Baby Registry Guide from a Financial Planner (Updated 2024)
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Now that we’ve been parents for a few months, I can confidently say all of these items vastly improved our journey into parenthood.

I’m Young. Should I Withdraw from My Roth IRA?
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Contributing to a Roth IRA, even though you know you will withdraw it before retirement, is a sound financial strategy.

Employer Matching Student Loan Payments Starting in 2024 (Secure 2.0)
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This amendment applies to 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, SIMPLE IRAs, and governmental 457(b) plans.

Q&A: Do I Need a Contract to Employ My Child?
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Employment contracts have their origins in very old master-servant laws. With no employment contract, you can better protect your child’s freedom and childhood.

Life Lesson #6: Juggle Your Responsibilities
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Juggling domestic responsibilities is a second shift adults are burdened with. I find this analogy helps me to set my expectations and focus more properly.

Funding a 5-Year-Oldโ€™s Roth IRA
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We continued to hire her for several of the same tasks as last year, but also added a few new ones.

Q&A: What One-Fund Could a Twenty-Something Invest In?
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Any of these ETFs or mutual funds seem like they could be a good one-fund pick for the long haul.

Life Lesson #5: Start Your Day with a Smile
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Just as a fake smile can make real happiness, fake happiness can create real enjoyment.

New Child Tax Credit for 2021 Only
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The 2021 tax credit is worth $3,600 for children under age 6 and $3,000 for those under age 18. These rules apply to tax year 2021 only.

Life Lesson #3: Avoid A Lifestyle of Unconscious Spending and Conscious Saving
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Automate your savings. Take manual control of your spending. This is the path to wealth.

Baby Registry Guide from a Financial Planner
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There are many questions that first time moms ask their veteran friends. Among the top list is, what do you really need to care for a baby?

How to Foster Your Child’s Inner Entrepreneur
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An entrepreneur is valued for innovation. To innovate almost always requires failure first.

Life Lesson #2: You Are An Adult Now
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Graduate yourself from a childish mindset to that of an adult.

Life Lesson #1: You Shouldn’t Need Saving
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No limp arms. Keep your hands up. Budget for emergencies.

Roth IRAs, 529 Plans, and Financial Freedom (Megan Russell on FamVestor Podcast)
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On Monday, October 26, 2020, Megan Russell was interviewed by Sunny Burns and Sunmarie Burns of the FamVestor podcast.

How to Cash Your Paper Treasury Bond
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Here is a guide for how to find out what your bond is worth, decide whether you should keep it until maturity or cash out early, and how to get money for your paper.

The Benefits of Using a Cost of Living Calculator When Relocating
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Any amount of difference in cost of living presents a valuable opportunity to reconsider the ways you spend money in order to increase the amount of money you can save.

Remembering The 2008 Crash as an Investor
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I knew the market was going down, but I accidentally took Bogle’s advice and didn’t peek at my own accounts.

For Recent Graduates: How to Handle Your Paycheck Like a Boss
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Financial security is an amazing feeling, so why not live your life knowing you are prepared for lifeโ€™s expenses and can plan ahead for all your future goals.

How to Fund Your Roth with Babysitting Money
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For domestic tasks like babysitting there are often two options: independent contractor or household employee. Taking the time to educate yourself on the difference may be worth your while.

How To Win The Virginia Stock Market Game
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If you do compete and want to share your results with us, fill out our Contact form and let us know about your strategy. We may even write an article about you.

Observations on “The FIRE Movement”
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The FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement is a suggestion that you should have the goal of achieving financial independence and retiring while you are young.

The Power of Compounding
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It is hard to prioritize saving, but it pays off. Here is how.

Fund Your Child’s Roth with Chore Income
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There are many opportunities to pay your children. If that payment can be counted as earned income, then the child is eligible to fund their Roth IRA.

What You Need to Know Before You Invest
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When I was a teen, my grandfather George Marotta passed down to me his copy of “What You Need to Know Before You Invest” by Rod Davis. I recommend this book as way to gain a baseline understanding.

Financial Planning for the Young and Non-Affluent
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“We have simply not been able to serve those who really need us the most.”

Radio: Getting Your Finances in Order
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David John Marotta was interviewed on Radio 1070’s Schilling Show discussing getting your finances in order.

The Business of Being an Artist
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Financial planning is simply doing what it takes to give you the means to do what you want. The poorer you are the more you need financial planning. You don’t have any margin for mistakes.

Generational Financial Planning Within The Kiddie Tax Limits
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Families that consider generational financial planning techniques can reduce the burden of taxes on the family as a whole.

Do Children Need To File A Tax Return To Fund Their Roth IRA?
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The IRS does not require dependents whose gross income is only earned income to file a tax return if the amount is less than a certain amount.

What To Do With That First Paycheck
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You probably know that you should spend less than you earn, but that is only part of the equation.

How to Pay Off Student Loans While Building Wealth
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While your student loans may be a daunting sum, it is still possible to build wealth even while paying off student debt.

Radio: Financial Planning for Buying a Home
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David John Marotta was interviewed on WINA’s “Real Estate Matters” show with Michael Guthrie, talking about how it is still a good time to buy a house.

Small Changes Have Large Effects Over Time
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A swimmer takes one stroke at a time and yet makes great progress.

Infographic: Is Grad School a Good Investment?
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An alternate look at the formula using the case study of Kate the Social worker who wants an MBA from Georgetown University.

Is Graduate School a Good Investment? Here’s the Formula.
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Your future path is sure to take many unexpected twists and turns, but you should run the numbers. Your future self will thank you.

How to Save for Large Fast-Approaching Expenses
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The average married couple has dreams of multiple children, annual vacations, and homeownership, but planning for these expenses can be challenging.

How to Take Advantage of Student Loan Forgiveness
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You might think that you can’t qualify, but many well-paid families are eligible.

How Quickly Should I Pay My Student Loans?
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For those who do not want to be investors, a fast-track repayment may be best. But for those willing to save and invest, there is a better option.

The Complete Guide to Automating Your Savings
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After automating your entire investment plan, you can save and invest without even having to watch.

A Guide to Your W-4
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All new employees have to fill out form W-4, but despite its ubiquity, most people don’t understand it.

Radio: Employment Tips for Recent Grads

David John Marotta and Megan Russell were interviewed on the radio discussing ways recent graduates can make themselves more attractive to employers in today’s tough job market.

How to Get Jobs for “Unemployable” Degrees
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The list of jobs for a History major seems quite short: Historian and Historic Preservation come quickly, then maybe Politics, if you think particularly hard about it.

Radio Interview: Ideas for Success
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David John Marotta was recently interviewed on radio 1070 WINA’s Schilling Show discussing success, and how to structure your life for greater chances of success.

Can I Contribute to a Roth IRA?
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How do you know if you can contribute to a Roth IRA? See this flowchart for answers.

How Do I Structure My Accounts for Automatic Savings?
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Often the needs and wants of the present take our attention at the expense of the future. You want a system that will prioritize saving without needing your constant attention.

Get Your Estate Plan In Order – Even if You’re Only 26
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Today’s question: What if something happens to me and I am not able to make decisions for myself?

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