Mari Talks Money

My client is getting a mortgage on a new condo 🏡 and couldn't understand why her credit score wasn't higher. How to tell if your credit score is high enough to get the best deals, and small mistakes that could be sabotaging your best efforts.

Mari Talks Money

Is Your Credit Score Good Enough? - Mari Talks Money Last week, I got a panicked call from a client. She is buying a new condo in Miami, and has been busy working with a mortgage broker to wrap up the financing details. “I am so upset,” she cried to me over the phone. “I don’t know what went wrong. I pay my bills as soon as they come in, but m...

It must have been 'Karma.' What crossing paths with Swifties and the Eras tour in Madrid taught me about how Gen Z and millennials spend, splurge, and pursue that next big experience.

Mari Talks Money

No 'Cruel Summer' for Swifties in Madrid - Mari Talks Money Hard to believe that less than a week ago I was strolling through the cobblestone calles of Madrid, sampling the capital’s famous jamón ibérico and breakfasting on indulgent churros con chocolate. I spent my last day in Madrid visiting the Prado Museum before a late lunch at Casa Botin, reputedl...

So many friends and neighbors are becoming grandparents, and they tell me it's a lot more fun than parenting! I can believe it. So if you are a grandparent, congratulations! Enjoy every moment of it.

Part of being a grandparent is wanting to do whatever is in your power to make life a little bit easier for those younger generations.

One way you can make a gift with lasting impact is to consider funding a 529 college savings account for the new baby.

Some of you may already be familiar with 529 plans. As a quick recap, 529 accounts are considered by most financial planners as the gold standard of college savings plans. They are accounts that you fund and then sit back and watch as they grow tax-free until your grandchild uses the funds for college, trade school, or a number of other education options.

They are super easy to use. Basically, you just add the contributions and the plan takes care of the rest. These plans are incredibly flexible. The funds can be used tax-free in-state, out-of-state, at public schools, at private schools, transferred to other family members, and so on. My son used his account for pilot training and flight school. For most families, 529 plans are much better than other savings options that eat into financial aid and lose ground every year to inflation and income taxes.

You can use the 529 plan offered by your state or any other state. All you need to get started is the name of your grandchild and their Social Security number. A small contribution gets the plan open.

If you live in Florida like I do, take a look as well at the Florida Prepaid College Plan. It locks in the price of today's tuition so it keeps up with inflation. The plan is guaranteed by the state of Florida so you can never lose your money. It's a good foundation for your grandchild's overall college savings strategy.

College continues to be a great investment that can nearly double your grandchild's lifetime income. So take a look at gifting your grandchild a gift with lasting impact that keeps giving year after year.

Mari Talks Money Florida Prepaid College Plans

This , help your daughter grow up to be financially fearless. The best way for moms to teach positive money lessons is to set an example. Let your daughter watch how you take care of family finances and make responsible money decisions. Don't forget that the biggest influence on her is you and how she sees you handle money.

Mari Talks Money

Confused about how much to save, and what account to save it in? Here's a quick primer on saving for retirement or just about any other goal. It's actually easier than you might think. Do try a retirement calculator, as mentioned in the story, if you haven't already. And count on spending as much in retirement as you are spending now. It costs money to have fun!
The Wall Street Journal Tanza Loudenback

How Much of My Paycheck Should I Save? Don’t be afraid to start small. In the long run, it can still add up.

If you love books and reading as much as I do, please consider joining us on Saturday, April 13 at the Night of Literary Feasts to benefit the Broward Public Library Foundation (that's Fort Lauderdale FL for all you non-Floridians). You can meet all ten featured authors at the reception, silent auction, and book signing, then segue to one of the intimate private dinners for our literary guests. I'll be co-hosting a dinner for author Alex DeMille, featuring his novel Blood Lines, which is a masterwork of intrigue and suspense. It's always a lot of fun and my favorite event of the year! Hope to see you there!
https://www.bplfoundation.org/a-night-of-literary-feasts
Broward Public Library Foundation Mari Talks Money

Can you count on your bank to pay you a fair rate of interest? Apparently not. Read how many banks and high yield savings accounts are pulling the wool over your eyes when it comes to that supposedly "high" interest rate.

The Wall Street Journal

When High-Yield Savings Accounts Come With an Asterisk Customers are earning less than they expected at some online-centric banks.

Parents, here's a painless way to help your kids start building a million dollar totally tax-free retirement account. Thanks to The Slott Report for the timely reminder! Get these funded before April 15.

Mari Talks Money Ed Slott and Company
https://bit.ly/3w2cIH6

Exciting news for Florida families! 📰
Florida Prepaid just announced a substantial price rollback that pushes prices to the lowest level in 10 years and makes college even more affordable for Florida families. Many existing plan owners will be getting refunds; new participants can choose from plans starting as low as $34 per month.

Florida Prepaid College Plans

College Savings Plans | College Tuition Funding | Florida Prepaid Florida Prepaid offers college savings plans. We provide college tuition funding options including 529 savings plans; learn how we can help you save for college!

7 Financial Experts Share Their 2024 New Year's Resolutions

It's not everyday that your financial advisor will tell you to spend money, but that was my 2024 New Year's financial advice ... to myself!!

Along with six other financial experts, I shared my own New Year's Resolutions with financial journalist Robyn A. Friedman in a January 2024 City & Shore magazine interview.

Here's the resolution that I shared with Robyn:

My New Year’s Resolution might surprise you, coming from a financial planner. In the New Year, I’m giving myself permission to spend.

For over three decades, I’ve helped my clients prepare for a secure future by saving, investing and making good money decisions. Well, I’ve followed that advice for myself as well, and now it’s time for me to stop saving and focus more on spending and enjoying life.

You never know what the future will bring, so once your plan is in place, don’t put off living the life you’ve always wanted. For me, that means discovering new places, cultures and cuisines through travel, and spending more time doing city things in my old home of Washington DC."

The Takeaway: Saving for tomorrow is important, but so is enjoying life today. My own experience shows that a good CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional will help you customize a spending plan that's perfect for you, so you can save for the future and still enjoy everything that matters to you today.

If you're not already earning over 5% on your savings, this should be your #1 New Year's resolution. 🥂 🎆 🎉

It's soooo easy to upgrade your savings options. Check out this list of the best savings accounts for December 2023, put together by Fortune. https://bit.ly/3NK381U

3 key things to know about holiday shopping over Black Friday/Cyber Monday. 🛍 🎁 🛒

🛍 How many people are shopping? Lots. 82% of people plan to shop over Black Friday/Cyber Monday, most shopping online from the comfort of their couch.

🛍 What are people planning to buy? Top purchases include clothing and accessories (82%) and electronics (73%).

🛍 How much do they plan to spend? The average consumer plans to spend $567, up 13% from 2022. That will keep the economy humming!

🛍 Mari Talks Money https://bit.ly/47pfW5x