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The best financial education starts at home. Every parent wants what’s best for their children, and part of that is ensuring they have a bright financial future. Talking to children about money can start at an early age, but it becomes especially important as they enter their teenage years and begin to take on more adult responsibilities. While every family situation is different, and some may have access to different resources than others, there are always steps you can take to give your teen a jump-start on their financial journey. From helping them understand the ins and outs of basic financial literacy to encouraging them to start their own business, there are a range of ways to help, from the simple to the complex. Consider these nine recommendations from the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective to help set your teen up for a secure financial future.

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There’s no shame in asking for help, especially when it comes to your finances. Personal finance is often just that: personal. Not only is it meant to adapt to your own needs, goals and wants, but it also can often be done on your own, with no outside help needed to succeed. However, finance can sometimes get complicated, especially as you start exploring more in depth with topics like investing, planning for retirement and estate planning. While you may be tempted to take on these complex areas on your own, it can sometimes be wise to bring professional help on board. As financial experts themselves, the members of Kiplinger Advisor Collective have helped countless people navigate the complexities of the financial world. Here, they discuss 10 important instances when you may want to consult a professional and why doing so will save you a lot of hassle — and money — in the long run.

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The stock market can be a confusing place for beginners, but it doesn't have to be. Often accompanied by words like “volatile” and “risky,” the stock market is an intimidating and confusing place for many. While beginner investors may know investing in the stock market is a key part of building wealth, they may also tend to avoid it because they feel it’s too complicated for them to get involved in or that they don’t have the knowledge necessary to make smart investment choices. Here, the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective seek to demystify the stock market and break down some of the fears people may have around investing. Below, they discuss some of the key steps you’ll want to take when jumping into the stock market for the first time and why a little education and a plan can go a long way toward investing successfully.

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Learning what not to do can put you on a better path to success. In finance, there are all sorts of best practices that can help you build wealth and gain confidence with money. However, for every best practice, there is an equal number of bad practices that can derail your progress or even completely jeopardize your future success.  And while failing to build a budget or letting ‘lifestyle creep’ take hold may not seem like they will have a major effect on your finances, it’s often the small mistakes that can lead to big trouble down the line. As leaders in the financial industry, the members of Kiplinger Advisor Collective are familiar with the kinds of mistakes that can negatively impact a person’s overall success with money. Here, they each share one financial “don’t” (or mistake) they always advise their clients to avoid, why and the impact it can have on their future. 

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Such a sensitive subject requires a careful approach. Talking to your aging parents about their finances can be extremely difficult, but it can be important to ensuring they are supported and cared for in their later years. As parents grow older, they may find it harder to do the things they’ve always done, such as manage their day-to-day finances or make major decisions about money. They may also have certain wishes regarding their long-term care or what they’d like done with their assets once they pass on. Having these conversations with your parents early on can help ensure you’re on the same page and help them make the best decisions for their needs. However, approaching parents about this subject can be challenging, and parents may not always be receptive to getting advice from their children — even if they are grown adults themselves. To help make these matters easier for both parties, the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective each share one tip they’d give for how to approach this type of conversation with aging parents, and why implementing this tip can ensure everyone is happy.

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Getting on the same page now can ensure you remain successful throughout your relationship. Whether you’re a few months or a few years into a relationship, talking with your partner about money can sometimes feel awkward. You may have different goals for your money or different behaviors regarding spending and saving, and these differences can sometimes be the catalyst for arguments you aren’t sure how to solve. For couples who choose to blend their finances, getting on the same page about money is even more vital to long-term success. For your finances to work as one, you and your partner must work as one — and, according to the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective, follow these seven key steps. Below, they elaborate on each step, explaining why having meaningful discussions and ensuring you each have a stake in the game will not only make you stronger financially but as a couple as well.

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To change your finances, you’ll first need to change your thinking. The way people think about money can have a greater impact on their financial success than they may think. Whether it’s the way you were raised or a belief that you have come to over time, the mindset that you develop around your finances has a direct influence on the actions you take with money and your behaviors surrounding it. These beliefs can be positive or negative, truthful or a lie — but how can you tell the difference? Below, the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective list out some of the most common money mindsets people have that may actually be hurting their progress with money, detailing not only the reasons why but also how they can change and finally get their finances in order.

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Don’t leave your legacy up to someone else. While the main focus of your wealth-building journey may naturally be building up your wealth, it’s equally important to determine what to do with it once you have it. Whether you’re planning to give it away upon your death or would like to give some away while you’re still alive, planning for either situation can help you ensure your hard-earned wealth is distributed how you’d like, to whom you’d like and when. A common solution for wealth distribution is a will. A will offers you the opportunity to describe how you would like your assets distributed upon your passing; however, another popular solution is a trust, which allows you to direct the distribution of your wealth while you're still alive. While both are great solutions depending on your goals, a trust can have other benefits you may want to consider. Below, the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective outline six additional benefits of trusts and why putting your assets into a trust may be the best solution for you.

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To improve your financial situation, focus on empowering yourself first. Whether it’s limiting cultural expectations, wage disparities or planning for longer-term care, there are some financial challenges women face that their male counterparts may never experience. And while these can be major roadblocks to financial success on their own, these obstacles can be even more difficult to overcome if you don’t have much experience handling finances or knowledge about the best ways to tackle financial issues. However, according to the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective, the best way to improve your financial situation is to empower yourself through the following six steps. By making each one of these steps a priority, women can take charge of their financial well-being, strengthen their financial literacy and equip themselves with the skills they need to succeed with money now and well into the future.

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It’s never too early to start thinking about your child’s financial future. When you’re a new parent, you have a lot on your plate. Between learning how to care for your child’s physical and emotional needs and adapting your life around your new family member, you’re also trying to consider their future and what you may need to do now to help get them started on the best path to success. One area that may draw your attention is their future financial security. What habits will they need to develop in order to have a healthy relationship with money? What steps can you take while they’re young to prepare them for the expenses of the future? These questions can feel overwhelming, especially while you’re still adjusting to parenthood, but even simple steps can have a big impact. According to the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective, the following seven steps are a good place to start. Below, they outline each one  and why taking each particular step will ensure your child is on the right trajectory for a successful financial future.

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Small mistakes can have a big impact over time. Opportunities abound when it comes to making money. But while there are numerous paths for building wealth, there are just as many paths for making a mistake. And not all mistakes are so obvious. If you’re making or saving more and more money year after year, you’re succeeding in building wealth—right? While this thinking is technically correct, you could be making the process more complicated than it needs to be or are missing out on vital opportunities to build wealth smarter and faster. Here, nine financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective dive deeper on some of the most common wealth-building mistakes that people make and what they would advise people do differently to maximize their wealth-building potential.

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The secret to your retirement income could live in your home’s equity. While saving for retirement is a major financial goal for many, not everyone saves or is able to save enough money to live on by the time they hit retirement age, leaving them wondering how they will manage to pay for living expenses and any unexpected costs that might crop up. A reverse mortgage is one solution to this problem. Instead of making mortgage payments to their lender, homeowners can relinquish their home’s equity back to the lender in exchange for payments they can use to cover their expenses. This can be a tempting solution if you’re worried about how you’ll cover costs during retirement, but it’s not the only solution for supplementing your income, and it may not be right for everyone. So how can you know if it’s right for you? Here, six financial experts from Kiplinger Advisor Collective shed light on the pros and cons of a reverse mortgage and offer up critical questions you should ask yourself first before deciding whether or not to take on this type of solution.

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The right professional will help you more than just once a year. As April 15 draws closer and closer, the need to file your taxes on time grows even more urgent. While there are self-filing services and software available, many people still look for the personalized guidance and care a tax professional can provide. But are all tax professionals the same? With so many to choose from, narrowing down the perfect planner or adviser for you can be a complex challenge. To help make the search a little easier, the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective offer their guidance. Below, they outline some of the most important factors you should consider when looking for a tax pro and discuss why making the effort to find the best help now can save you both time and money well into the future.

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Taking even just one of these steps can set you on a better path toward financial success. Financial surprises often seem to crop up at the most inopportune times — your car breaks down, you have an unexpected medical bill, your air conditioner needs to be replaced. All of these situations, paired with poor money habits or a lack of financial planning, can create a major hole in your budget, leaving you feeling scared or anxious about how you’re going to climb back out. But whether you have unexpected expenses, you spend above your means or you feel like you’re behind on saving for retirement, the key to finding stability is intention. Here, the financial and investment experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective walk through the steps anyone can take right now to start building a more financially stable future and why doing so is key to living the life you want. 

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The way you approach these conversations can set the stage for your whole relationship — for better or worse. Money and finances can be a truly divisive topic, and nowhere is this more true than with romantic partners. With differing spending and saving habits, economic backgrounds, values or beliefs around money, couples may find it difficult to get on the same page when it comes to their finances. In some cases, disagreements around money may even lead couples to break up or divorce. In this way, it’s vital couples have conversations about money early on to set a better foundation for their financial future together. However, ensuring you’re having these conversations the right way — without them turning into arguments — is key to your success. To offer their guidance, 10 financial experts from Kiplinger Advisor Collective each share one piece of advice they’d give to a couple about how to approach money conversations in a better way and work together to accomplish their financial goals.

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Don’t let the fear of taxes prevent you from becoming an investor. Whether it’s in real estate or the stock market, investing can be an exciting way to make more money. The gains you make on those investments can help fund further investments, help you save for a project you’re taking on or even contribute to your retirement. However, many people are nervous to invest because of the potential capital gains taxes they’ll have to pay — or the taxes owed on any profit made on the sale of a particular investment. According to the financial and investment experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective, however, fear of capital gains taxes shouldn’t keep you from investing. Below, they explain why that is, as well as discuss their best advice for managing that fear and minimizing any capital gains taxes you may incur throughout your life.

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Decisions regarding your long-term health should always be considered carefully. Navigating all of life’s curveballs can be one of the hardest parts of responsible life planning. No one can predict exactly what life will throw at them or where exactly they’ll be five, 10 or 20 years down the road. Thankfully, products like insurance can help cautious individuals plan for life ahead, giving them peace of mind even if the worst-case scenario never actually occurs.  One such insurance is long-term care insurance, which can help cover the costs of long-term care that may not be covered by your health insurance. Whether it’s due to aging or the result of a debilitating illness or disability, individuals who require regular care for the long term — or expect that they may in the future — may benefit from purchasing a long-term care insurance policy. However, not all policies are created equal, and careful consideration should be given to a number of factors before making a decision. To help, the financial leaders of Kiplinger Advisor Collective discuss those factors below, as well as how you can find the best policy for you and your needs.