“The best time to build lifelong money habits is when you are young. The second-best time is today.”
From the Blog
Practical writing for families building wealth across generations.
529, Trump Account, custodial Roth IRA, teen brokerage — 2026 has more kids’ account options than ever. The order to layer six accounts from birth to 18, and the single job each one does.
Teen hiring is the weakest it has been since 1948 — but for the kid who earns anything this summer, scarcity makes that money rarer, not less useful. How a summer paycheck (or a babysitting cash box) becomes a custodial Roth IRA and a 50-year head start.
SECURE 2.0 lets up to $35,000 of unused 529 funds roll into your child’s Roth IRA tax-free — and the 15-year clock starts the day you open the account, not the day you fund it. Here’s why that changes the math on opening one at birth.
Even a $130,000 family is falling behind as groceries outrun paychecks — while households that own stocks pull further ahead. The case for owning the whole market through a low-cost S&P 500 index fund, and why it matters most for your kids.
The provider list is finally set and the IRS Form 4547 election is live — Trump Accounts open July 4 with a $1,000 government seed, yet nearly 80% of eligible families still haven’t claimed it. The two-step plan to be ready on day one, plus how the account fits alongside a 529 and a custodial Roth IRA.
Every dollar your teen earns this summer unlocks custodial Roth IRA space that can compound tax-free for 50 years — and it expires at year-end if unused. The playbook our family uses, including the parent match and a free income tracker.
For the first time, through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the federal government is seeding an investment account for newborns. The free $1,000 government deposit is the headline. The decisions you make around it are what actually matter.
Fidelity Youth, Schwab Teen Investor, or a traditional UTMA custodial account? The real decision isn't the features — they're nearly identical — it's who owns the account and how much control you keep. A side-by-side comparison for families.
A practical family debt-payoff method built on modified Ramsey Baby Steps — snowballs, blizzards, and avalanches, plus a debt-reduction spreadsheet you can run with your spouse each month.
From piggy banks to first investments — teaching children that money is earned, saved, and grown. A practical guide to building financial literacy early.
Expanded content on core financial concepts
Many of our most substantial pieces live in the Financial Education section, where they're organized into a complete curriculum. You may also find helpful deep-dives on specific topics there.