Financial Education for Colorado Educators (and those they love). Absolutely Free.
I watched the Finding The Money documentary last night. I recommend it for anyone who is curious about economics or simply how money works. While you may not agree with everything they say, I think it will help everyone think more deeply about how money and our economy works and perhaps make you question the … Continue reading Finding The Money Documentary
The new 530A accounts (aka, "Trump" Accounts) are now live and you are able to contribute to them. (Theoretically available, at least, I don't have a child under 18 to test it with. But should be available very soon if not today.) This account is a new type of investment account you can open and … Continue reading 530A Accounts for Children Under Age 18
I just finished reading The Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy by Ray Madoff, a legal scholar and professor at Boston College Law School (no relation to that other guy). I highly recommend it (and it's a fairly short and easy read). (This podcast episode will give you the highlights.) The … Continue reading Book Recommendation: The Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy
The Colorado Sun ran an article titled "As retiree pensions shrank, Colorado PERA paid its staff millions of dollars in bonuses". This article has lots of good and relevant information in it, and this is a legitimate topic to debate. But I was disappointed in some of the things the article left out. There are … Continue reading Is PERA Paying Its Investment Staff Too Much?
One of the things I try to stress in my financial literacy class for educators is the difference between savings and investments. Savings is more for the short-term, to deal with the expected expenses that arise. Investments are longer term, for longer-term goals (perhaps purchasing a house, paying for a college education, or retiring). Early … Continue reading Cash Isn’t Trash (But It Also Isn’t Investing)
A topic that comes up fairly frequently in discussions (both in person and in my financial literacy class for educators) is when does it no longer makes sense to spend money to repair your existing car and instead purchase a new (or new-to-you) car. In the vast majority of these conversions a phrase similar to … Continue reading Should You Repair Your Car Or Get A New One?