can seem affordable until they start accumulating and perhaps become unaffordable.

Recommended: Are Monthly Subscriptions Ruining Your Budget?

What Is a Variable Expense?

Variable expenses, on the other hand, are those whose amounts can vary each month, depending on factors like your personal choices and behaviors as well as external circumstances like the weather.
For example, in areas with cold winters, electricity or gas bills are likely to increase during the winter months because it takes more energy to keep a house comfortably warm. Grocery costs are also variable expenses since the amount you spend on groceries can vary considerably depending on what kind of items you purchase and how much you eat.

You’ll notice, though, that both of these examples of variable costs are still necessary expenses — basic utility costs and food. The amount of money you spend on other nonessential line items, like fashion or restaurant meals, is also a variable expense. In either case, variable simply means that it’s an expense that fluctuates on a month-to-month basis, as opposed to a fixed-cost bill you expect to see in the same amount each month.

To review:

• Fixed expenses are those that cost the same amount each month, like rent or mortgage payments, insurance premiums, and subscription services.

• Variable expenses are those that fluctuate on a month-to-month basis, like groceries, utilities, restaurant meals, and movie theater tickets.

• Both fixed and variable utilities can be either wants or needs — you can have fixed-expense wants, like a gym membership, and variable-expense needs, like groceries.

When budgeting, it’s possible to make cuts on both fixed and variable expenses.

Recommended: Grocery Shopping on a Budget

Benefits of Saving Money on Fixed Expenses

If you’re trying to find ways to stash some cash, finding places in your budget to make cuts is a big key. And while you can make cuts on both fixed and variable expenses, lowering your fixed expenses can pack a hefty punch, since these tend to be big line items — and since the savings automatically replicate themselves each month when that bill comes due again. (Even businesses calculate the ratio of their fixed expenses to their variable expense, for this reason, yielding a measure known as operating leverage.)

Think about it this way: if you quit your morning latte habit (a variable expense), you might save a grand total of $150 over the course of a month — not too shabby, considering its just coffee. But if you recruit a roommate or move to a less trendy neighborhood, you might slash your rent (a fixed expense) in half. Those are big savings, and savings you don’t have to think about once you’ve made the adjustment: they just automatically rack up each month.

Other ways to save money on your fixed expenses include refinancing your car (or other debt) to see if you can qualify for a lower payment… or foregoing a car entirely in favor of a bicycle if your commute allows it. Can you pare down on those multiple streaming subscriptions or hit the road for a run instead of patronizing a gym? Even small savings can add up over time when they’re consistent and effort-free — it’s like automatic savings.

Of course, orchestrating it in the first place does take effort (and sometimes considerable effort, at that — pretty much no one names moving as their favorite activity). The benefits you might reap thereafter can make it all worthwhile, though.

Saving Money on Variable Expenses

Of course, as valuable as it is to make cuts to fixed expenses, saving money on variable expenses is still useful — and depending on your habits, it could be fairly easy to make significant slashes. For example, by adjusting your grocery shopping behaviors and aiming at fresh, bulk ingredients over-packaged convenience foods, you might decrease your monthly food bill. You could even get really serious and spend a few hours each weekend scoping out the weekly flyer for sales.

If you have a spendy habit like eating out regularly or shopping for clothes frequently, it can also be possible to find places to make cuts in your variable expenses. You can also find frugal alternatives for your favorite spendy activities, whether that means DIYing your biweekly manicure to learning to whip up that gourmet pizza at home. (Or maybe you’ll find a way to save enough on fixed expenses that you won’t have to worry as much about these habits!)

The Takeaway

Fixed expenses are those costs that are in the same amount each month, whereas variable expenses can vary. Both can be trimmed if you’re trying to save money in your budget, but cutting from fixed expenses can yield bigger savings for less ongoing effort.

Great budgeting starts with a great money management platform — and a SoFi Money® cash management account can give you a bird’s-eye view that puts everything into perspective. You’ll also have access to the Vaults feature, which helps you set aside money for specific savings purposes, no matter which goals are the most important to you, all in one account.

Check out SoFi Money and how it can help you manage your financial goals.

Photo credit: iStock/LaylaBird

Source: sofi.com

November 26, 2021

9 Best Books to Read Before Buying a Home

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For most people, buying a home is the biggest purchase decision of a lifetime. In fact, it’s one of the biggest decisions, period.

Your mortgage is probably the largest debt you’ll ever take on, and taking care of a house is one of the largest responsibilities. Next to getting married or having children, it’s hard to think of anything that will have a greater impact on your life.

With so much at stake, it makes sense to learn as much as possible about the process before you take the plunge. You can find lots of articles about home buying online, of course, just like any other subject. But for a really in-depth take on the topic, you can’t beat a good book.

Best Books to Read Before Buying a Home

There are literally hundreds of books on home buying, covering the subject from every possible angle. Some real estate books provide a walk-through of the whole process. Some focus on the legal details. And some are all about getting the best deal on a mortgage.

With so many books to choose from, how do you find one that’s useful for you? To get started, look at what books other people have found most helpful. The books on this list all get good reviews from finance professionals, as well as ordinary homeowners.

1. “Home Buying Kit for Dummies” by Eric Tyson & Ray Brown

All the books in the “Dummies” series explain complex topics — from computer languages to sports — to people who know nothing about them. “Home Buying Kit for Dummies” takes the same approach. It covers all the basics of buying a home in an easy-to-digest form.

This comprehensive guide covers every step of the home-buying process, including:

The book is ideal for first-time home buyers because it assumes no prior knowledge. It’s all in plain English, with no fancy lingo. You can read it from cover to cover or dip into it as needed to learn about specific topics.

To aid reading, the pages are peppered with icons marking key points. These include a light bulb for tips, a warning sign for pitfalls to avoid, and a deerstalker cap for topics to research on your own. They make it easy to spot important info at a glance.

2. “Buying a Home: The Missing Manual” by Nancy Conner

The “Missing Manuals” series deals mostly with computer software and hardware. But it’s branched out into finance, another subject that ought to come with instructions. In this volume, Conner, a real estate investor, walks you through the home-buying process from start to finish.

“Buying a Home: The Missing Manual” is a step-by step guide to all the ins and outs of home buying. Its includes chapters on:

Choosing a real estate agent, mortgage lender, and lawyer
Choosing the right neighborhood
Finding your dream home
Figuring out how much to offer on a house
Financing your down payment
Comparing mortgages
Inspections
Closing costs

And it does all this with simple language and handy, bite-size chunks of information. Fill-in forms throughout the book help you apply the author’s expert advice to your specific situation.

3. “NOLO’s Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home” by Ilona Bray J.D., Alayna Schroeder & Marcia Stewart

The legal website NOLO is the top place to find legal advice online. Along with its free articles, the site offers an array of do-it-yourself forms, books, and software. This walk-through guide to homebuying is just one example.

“NOLO’s Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home” covers most of the same topics as the Dummies and Missing Manual books, but from a different angle. It focuses on all the legal ins and outs of the home-buying process.

Although three attorneys wrote this book, it doesn’t rely on their knowledge alone. It draws on the knowledge of 15 other real estate professionals, including Realtors, loan officers, investors, home inspectors, and landlords. It’s like having your own private team of experts. For example:

A real estate agent offers tips on how to dress for an open house.
A mortgage broker explains the risks of oral loan preapprovals.
A closing expert discusses the importance of title insurance.

Along with the expert advice, the book provides real-world stories from over 20 first-time home-buyers. Their experiences let you preview the process before jumping in yourself.

4. “Home Buyer’s Checklist: Everything You Need to Know — But Forgot to Ask — Before You Buy a Home” by Robert Irwin

Every home-buying guide talks about the need for a home inspection. However, there are many problems home inspectors don’t always look for. The only way to detect them is to ask the right questions. In “Home Buyer’s Checklist,” Robert Irwin tells you what those questions are.

Irwin is a real estate professional with over three decades of experience. He knows all about the hidden flaws in homes and how to track them down. Irwin walks you through a house room by room and points out possible problem areas, such as:

Doors and door frames
Windows and window screens
Fireplaces
Light fixtures
Floors
Woodwork
Attic insulation

For each area, he notes possible problems and how to spot them. He also explains what they cost to fix and what damage they can cause if you don’t fix them. And he helps you use that information to your advantage in negotiating the price of the house.

Armed with this information, you can avoid unpleasant surprises when you move into your new home. It won’t make your house’s problems go away, but it will prepare you to deal with them — and keep the money in your pocket to do it.

5. “The 106 Common Mistakes Home Buyers Make (and How to Avoid Them)” by Gary Eldred

To first-time homebuyers, the real estate market is a big, confusing place. In “The 106 Common Mistakes Home Buyers Make (and How to Avoid Them),” Gary Eldred offers you a map to help you find your way around.

Eldred’s guide draws on the real-world experiences of homebuyers, home builders, real estate agents, and mortgage lenders. They shed light on the mistakes homebuyers make most often, such as:

Believing everything a real estate agent says
Underestimating the cost of owning a home
Buying in an upscale neighborhood that’s on the decline
Paying too much for a house
Letting your agent handle the price negotiations
Staying out of the housing market due to fear

With the help of Eldred’s examples, you can avoid these pitfalls and find a house that’s both a comfortable home and a sound investment.

6. “No Nonsense Real Estate: What Everyone Should Know Before Buying or Selling a Home” by Alex Goldstein

As both a Realtor and a real estate investor, Alex Goldstein has been on both sides of a real estate transaction. This gives him a unique perspective on what works and what doesn’t in the home buying process.

In “No Nonsense Real Estate,” Goldstein puts that experience to work for you. He offers a step-by-step guide to the home buying process in language a first time home buyer can easily understand. This comprehensive guide covers:

The economics of the housing market in simple terms
The pros and cons of working with a real estate agent
What to look for in a home
Assembling a real estate team
Types of homes, such as single-family homes, condos, and co-ops
Traditional home loans and non-bank financing
Tips for sellers to get the best price on a home
The five elements of a successful real estate negotiation
Real estate contracts and closing costs
The eight steps of a real estate closing
The basics of real estate investing
A real-world case study of a home purchase
A list of frequently asked questions
A glossary of real estate terms

As a bonus, all buyers of the book gain access to a library of training videos and materials. They can help you find a real estate agent in your area, evaluate investment properties, and more.

7. “The Mortgage Encyclopedia” by Jack Guttentag

One of the most intimidating parts of buying your first home is getting your first mortgage. Not only is it likely the biggest loan you’ve ever taken out, there are dozens of options to consider. And the jargon loan officers use, from “escrow” to “points,” doesn’t make it any easier.

Jack Guttentag’s “The Mortgage Encyclopedia” offers a solution. The author, a former professor of finance at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, tells you everything you need to know about how mortgages work and what your options are. The book includes:

A glossary of mortgage terms, from “A-credit” to “Zillow mortgage”
Advice on nitty-gritty issues such as the risks of cosigning a loan and the pros and cons of paying points versus making a larger down payment
The lowdown on common mortgage myths, traps, and hidden costs to avoid
At-a-glance tables on topics like affordability and interest costs for fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages

For first-time homebuyers grappling with the details of choosing and signing a mortgage, it’s a must-read.

8. “How to Get Approved for the Best Mortgage Without Sticking a Fork in Your Eye” by Elysia Stobbe

Another book that focuses on mortgages is “How to Get Approved for the Best Mortgage Without Sticking a Fork in Your Eye.” As the whimsical title suggests, mortgage expert Elysia Stobbe understands how frustrating the mortgage approval process can be.

To keep you sane, she helps break the process down into bite-sized chunks of info that are easy to manage. Her guide walks you through such details as types of mortgages, loan programs, interest rates, mortgage insurance, and fees.

Stobbe explains how to find the right lender, choose the best real estate agent to handle negotiations, and find an appropriate type of loan. She also devotes a lot of space to mistakes you should avoid. And she supports it all with interviews with top real estate professionals.

9. “100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask” by Ilyce R. Glink

Buying a home is such a huge, complicated process that it’s often hard to figure out where to start. In “100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask,” Ilyce R. Glink addresses this problem by breaking the process down into a series of questions.

This approach makes it easy to find the information you want. Look through the table of contents to find the question that’s on your mind, then flip to the right page to see the answer. Glink tackles questions on all aspects of home buying, such as:

Should I buy a home or continue to rent?
How much can I afford to spend?
Is a new construction home better than an existing home?
What’s the difference between a real estate agent and a broker?
Where should I start looking for my dream home?
What should I look for at a house showing?
How does my credit score affect my chance of getting a mortgage?
How do I make an offer on a home?
Do I need a home inspection?
What happens at the closing?

Glink combines advice from top brokers, real-world stories, and her own experience to provide solid answers to all these questions. And she wraps it up with three appendices covering mistakes to avoid and simple steps to make the home-buying process easier.

Final Word

All the books on this list offer a good grounding in the basics of home buying. But if you’re looking for more details on any part of the process, there’s sure to be a book for that too.

You can find books on just about every aspect of home buying. There are books on every stage of the process, from raising cash for a down payment to preparing for your closing. There are books about home buying just for single people and books on buying a home as an investment.

And once you move into your new home, there are more books to help you organize it, decorate it, and keep it in repair. Just search for the topic that interests you at Amazon, a local bookstore, or your local public library.

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Amy Livingston is a freelance writer who can actually answer yes to the question, “And from that you make a living?” She has written about personal finance and shopping strategies for a variety of publications, including ConsumerSearch.com, ShopSmart.com, and the Dollar Stretcher newsletter. She also maintains a personal blog, Ecofrugal Living, on ways to save money and live green at the same time.

Source: moneycrashers.com

November 25, 2021

James Glassman’s 10 Stock Market Picks for 2022

Last December, after beating the S&P 500 index five years in a row, I wrote, “This kind of streak isn’t supposed to happen, and readers should be warned that there’s no guarantee it will continue.”

Well, it’s over. My annual selections for 2021 performed just fine, with an average return of 17.4%, but the S&P did much better, gaining 35.8%. (Returns and data throughout the story are through Nov. 5.)

Since 1993, I have offered a list of 10 stocks for the year ahead. Nine are culled from the choices of experts I trust, and I include one of my own. For 2021, I’m happy to say, my pick was the biggest winner: ONEOK (OKE), the 115-year-old natural gas pipeline company, which benefited from the rise in petroleum prices and was up 139.9%.

I’ll get to my choice for 2022 at the end. Let’s start with one from the Value Line Investment Survey, a font of succinct research that has a strong forecasting record as well. My strategy is to pick from stocks that Value Line rates tops (“1”) for both timeliness and safety. That list right now is short: nine companies, including obvious ones like Apple (AAPL) and Visa (V).

The outlier is T. Rowe Price Group (TROW), the Baltimore-based asset manager, whose earnings have risen each year since 2009 despite the growing popularity of low-cost index funds. Value Line notes that “shares have staged a dramatic advance over the past year. However, our projections suggest … worthwhile appreciation potential for the next 3 to 5 years.”

Parnassus Endeavor (PARWX), a socially responsible fund – one that invests with an eye toward environmental, social and governance (ESG) measures, has returned a sparkling annual average of 18.3% over the past 10 years. In 2021, Jerome Dodson stepped back from managing Endeavor and other Parnassus funds, but he’s still a guiding force at the firm he founded 35 years ago. My picks from the portfolio for 2019 and 2020 were microchip companies that scored average gains of nearly 100%.

For 2022, I like PepsiCo (PEP), which Billy Hwan, the fund’s new solo manager, acquired for the first time in July. In addition to its soft drinks, the company has such respected brands as Lay’s, Quaker and Gatorade. Revenues have risen consistently, and PepsiCo may be able to benefit from general inflation with aggressive price increases.

Another big winner in 2021 came from Dan Abramowitz, of Hillson Financial Management in Rockville, Maryland, who is my go-to expert in smaller companies. His choice was IEC Electronics, which was purchased by Creation Technologies in October for 53% more than the stock’s price when I put it on the list, noting, “IEC is also a potential takeover target.”

For 2022, Dan recommends DXC Technology (DXC), a midsize information technology company based in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. It is in the midst of a turnaround, Dan writes, “yet we are still in the early innings here.” Profits are improving, but the stock “is valued at under 10 times current fiscal year earnings.”

A few months ago, I recommended AB Small Cap Growth (QUASX), a fund that has notched a sensational 29.8% annualized return over the past five years. The fund has been adding to holdings of Louisiana-based LHC Group (LHCG), a provider of post-acute care, including home health and hospice services, in more than 700 locations. The stock appears well priced after setbacks from hurricanes and because healthcare workers were forced to quarantine due to COVID-19. As the population ages, healthcare is a growth industry.

Fidelity Advisor Growth Opportunities (FAGAX) is red-hot, ranking in the top 3% of funds in its category for five-year returns. The problem is that it carries a whopping 1.82% expense ratio and is sold mostly through advisers. Still, you can scan its portfolio for ideas. Most of the fund’s holdings are tech stocks, but the only new purchase for 2021 among its top 25 holdings was Freeport-McMoRan (FCX), the minerals (copper, gold, silver) and oil and gas producer. The stock has doubled over the past year, but its price-earnings ratio, based on analysts’ consensus projections for 2022, is just 11.

A disappointment in 2021 was Upland Software (UPLD), down 47%. It was the choice of Terry Tillman, a software analyst with Truist Securities whose previous selections on my annual list had beaten the S&P 500 index for an incredible nine years in a row. Tillman recently initiated coverage on EngageSmart (ESMT) with a Buy rating. The firm, which helps healthcare professionals manage their practices, went public only in September, but it already has a market value of $5 billion, and Tillman sees the price going much higher.

It has not been a good year for China’s big companies, which China’s government apparently thinks have become big enough to threaten the Communist Party. As a result, my 2021 list’s worst performer was Alibaba Group Holding (BABA), the e-commerce giant, with shares falling by nearly half.

Still, if you have a stomach for risk, Chinese stocks present remarkable value these days. Matthews China (MCHFX), my favorite Asian stock fund, has held on to Tencent Holdings (TCEHY), which is down by about 40% from its February peak. Tencent, with a market cap of $576 billion, operates worldwide and offers social media, music, mobile games, payment services and more.

Last year, I turned for the first time to Schwab Global Real Estate (SWASX) and was pleased with the 21% return from its choice, Singapore-based UOL Group (UOLGY), with an office, residential and hotel portfolio. The fund’s third-largest holding is Public Storage (PSTG), owner of 2,500 facilities in 38 states. Is there a better business? Every year, I get an e-mail notice telling me my storage-unit rental has risen in price, and what am I going to do about it? Moving my stuff out is a horrifying thought. I have always wanted to own this stock. It is expensive, but waiting may make it more so.

Over the years, the assets of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B), Warren Buffett’s holding company, have become more and more diversified. At last report, the company owned 40 publicly traded stocks. Berkshire Hathaway’s largest holding by far is Apple, at about $135 billion. Guess what’s second? Bank of America (BAC), at $49 billion. I am a longtime fan and shareholder of BofA as well, and it looks especially good at a time when interest rates are rising.

My contrarian bias paid off last year when I shook off my disastrous 2019 choice of Diamond Offshore Drilling (it went bankrupt) and scored a double with ONEOK. Searching for value again, I have arrived at Starbucks (SBUX), which took a big (and to my mind, unwarranted) hit over the summer when the company warned of a slower recovery in China. So I’m taking advantage of skittish investors and recommending Starbucks, one of the world’s best-run companies, growing steadily with 33,000 outlets worldwide.

I’ll end with my usual warnings. These 10 stocks vary by size and industry, but they are not meant to compose a diversified portfolio. I expect they will beat the market in the coming 12 months, but I do not advise holding stocks for less than five years. Buy and hold works! Finally, these are my recommendations, but consider them suggestions for your own study and decision-making. No guarantees.

Source: kiplinger.com

November 25, 2021

Using Income Share Agreements to Pay for School

Many students end up taking out loans to finance the cost of college. As of the first quarter of 2021, Americans collectively held $1.57 trillion in student debt, up $29 billion from the previous quarter. And a significant share of borrowers were struggling with their debt burdens: Just under 6% of total student debt was 90 days or more past due or in default.

Students looking for alternatives to student loans can apply for grants and scholarships, take on work-study jobs or other part-time work, or find ways to save on expenses.

Recently, another alternative has appeared on the table for students at certain institutions: income share agreements. An income share agreement is a type of college financing in which repayment is a fixed percentage of the borrower’s future income over a specified period of time.

As this financing option grows in popularity, here are some key things to know about how these agreements operate and to help you decide whether they’re the right choice for you.

How Income Share Agreements Work

Unlike student loans, an income share agreement, also known as an income sharing agreement or ISA, doesn’t involve a contract with the government or a private lender. Rather, it’s a contract between the student and their college or university.

In exchange for receiving educational funds from the school, the student promises to pay a share of his or her future earnings to the institution for a fixed amount of time after graduation.

ISAs don’t typically charge interest, and the amount students pay usually fluctuates according to their income. Students don’t necessarily have to pay back the entire amount they borrow, as long as they make the agreed-upon payments over a set period. Though, they also may end up paying more than the amount they received.

Income share agreements only appeared on the scene in the last few years, but they are quickly expanding. Since 2016, ISA programs have launched at places like Purdue University in Indiana, Clarkson University in New York, and Lackawanna College in Pennsylvania. Each school decides on its own terms and eligibility guidelines for the programs. The school itself or outside investors may provide funds for ISAs.

Purdue University was one of the first schools to create a modern ISA program. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors who meet certain criteria, including full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress, are eligible to apply.

Students may have a six-month grace period after graduation to start making payments, similar to the six-month grace period for student loans, and the repayment term at Purdue is typically 10 years. For some schools, however, the repayment term ranges from two to 10 years.

The exact amount students can expect to pay depends on the amount they took out and their income. The university estimates that a junior who graduates in 2023 with a marketing major will have a starting salary of $51,000 and will see their income grow an average of 4.7% a year.

If that student borrowed $10,000 in ISA funds, he or she would be required to pay 3.39% of his or her income for a little over eight years. The total amount that student would pay back is $17,971. The repayment cap for the 2021-2022 school year is $23,100.

Again, every ISA is different and may have different requirements, so be sure to check with your college or university for all the details.

The Advantages of Income Share Agreements

ISAs aren’t for everyone, but they can be beneficial for some students. For example, students who don’t qualify for other forms of financial aid, such as undocumented immigrants, may have few other options for funding school.

For students who have already maxed out their federal loans, ISAs can be a more affordable option than Parent PLUS loans or private student loans, both of which sometimes come with relatively high interest rates and fees.

Compared to student loans, many ISAs also protect students by preventing monthly payments from becoming unaffordable. Since the amount paid is always tied to income, students should never end up owing more than a set percentage for a fixed period of time. However, a student’s field of study may impact this. Students who are high earners after college may end up paying more to repay an ISA than they would have under other financing options.

If a student has trouble finding a well-paying job, or finding one at all, payments typically shrink accordingly. For example, Purdue sets a minimum income amount below which students don’t pay anything.

In Purdue’s case, the student won’t owe anything else once the repayment period is over, compared to student loans that can multiply exponentially over time due to accrued interest.

Purdue and several other universities also set the amount and length of repayment based on a student’s major, meaning monthly payments can be more tailored to graduates’ fields and salaries than student loans are. For fortunate students who see their income rise beyond expectations, many schools ensure the student won’t pay beyond a certain cap.

Potential Pitfalls of Income Share Agreements

ISAs come with some risks and drawbacks, as well. Firstly, since the repayment amount is based on income, a student who earns a lot after graduation might end up paying more than they would have with some student loans. This is because if a student earns a high income after graduating, they’d pay more to the fund. Second, the terms of repayment can vary widely, and some programs require graduates to give up a huge chunk of their paychecks.

For example, Lambda School , an online program that trains students to be software engineers, requires alums who earn at least $50,000 to pay 17% of their income for two years (up to $30,000). This can be a burden for recent graduates, especially compared to other options like income-driven repayment, which determines the percentage of income going towards student loans based on discretionary income.

Currently, there is very little regulation of ISAs, so students should read ISA terms carefully to understand what they’re signing up for.

No matter what, income share agreements are still funding that needs to be repaid, often at a higher amount than the principal.

So you’re still paying more overall for your education compared to finding sources of income like scholarships, a part-time job, gifts from family, or reducing expenses through lifestyle changes or going to a less expensive school.

How Do Income Share Agreements Impact You?

Many schools’ ISA programs are designed to fill in gaps in funding when students do not receive enough from other sources, such as financial aid, federal or private student loans, scholarships or savings. Thus, it’s important to understand how an ISA will impact both your long-term finances and other methods to pay for college.

ISAs do not impact need-based aid like grants or scholarships. Students with loans, however, could have a more complicated repayment plan with multiple payments due each month.

With ISAs, there is less clarity as to how much you’ll end up repaying from up to 10 years of income. As your income changes, your payment will remain the same percentage unless it falls below the minimum income threshold ($1,666.67 at Purdue) or reaches a repayment cap.

Whereas students may pay more than the loan principal to reduce interest, ISAs often require reaching a repayment cap of roughly double the borrowed amount to be paid off early.

Depending on your future income and career path, an ISA could cut into potential savings and investments or serve as a safety net for a less stable occupation.

Who Should Consider An ISA?

As previously mentioned, income share agreements are an option for students who have maxed out on federal loans and scholarships. There are other circumstances when an ISA may or may not be worth considering.

Colleges may require a minimum GPA to be eligible for an ISA. For instance, Robert Morris University requires incoming students to have a 3.0 high school GPA and maintain a 2.75 GPA during their studies for continued funding eligibility. Taking stock of how an ISA aligns with your academic performance before accepting funding could reduce stress later on.

Since ISA programs structure repayment as a percentage of income, graduates who secure high-paying jobs can end up paying a significant sum compared to the borrowed amount. An ISA term could be more favorable to students planning to enter sectors with more gradual salary growth, such as civil service.

Repayment plans at income sharing agreement colleges are not uniform. Students at schools with lower payment caps and early repayment options may find ISAs more advantageous.

Considering Private Loans

Students should generally exhaust all their federal options for grants and loans before considering other types of debt. But for some students looking to fill gaps in their educational funding, private student loans may make more sense for their needs than ISAs.

Recommended: Examining the Different Types of Student Loans

In particular, students who expect to have high salaries after graduation may end up paying less based on interest for a private student loan than they would for an ISA. Some private loans can also allow you to reduce what you owe overall by repaying your debt ahead of schedule.

SoFi doesn’t charge any fees, including origination fees or late fees. Nor are there prepayment penalties for paying off your loan early. You can also qualify for a 0.25% reduction on your interest rate when you sign up for automated payments.

The Takeaway

As mentioned, an income share agreement is an alternate financing option for college. An ISA is generally used to fill in gaps in college funding. Generally, it’s an agreement between the borrower and the school that states the borrower will repay the funds based on their future salary for a set amount of time.

One alternative to an ISA could be private student loans. Keep in mind that private loans are generally only considered as an option after all other sources of federal aid, including federal student loans, have been exhausted.

If you’ve exhausted your federal loan options and need help paying for school, consider a SoFi private student loan.

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SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student Loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. You should exhaust all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs.
SoFi Private Student Loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, and applicants must meet SoFi’s eligibility and underwriting requirements. See SoFi.com/eligibility for more information. To view payment examples, click here. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change. SoFi Lending Corp. and its lending products are not endorsed by or directly affiliated with any college or university unless otherwise disclosed.
External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
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Source: sofi.com

November 22, 2021

How to Financially Prepare for a Child – 13 Steps to Take

Dig Deeper

Additional Resources

Stressed about how much it costs to have and raise kids?

Having extra mouths to feed barely scratches the surface of the expenses to come. From larger housing to larger cars, higher health care costs to higher education, diapers to child care, strap in for a costly ride.

But like everything else in life, it helps to be prepared. The better your financial planning, the better you can navigate the costs without derailing your current lifestyle.

How to Financially Prepare for a Child

If you tried to make every ideal financial move before having kids, you’d reach retirement age before even trying. So don’t think of these as prerequisites for trying to get pregnant.

Instead, think of them as parts of your larger financial plan that apply more than ever as you start having children.

1. Reconsider Your Income

There’s nothing wrong with pursuing low-paying work you love. I never believed my mother — an educator — when she said, “Do what you love, and the money will follow.” She proved me wrong by achieving a seven-figure net worth through frugal living, working a side hustle (tutoring), and consistent investing.

But your motivation matters. There’s a difference between choosing a modest-income career because you’re passionate about it and being stuck in one due to inertia.

I know teachers who love what they do and wouldn’t want another job even if someone offered to double their salary. Others coast their way through every tedious lesson plan.

If you don’t love what you do, go back to the drawing board. That goes doubly if you also don’t love your salary.

Brainstorm jobs that provide fulfillment and meaning to you personally. Then get creative and explore remote positions, jobs that provide free housing, or jobs that pay well even without a college degree.

Choose a career that fulfills you both personally and financially. It doesn’t need to pay a huge salary, but aim to get up every morning happy with the career choice you made.

2. Enroll in Health Insurance

Pregnancy is expensive. So are delivery, infant checkups, and pediatric health care in general. If you do nothing else before your baby arrives, get health insurance.

Fortunately, not having insurance through your employer doesn’t mean you have to go without it. Explore options for health insurance without employer coverage. There are even part-time jobs that provide medical insurance.

Note that families with a high-deductible health insurance plan may well burn through every dollar of that deductible over the course of pregnancy, delivery, and the first few months of life. Plan accordingly.

Low-income families can explore the Children’s Health Insurance Program as another option.

3. Revamp Your Budget

Once upon a time, I spent more money on happy hours, dinners out, concerts, and entertainment in general. My budget looked different before I got married, and then it changed again after my wife and I had children.

That’s normal. Your budget isn’t static. It’s a living thing that evolves over time alongside your life. And if you do it right, you can save more money even after having children. I managed to do it through a mix of house hacking, getting rid of a car, and moving overseas.

If you don’t have one, create a formal budget. If you do have one, look over all your budgeting categories and start brainstorming ways to spend less and save more.

4. Check Your Emergency Fund

You never know when an emergency or unexpected job loss could leave you without an income. And when you have children, the stakes are higher.

As you prepare for the responsibility of a family, set up an emergency fund to cover two to 12 months’ worth of expenses.

How much you need depends on the stability of your income and expenses. The more variable each is, the more months of living expenses you should stash away. An average person needs three to six months’ expenses, but people with inconsistent incomes or living expenses need closer to a year’s worth.

You can always temporarily cut out costs like entertainment or a gym membership to save on expenses. But needs like electricity and food are nonnegotiable.

And while some of your expenses may go down while you’re unemployed (such as gasoline), others may go up. For example, if you spend $200 per month on employer-subsidized health insurance, that expense may rise while you’re unemployed, as you may be forced onto a new plan or required to pay for your current plan in full.

5. Get Serious About Paying Off Unsecured Debts

Many people have unsecured debts, such as credit card debt, personal loans, and student loans. And those often come with high interest rates that exceed the long-term returns you can earn by investing.

That makes paying off your unsecured debts a high priority. Follow a structured plan to pay them off quickly, such as the debt snowball method.

Once you incur the added expenses that come with having kids, you’re less likely to have room in your budget to chip away at that old debt. Plus, the interest on it can make the expenses your child requires that much harder to manage.

While baby-related expenses tend to be significant initially, they don’t completely go away once your children are done with diapers. In fact, school-age kids can cost more than infants because they require more expensive clothing and food as well as money for activities like soccer lessons and ballet classes.

6. Plan for Child Care

Child care is the elephant in the room when planning the financial costs of having children.

Explore all your child care options, from nannies and au pairs to day care to relatives and friends. If one parent doesn’t love their job, you can explore becoming a single-income family, with one parent staying home for the first few years of your children’s lives.

Whatever you decide, plan and budget accordingly — because parental leave will be over before you blink.

7. Plan for Baby Essentials

My wife wouldn’t let me try this experiment, but I believe you could get everything you need for an infant for free — or almost anything.

Diapers cost money, and there are some things you should never buy used for safety reasons. Everything else you can get either free through services like Freecycle or inexpensively used via eBay, Craigslist, or local garage sales.

Whether you buy used or new, get creative to save money on baby gear. See this baby supplies checklist from The Bump to ensure you plan for every need.

8. Update Your Will

Your estate plan does more than tell your family and friends who gets your autographed guitars after you die. It also makes provisions for child care if you die prematurely. Your will can include provisions for an unborn child, which you can amend after they’re born.

You have a couple of options for creating a will (or any other estate planning documents):

Do It Yourself. You don’t need a lawyer to create a valid will. You simply need to be 18 or older and of sound mind. You also need to sign your will in front of two witnesses and ensure it’s accessible once you die. You can use an online service like Trust & Will to draft one affordably.
Hire an Attorney. The cost is significantly more, but a lawyer handles all the details for you. Expect to pay anywhere from $300 to $1,000 for a basic will. If your assets and estate are complex or you need to establish a trust, it could cost upward of $10,000.

Optional Financial Moves to Consider

Some moves could help you feel more ready for kids, though they aren’t strictly necessary. If you can’t do them, no need to worry. In fact, some people may decide holding off on these is smarter than doing it before they have kids.

So consider this type of financial planning purely optional: a list of ideas for thought rather than more reasons to fret.

9. Reevaluate Your Housing

You can care for an infant in a studio apartment. They certainly won’t know the difference. But that doesn’t mean you’d enjoy it.

As a long-term planning exercise, think about what type of home you want to live in for the next few years. You don’t need extra bedrooms or bathrooms right away, as infants can sleep in the same room as you for a while. Even when they move out of your room, they could move into a room with an older sibling.

But you may decide you want a larger home, so start thinking about what that looks like and how to pay for it. Only buy a home if you plan to stay for at least a few years, as closing costs on either end of the transaction make it cheaper to rent otherwise.

10. Reevaluate Your Transportation

If you and your spouse each drive two-seat sports cars, one of you may need to swap it out for a more family-friendly option.

Of course, you don’t always need a car. My wife and I don’t have one. We simply take the car seat with us when we hire an Uber. I also installed a baby seat on my bike so I can transport my daughter that way too.

Consider the public transportation, walkability, and bikeability of the area you live in. It’s possible you could live without a car too.

But most Americans drive cars as their primary means of transportation, so if yours is either too small to fit your whole family or unreliable, it’s probably time to get a different one. But explore used cars first as a more budget-friendly option.

Give yourself more flexibility by choosing three to five models you’d be happy to buy, and shop around among both dealerships and individual owners to find the ideal used car for you and your growing family.

11. Buy Life Insurance or Disability Insurance

In households with one breadwinner or a partner who significantly outearns the other, life insurance makes sense. You want to ensure your family would survive financially if it lost that primary breadwinner.

Life insurance policies come in two broad buckets:

Term Life Insurance. Term life offers coverage for a specified period. It’s generally cheaper and comes with a guaranteed set death benefit. With term life insurance, your premiums increase at preset intervals, such as 10, 20, or 30 years.
Whole or Universal Life Insurance. Also known as permanent life insurance, whole or universal life insurance death benefits never expire as long as you pay premiums. These policies often also provide certain living benefits, such as the ability to borrow money against the policy.

As a rule of thumb, your death benefit should be six to eight times your annual salary. But there are other considerations to take into account, such as your homeownership status and anticipated number of dependents as well as how much you can afford.

If you’re unsure about your coverage needs, talk to an independent financial advisor and shop around for the right plan. You can compare policies on sites like Policygenius and GoCompare.

The same concepts apply to long-term disability insurance. Both protect against the risk of the breadwinner losing their ability to earn.

Granted, not everyone needs life insurance or disability insurance.

For example, my wife and I live on one income even though we both work. We live on her income and save every dime of mine. And we don’t have life or disability insurance because we maintain low living expenses relative to our income and a high savings rate to build our net worth quickly.

If either of us kicked the bucket tomorrow, each of our incomes would be enough in itself to support ourselves and our child, and the surviving spouse would have a hefty nest egg to fall back on in a crunch.

Avoiding the need for life insurance and disability insurance by “self-insuring” are two of the many hidden benefits of pursuing a financially independent lifestyle. Once you build enough money, you can opt out of life and disability insurance.

12. Double Down on Retirement Investments

I joke that my backup plan for retirement is my daughter. If she were old enough to get the joke, she wouldn’t laugh.

The worst thing you can put on your adult children is asking them to take care of you in retirement. It adds a burden on them in an already hectic time of their lives, when they’re trying to start and raise their own families.

Before you even consider setting aside money for their college education, take a closer look at your retirement investments. If you have the slightest worries about them, put more money into your tax-sheltered retirement accounts long before saving money for your kids’ college tuition.

They have many other ways to pay for college, but you only have one way to pay for your retirement.

Invest money now so it can start compounding, and decide what to do with it later. You can withdraw contributions from a Roth individual retirement account tax- and penalty-free to put toward any costs, but you can only use 529 plans or ESAs for education costs.

13. Invest to Help With College Costs

Not paying your kids’ college tuition doesn’t make you a bad parent. Young adults who pay for their own college education often take the experience much more seriously. And many parents question whether to help with college even when they can afford it.

Even small amounts invested when your child is young can compound into significant sums by the time they turn 18. If you decide to chip in, you have several tax-friendly options to do so.

529 Plan. Your 529 college savings plan earnings grow and remain tax-free if you spend them on qualified educational expenses.
Coverdell Education Savings Account. A Coverdell ESA works similarly to a Roth IRA for education expenses. There are income limits ($110,000 for single filers and $220,000 for married), and the maximum allowable yearly contribution is $2,000, regardless of your income.
Upromise.Upromise allows you to earn cash back to use to pay for college. Unlike 529 plans and ESAs, you don’t have to contribute additional money. Rather, you earn cash back on expenses like online retail purchases and restaurant meals.

In all cases, you can open the accounts early and designate your child as a beneficiary after birth.

Final Word

As much as I preach fiscal responsibility, I know firsthand that putting off children doesn’t always make sense, financially or otherwise.

My wife and I married in our early 30s and agreed to spend one year building a foundation for our marriage before having children. Then one year became two, then three.

I started a business, and my wife worried about money. Then we went through a rough patch in our marriage. We survived it but had reached our late 30s by that point.

When we finally started trying in earnest, nothing happened, which kicked off a stretch of infertility questions and interventions. Eventually, we did have a child, but not all couples are so lucky.

Many of my friends haven’t experienced the joy of having children despite spending large sums of money — not to mention enduring immense heartache — trying to do so. In one of life’s bitter ironies, many delayed trying for children because they worried about money.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I know plenty of parents without much money who have multiple children. And every one of them finds a way to make it work.

There’s no perfect time to have children. They disrupt your life in every possible way. But like billions of parents with less money than you have, you’ll find a way to make it work too.

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G. Brian Davis is a real estate investor, personal finance writer, and travel addict mildly obsessed with FIRE. He spends nine months of the year in Abu Dhabi, and splits the rest of the year between his hometown of Baltimore and traveling the world.

Source: moneycrashers.com

November 22, 2021

The Best Banks for Freelancers Keep Up with Unique Challenges

Making money as a freelancer can be hard enough — but then you have to figure out how to manage it.

With a slew of bank account options out there, it can be difficult to narrow down all the financial institutions and determine the best place to stash that hard-earned cash, especially if your financial lifestyle is a little less regular than most 9-to-5 workers’.

To help, the Penny Hoarder team has put together this post to compare some of the best bank accounts for freelancers. That way, you can make an informed decision with minimal fine-print reading.

What Is a Freelancer?

Before diving into the top banks for freelancers, it might be helpful to explain just what’s meant by “freelancer.” In short, a freelancer is someone who does work on a per-task or per-project basis and is paid by the task. Freelancers are self-employed and they don’t receive medical benefits or other perks such as vacation or sick time like company employees do.

Freelancers typically work for several companies, called clients, as independent contractors. The term often has a creative connotation — fields like writing, editing, web design, or photography — but there are exceptions.

What Makes a Business Bank Account Ideal for Freelancers?

Since freelancers are self-employed, they have some additional needs and responsibilities that the average full-time employee might not. For example, freelancers need to pay taxes themselves — nothing is withheld from their paychecks automatically.

Additionally, since freelancers are self-employed, they can count a number of purchases as business expenses, and keeping track of these is important for tax purposes.

Here are the major features to consider when choosing bank accounts as a freelancer:

Fees: Nobody wants to pay money just to keep their money, especially when you have a variable income. Ideally that means no monthly fee and unlimited transactions.
Customer Service: Knowing you’ve got a reliable team on your side when you have questions or concerns is vital.
Accessibility: Since freelancers often work out of their own homes and remotely, accounts that are tech optimized, with intuitive online banking options and high ATM or branch availability, are generally best. ATM access is especially important for cash deposits.
Business Account Offerings: Don’t forget to look at business account offerings for each bank, which can be helpful if you decide to incorporate your business or start an LLC.
Mobile-friendliness: A usable mobile app is extremely important, especially for banks that don’t have brick-and-mortar locations.

Help with budgeting and money management will also earn bonus points since everything’s a bit more complicated when you aren’t relying on a regular paycheck. However, these are nice-to-have features, rather than necessities.

Taking into account these features, we have rounded up the best banks — and in once case a well-known online payment system — for freelancers.

The 4 Best Banks for Freelancers

Bank	Top Feature	Prime Perk
Axos Bank	Selection of accounts	Generous support hours	SEE DETAILS
Chase Bank	5,100 branches	Support options	SEE DETAILS
PayPal	Free business account	Invoicing features	SEE DETAILS
Lili	Freelancer friendly	Top notch on mobile	SEE DETAILS

Axos Bank

Best for Online-First Banking

Key Features

Lots of experience in online banking
Generous support hours
Wide selection of accounts

4 out of 5 Overall

Axos was one of the original online-only banks from way back in 2000. As such, it has a unique understanding of what it means to be online-first — ideal for freelancers who consider themselves digital nomads. Axos offers a number of solid personal bank account and business bank account options, as well as fee-free IRAs and other useful services for freelancers.

Axos Bank

Fees

Business checking accounts available with no monthly fee and low or no minimum balance requirements.

Customer service

Business customers can get help weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST.

Accessibility

There are no branches, and ATM fees are only reimbursable for certain partner institutions.

Business bank account options

Plenty of account options with high interest rates.

Mobile-friendliness

Mobile apps for iPhone and Android.

Axos offers relatively high-yield checking accounts on both the personal and business sides. Their personal savings account offers up to 1.3% APY, and their business interest checking account earns 0.8% APY. That makes it one of the best business checking accounts available for freelancers (or anyone else, for that matter) that want their money to earn interest.

However, if you’re used to in-person banking, Axos might not be for you. Although they offer ATM fee reimbursement at specified locations, you won’t be able to walk into a branch and speak face to face with a teller.

Chase Bank

Best for a Traditional Business Checking Account

Key Features

Physical locations nationwide
Useful support options
Variety of business accounts

4 out of 5 Overall

If you want brick-and-mortar access to your business checking account, Chase might offer the best bank accounts for freelancers among the big national players with the Chase Business Complete Banking. It regularly offers new subscribers large opening bonuses, carries low minimum deposits, and offers a number of ways to waive its already-low maintenance fees. You can open personal checking accounts

Chase Bank

Fees

Monthly fees can be waived in account minimums met.

Customer service

You’ve got all the options: email, phone and walking into a branch.

Accessibility

More than 5,100 branches nationwide and 16,000 ATMs.

Business bank account options

Lots of different options though eligibility depends on where you live.

Mobile-friendliness

Online banking and a mobile app mix real-world and on-the-go banking. Mobile check deposit handy.

As a major financial institution, Chase also offers a host of business bank accounts and tools, including merchant services that make taking credit card payments easy — even if your brand of freelancing has you out in the world and not constantly behind a computer screen.

Chase also offers a discount for those who sign up to use ADP payroll, which could be useful if you go the S-corp route (or have an employee or two). All together, the Chase business checking account is an excellent option.

To learn more, read our Chase Bank review.

PayPal

Best for Accepting Payments

Key Features

Business banking with no monthly fees
Built-in invoicing and payment features
Fast transfers to other accounts

3 out of 5 Overall

Okay, this one isn’t really a bank and you know it as a digital payment system. But PayPal’s business account upgrade has a lot of useful features for freelancers, including built-in invoicing and an easy-to-use app with mobile check processing. Even if you have a standard bank account, it’s worth having a PayPal account as a freelancer, since many clients will want to use it to process payments.

PayPal

Fees

Minor and mostly possible to get around, except in the case of invoicing.

Customer service

Excellent and readily available, both online and via phone.

Accessibility

While there’s no such thing as a PayPal branch, it’s easy to move funds to other bank accounts.

Business bank account options

PayPal offers a free upgrade from personal to business accounts, adding a host of tools.

Mobile-friendliness

Intuitive and user-friendly, both in a web browser and via mobile app.

There’s no monthly fee with a PayPal business account, though you may pay fees for certain types of transfers. (It’s free to transfer funds to your personal bank accounts as long as it’s not a rush, however.) There’s also a cost to the business owner when invoices are paid — PayPal’s fee is 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction. This is fairly standard for the payment processing industry, though.

Lili

Best All-In-One Solution

Key Features

Built-in expense and tax tracking
Handy referral program
Unlimited transactions with no monthly fee

4 out of 5 Overall

Lili is a tailored checking account that aims to help tackle the unique challenges that come with freelancing. As a freelancer, there are a number of financial tasks that are entirely up to you to handle, like setting aside money for taxes. Lili promises to help with a dedicated business checking account. The app, available for iOS or Android, is laser-focused on specific freelancer needs.

Lili

Fees

None.

Customer service

Standard phone support and a useful online help center.

Accessibility

No physical locations, but access to 32,000 free ATMs across the country.

Business bank account options

Solid — it’s designed for freelancers, after all.

Mobile-Friendliness

This is a mobile-only bank, and the mobile app is quite good.

The Lili business checking account comes with its own Visa debit card. Whenever you spend any money, you’ll get a push notification asking you to swipe left or right to instantly categorize the expense as either “personal” or “business.” At tax time, this will allow you to easily maximize your expenses and reduce your taxable income, lowering your tax bill.

Even better: You can earn cash by referring up to 10 friends to join Lili. Once they sign up and spend $250 on their Lili card in the first 45 days, you’ll each get $100. You can also earn a $50 bonus when you open a Lili Pro account and spend at least $1,000 with your debit card within 60 days.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Bank Accounts for Freelancers

Which Bank Account is Best for Freelancers?

While it really depends on your needs, the best bet for most freelancers is combination of Chase or Axos (Chase if you want physical branch access for cash deposits, Axos if not) and PayPal, the payment system fintech that’s built for business. This gives you a feature-rich business checking account and the additional payment options of a PayPal account.

Which Bank is Best for the Self-Employed?

Chase (specifically Chase Business Complete Banking) tends to be the best option overall for self employed bank accounts due to the presence of thousands of physical locations, as well as a solid online experience. This gives the most options to the widest possible group of self-employed individuals.

Do I Need a Separate Bank Account as a Freelancer?

Technically, no. However, it’s a good idea to separate your business and personal accounts using a separate business checking account. You may also want to look at business savings accounts. This makes it easier to track income and expenses. Additionally, depending on how you structure your business, you may be required to maintain a business banking account to show that your business is a separate entity apart from you.

How Do I Open a Bank Account as a Freelancer?

This is the easy part! Simply head to a physical location or the website of your chosen bank and let them know you want to open a business checking account (and possibly a business savings account). The bank will take care of the rest.

Penny Hoarder contributors Dave Schafer and Jamie Cattanach did the reporting and writing for this story.

Source: thepennyhoarder.com

November 22, 2021

What Is a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan?

Federal Direct Subsidized Loans are available to students who demonstrate financial need. The federal government subsidizes this type of loan by paying the interest that accrues while the student is enrolled at least half-time and during qualifying periods of deferment, such as the grace period.

It’s one of three federal student loans available to student borrowers. The others include Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and Direct Consolidation Loans. Read on for more information about the benefits of Direct Subsidized loans and details about other types of student loans available to eligible students.

What Are the Benefits of a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan?

Like any other student loan, you will be responsible for paying back your Federal Direct Subsidized Loan after you finish school, but unlike many other student loans, you won’t be responsible for paying interest while you are in school or during your grace period. The government subsidizes this type of loan by paying the interest on your behalf.

Since the government is paying the interest, it is not capitalized on the loan when you graduate. When interest is capitalized, it means it is added to the principal value of the loan. This becomes the new principal value and interest will accrue based on this new balance. Since there is no interest to capitalize, the amount you originally borrowed and the amount you’ll have to repay after your grace period ends will be the same.

Recommended: Understanding Capitalized Interest on Student Loans

Interest on a Direct Subsidized Loan won’t start accruing until the grace period is over. This might sound like a minor detail, but not having to pay interest while you are in school can drastically cut down the overall cost of your loan.

Other benefits of a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan? Like other federal student loans, you are not obligated to make payments during school.

How Do You Apply for a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan?

In order to apply for a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, more commonly known as FAFSA®. The FAFSA is available for free online, and contains questions about you and your family’s financial circumstances.

The information you submit through the FAFSA is transmitted to your school, and is used to determine what types of aid and how much for which you may be eligible. The FAFSA must be completed annually.

How Is Your Eligibility for a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan Determined?

After the FAFSA has been reviewed, you will receive a Student Aid Report , which will explain your eligibility for the various types of federal financial aid. What type of aid and how much aid you are eligible for depends on many different circumstances, including the amount the federal government expects you and your family to contribute to your educational costs, your current enrollment status in school, and the cost of attending your particular college.

The financial aid staff at your school is responsible for determining exactly how much and what type of federal loans you are eligible for.

Because Federal Direct Subsidized Loans are a need-based form of federal financial aid, you must meet certain eligibility requirements to qualify. These requirements are largely based on your expected family contribution, or how much the federal government expects that you and your family can put towards your educational expenses.

There are also limits on the amount of subsidized loans you can borrow each year, regardless of your financial need. For the 2021-2022 school year, the limit on subsidized loans was $3,500 for first-year undergraduates, $4,500 for second-year undergraduates, and $5,500 for third-year undergraduates and beyond.

Graduate and professional students are not eligible for Direct Subsidized Loans.

Paying Back a Direct Subsidized Student Loan

Like other types of student loans, you will need to start paying back your Federal Direct Subsidized Loan if you leave school or after graduation. After graduation, borrowers with Federal Direct Subsidized Loans are eligible for a six-month grace period before repayment is required.

Some people with Direct Student Loans may potentially qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). PSLF is available to qualifying college graduates who work in certain fields like government, the nonprofit sector, or healthcare, and allows some federal student loans to be forgiven after 10 years of qualifying payments.

Actually getting approved for PSLF can be extremely challenging due to stringent requirements. In October 2021, the the Department of Education announced plans to overhaul the program in order to improve upon the program’s accessibility.

Beyond Subsidized Loans: Other Options Available to Student Borrowers

Since borrower eligibility for Direct Subsidized Loans is based on borrower need, and there are annual borrowing limits, students may be interested in learning about other loan options available to them. There are three other types of federal loans and some borrowers may consider private student loans.

The three types of federal loans available outside of Direct Subsidized Loans are:

• Direct Unsubsidized Loans. These loans are available to undergraduate and graduate students. Unlike Direct Subsidized Loans, borrowers are responsible for paying the interest on these loans while they are enrolled in school and during their grace period. Eligibility is not based on financial need.

• Direct PLUS Loans. PLUS Loans are options for graduate and professional students, or parents of students who are interested in borrowing a loan to help their child pay for college. Eligibility for this type of loan is not based on need, but the application process does require a credit check.

• Direct Consolidation Loan. This federal loan isn’t awarded to borrowers as a part of their financial aid package. Instead, a Direct Consolidation Loan allows borrowers with multiple federal loans to combine (or consolidate) them into a single loan. The loan’s new interest rate is the weighted average, rounded up to the nearest one eighth of a percent, of the interest rates on the existing loans.

Private student loans are offered by private lenders. They are not required to offer the same borrower benefits or protections — think of things like PSFL or income-driven repayment plans — as federal student loans. Because of this, private loans are generally considered after borrowers have reviewed all of their other financing options.

Recommended: A Guide to Private Student Loans

To apply for private student loans, potential borrowers will need to fill out an application directly with the lender of their choice. The loan’s terms and interest rates will be influenced by factors including the borrowers financial situation and credit history, among others.

The Takeaway

Borrowers with Federal Direct Subsidized Loans are not responsible for the interest that accrues while they are enrolled in school at least half-time or during the grace period or other qualifying periods of deferment. The interest is subsidized by the U.S. government. To qualify for this type of federal student loan, borrowers must be qualifying undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need.

Other options for students looking to pay for college may include Direct Unsubsidized or PLUS Loans, scholarships and grants, or work-study. After reviewing those options, borrowers still looking for resources to pay for school may consider private student loans as an option.

SoFi offers private student loans for undergraduate and graduate students or their parents and there are no fees — that means there are no late fees, no application fees, or origination fees.

Interested in learning more about using a private student loan to pay for college? See what SoFi has to offer.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Lending Corp. or an affiliate (dba SoFi), a lender licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Financing Law, license # 6054612; NMLS # 1121636 . For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal.
SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student Loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. You should exhaust all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs.
SoFi Private Student Loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, and applicants must meet SoFi’s eligibility and underwriting requirements. See SoFi.com/eligibility for more information. To view payment examples, click here. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change.
Third Party Brand Mentions: No brands or products mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.
External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
SOSL18234

Source: sofi.com

November 22, 2021

How to Talk to Your Children About Student Loans: 6 Key Points

Many parents lecture — er, talk to — their teenagers about being responsible. Don’t text and drive. Do try to spend that summer job money wisely. As children approach college, talking about student loans might be a smart idea.

For one, the topic is pretty complicated.

And second, even if you plan to help repay any student loans, most qualified education loans are taken out in the student’s name, and there’s usually no escape: Even bankruptcy rarely erases student loan debt.

Maybe your student-athlete or scholar is counting on a full ride. While confidence is a wonderful thing, full rides are exceedingly rare.

Here are six student loan concepts you can discuss with your aspiring college student.

1. Here’s What We Think We Can Contribute

It might be uncomfortable to talk frankly about your family finances, but they almost always determine the amount and types of financial aid your child may qualify for.

It can be important for parents to discuss what they’re able to contribute in order to help their young adults wrap their heads around the numbers, too.

2. Let’s Forge Ahead With the FAFSA

The first step to hunt for financial aid is to complete the FAFSA®, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It takes most people less than an hour. Students helping their parents fill it out will get a look at the expected family contribution: the family’s taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits.

Based on financial need, a college’s cost of attendance, and FAFSA information, schools put together a financial aid package that may be composed of scholarships and grants, federal student loans, and/or work-study.

Awards based on merit (scholarships) or need (grants) are free money. When they don’t cover the full cost of college, that’s where student loans can come in.

If your income is high, should you bother with the FAFSA? Sure, because there’s no income cutoff for federal student aid. And even if your student is not eligible for federal aid, most colleges and states use FAFSA information to award nonfederal aid.

About 400 colleges and scholarship programs use the CSS Profile, a financial aid application in addition to the FAFSA. It determines eligibility for institutional scholarships and grants.

3. Interest Rates: Fixed and Not

Your soon-to-be college student may not know that there are two types of interest rates: fixed and variable.

Fixed interest rates stay the same for the life of the loan. Variable rates go up or down based on market fluctuations.

You can explain that all federal student loans borrowed after July 2006 have fixed interest rates, which are set each year, and that private student loan interest rates may be variable or fixed.

4. Federal vs Private Student Loans

Around now your young person is restless. But press on.

Anyone taking out student loans should learn that there are two main types: federal and private. All federal student loans are funded by the federal government. Private student loans are funded by some banks, credit unions, and online lenders.

If your child is going to borrow money for college, it’s generally advised to start with federal student loans. Since federal student loans are issued by the government, they have benefits, including low fixed interest rates, forbearance and deferment eligibility, and income-based repayment options.

Private student loans have terms and conditions set by private lenders, and don’t offer the generous repayment options or loan forgiveness programs of federal loans, but some private lenders do offer specific deferment options.

Private student loans can be used to fill gaps in need, up to the cost of attendance, which includes tuition, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and personal expenses. A student applicant often will need a cosigner.

5. Another Wrinkle: Subsidized vs Unsubsidized

Financial need will determine whether your undergraduate is eligible for federal Direct Subsidized Loans. Your child’s school determines the amount you can borrow, which can’t exceed your need.

The government pays the interest on Direct Subsidized Loans while your child is in college, during the grace period (the first six months after graduation or when dropping below half-time enrollment), and in deferment (postponing repayment).

With federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, interest begins accruing when the funds are disbursed and continues during grace periods, and the borrower is responsible for paying it. Direct Unsubsidized Loans are available to both undergraduate and graduate students, and there is no requirement of financial need.

Borrowers are not required to pay the interest while in school, during grace periods, or during deferment (although they can choose to), but any accrued interest will be added to the principal balance when repayment begins.

There are annual and aggregate limits for subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Most dependent freshmen, for example, can borrow no more than $5,500.

6. Soothing Words: Scholarships and Grants

It’s important to not overlook the nonloan elements of the financial aid package. They can (hooray) reduce the amount your student needs to borrow.

Scholarships and grants are essentially free money.

While some schools automatically consider your student for scholarships based on merit or other qualifications, many scholarships and grants require applications.

You may want to assign a research project to your college-bound young adult to look into all of the scholarship options they may qualify for.

The Takeaway

Debt isn’t the most thrilling parent-child topic, but college students who will need to borrow should know the ins and outs of student loans: interest rates, federal vs. private, subsidized vs. unsubsidized, and repayment options.

If federal aid doesn’t cover all the bases of college, your student can consider a private student loan with SoFi.

SoFi Private Student Loans come with competitive rates, flexible repayment options, and no fees. A student can apply entirely online, with or without a cosigner.

See your interest rate in three minutes. No strings attached.

SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student Loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. You should exhaust all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs.
SoFi Private Student Loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, and applicants must meet SoFi’s eligibility and underwriting requirements. See SoFi.com/eligibility for more information. To view payment examples, click here. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change.
External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
Third Party Brand Mentions: No brands or products mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
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Source: sofi.com

The Pricing Power Advantage

What is Current Balance?

What is Available Balance?

What is the Difference Between Current Balance and Available Balance?

How Long Does It Take for a Current Balance to Become an Available Balance?

Which Balance Should I Rely On?

The Takeaway

What Is a Fixed Expense?

What Is a Variable Expense?

Benefits of Saving Money on Fixed Expenses

Saving Money on Variable Expenses

The Takeaway

Dig Deeper

Additional Resources

Best Books to Read Before Buying a Home

1. “Home Buying Kit for Dummies” by Eric Tyson & Ray Brown

2. “Buying a Home: The Missing Manual” by Nancy Conner

3. “NOLO’s Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home” by Ilona Bray J.D., Alayna Schroeder & Marcia Stewart

4. “Home Buyer’s Checklist: Everything You Need to Know — But Forgot to Ask — Before You Buy a Home” by Robert Irwin

5. “The 106 Common Mistakes Home Buyers Make (and How to Avoid Them)” by Gary Eldred

6. “No Nonsense Real Estate: What Everyone Should Know Before Buying or Selling a Home” by Alex Goldstein

7. “The Mortgage Encyclopedia” by Jack Guttentag

8. “How to Get Approved for the Best Mortgage Without Sticking a Fork in Your Eye” by Elysia Stobbe

9. “100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask” by Ilyce R. Glink

Final Word

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How Do Income Share Agreements Impact You?

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The Takeaway

Dig Deeper

Additional Resources

How to Financially Prepare for a Child

1. Reconsider Your Income

2. Enroll in Health Insurance

3. Revamp Your Budget

4. Check Your Emergency Fund

5. Get Serious About Paying Off Unsecured Debts

6. Plan for Child Care

7. Plan for Baby Essentials

8. Update Your Will

Optional Financial Moves to Consider

9. Reevaluate Your Housing

10. Reevaluate Your Transportation

11. Buy Life Insurance or Disability Insurance

12. Double Down on Retirement Investments

13. Invest to Help With College Costs

Final Word

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The Takeaway

1. Here’s What We Think We Can Contribute

2. Let’s Forge Ahead With the FAFSA

3. Interest Rates: Fixed and Not

4. Federal vs Private Student Loans

5. Another Wrinkle: Subsidized vs Unsubsidized

6. Soothing Words: Scholarships and Grants

The Takeaway