Every college or university provides information on what the costs are for someone to attend their school. Simply google, School name cost of attendance. I think that this includes things like all the fees including their student health insurance, books, room and board etc. What is not included are things like clothing, travel, auto/parking, cell phone, Starbucks, etc. You might discuss with your student, to ask them what they are spending now, and for them to come up with a budget to include the items not covered within the school's cost of attendance. Then, you begin and make adjustments as necessary.....
Like most other problems in life, I don't think that there is a one-size fits all solution for elder care. And while I think that having family to help (especially with monitoring delivered vs. promised care in facilities) can be a good thing, fundamentally only having sufficient economic resources to fund needed care can help assure that one can receive the type and amount of care required. Most over-55 communities where seniors own homes can develop networks in the community which help with the needs of their residents. However, these communities only serve a portion of the elder population. While around 80% of seniors own their home most are not in over -55 communities. We have owned a 2nd home in an over-55 community for 14 years. This community has the same sort of support network that you have described. Despite this, most of my neighbors who reach their older days, sell their homes and move to be nearer their families. Anecdotally, these folks will not be needing financial help from their relatives; they were all comfortable. Over 14 years 70% of the 2500 homes have sold at least once. Regardless of whether you have family available or not, planning ahead is crucial. Once you have fallen and broken a hip, it is too late to look for who will be helping you.
Like the stock market, timing and location are everything when considering a home purchase/sale. If you spoke to someone who bought during Covid and has a 3% or less mortgage, they would still be happy. This is our 47th year in our current home. Over those years, the price/value of the home has gone up, down, and been unchanged over different periods of time. With real estate, you cannot have a short term approach.... In 2006, we sold my wife's parent's 1700sf home in Albany, CA for $1M. Four years later it resold for $875k. Today, it is worth $1.7M. Just as with declines in the stock market, over time, most of those who stay invested will come out ok.
Since we are just looking at the effect of economics on the decision to have children, we early Baby Boomers faced much lower expenses than folks do today. In 1973 when our first one was born, our health insurance didn't even cover the expense. I think our family doctor (not an OB/GYN) charged $250 and the hospital was less than $1000 including a 3 day stay for my wife. Since my wife didn't work, we never had to pay for child care. Our 2500 SF home cost $99k. We didn't have to pay for cell phones, personal computers, etc. When the first child went to university, the tuition was around $8k for four years. Everything was much less expensive than today! None of the things we used with our children, from cribs, to strollers, to car seats, to clothing, would be considered safe for use with children today. And all of the newer stuff is much more expensive. I can't step into the shoes of someone who has to live in our economy today. But, there will be a profound cost in late retirement for all of the childless. Institutional care provided to older folks must be monitored by someone in the family to assure that the elder gets the care they have been promised. I will be 80 this year and I am very happy that we were able to afford bringing children into the world.
With more than half the population living paycheck-to-paycheck, your idea isn't going to work. Which households have 12% margin in their budgets? What we could do is to match your investment choice with a mandate for ALL employers to fund additional pretax compensation of say 5-7% which would be contributed to a governmental program which would invest these funds as you have suggested. Employers could increase their prices to offset the additional expense. Where ever people worked their retirement account would follow them. Employees who wish to contribute more could do so. There would be some initial angst from employers but they would adjust. When retirement funding is optional it does not occur for most of the population.
The best example of why you need a broad view of possible health care financial risks has to include Long Term Care which is totally outside Medicare.......I am currently paying more than $10k per month for Memory Care for my spouse.....
I have to tell you of my experience this year with the IRS IP pin. For quite a few years I have been using TurboTax PC version to do my taxes. This has included using the pin. However, I don’t recall ever doing anything to obtain the pin, nor have I ever received one through the mail. Each year after installing the new version of TT I import my return from the previous year. Then i update all the 1099 data etc, and am ready to file.
This year when I attempted to E-file, my return was rejected for having an incorrect pin. I looked at the info I had, and then tried again. Failed again. So, I called TT tech help line. The very knowledgeable person at TT advised me that for a significant number of taxpayers, the IRS had not actually mailed out the new pins for 2025 taxes. It was some kind of glitch. The solution was to login to my account at the IRS to get the pin.
Again, this was interesting, as I didn’t have an account at the IRS that I knew of; had never been to their site. Fortunately, I have ID.ME credentials. I used them to login to the IRS, and easily found the pin. I put this new pin into TT and successfully E-filed.
What is really fascinating, is that our return was a joint return. My spouse also has a pin, the IRS accepted the return with her pin as imported from our 2024 return. Trying to understand how the IRS works is like gazing at your own navel, a crystal ball, tea leaves, etc.
I have to tell you of my experience this year with the IRS IP pin. For quite a few years I have been using TurboTax PC version to do my taxes. This has included using the pin. However, I don't recall ever doing anything to obtain the pin, nor have I ever received one through the mail. Each year after installing the new version of TT I import my return from the previous year. Then i update all the 1099 data etc, and am ready to file. This year when I attempted to E-file, my return was rejected for having an incorrect pin. I looked at the info I had, and then tried again. Failed again. So, I called TT tech help line. The very knowledgeable person at TT advised me that for a significant number of taxpayers, the IRS had not actually mailed out the new pins for 2025 taxes. It was some kind of glitch. The solution was to login to my account at the IRS to get the pin. Again, this was interesting, as I didn't have an account at the IRS that I knew of; had never been to their site. Fortunately, I have ID.ME credentials. I used them to login to the IRS, and easily found the pin. I put this new pin into TT and successfully E-filed. What is really fascinating, is that our return was a joint return. My spouse also has a pin, the IRS accepted the return with her pin as imported from our 2024 return. Trying to understand how the IRS works is like gazing at your own navel, a crystal ball, tea leaves, or perhaps trying to understand the whichness of the why......
Comments
Every college or university provides information on what the costs are for someone to attend their school. Simply google, School name cost of attendance. I think that this includes things like all the fees including their student health insurance, books, room and board etc. What is not included are things like clothing, travel, auto/parking, cell phone, Starbucks, etc. You might discuss with your student, to ask them what they are spending now, and for them to come up with a budget to include the items not covered within the school's cost of attendance. Then, you begin and make adjustments as necessary.....
Post: How much to provide a college student monthly?
Link to comment from April 26, 2026
Like most other problems in life, I don't think that there is a one-size fits all solution for elder care. And while I think that having family to help (especially with monitoring delivered vs. promised care in facilities) can be a good thing, fundamentally only having sufficient economic resources to fund needed care can help assure that one can receive the type and amount of care required. Most over-55 communities where seniors own homes can develop networks in the community which help with the needs of their residents. However, these communities only serve a portion of the elder population. While around 80% of seniors own their home most are not in over -55 communities. We have owned a 2nd home in an over-55 community for 14 years. This community has the same sort of support network that you have described. Despite this, most of my neighbors who reach their older days, sell their homes and move to be nearer their families. Anecdotally, these folks will not be needing financial help from their relatives; they were all comfortable. Over 14 years 70% of the 2500 homes have sold at least once. Regardless of whether you have family available or not, planning ahead is crucial. Once you have fallen and broken a hip, it is too late to look for who will be helping you.
Post: The Myth of the Default Caregiver
Link to comment from April 11, 2026
Like the stock market, timing and location are everything when considering a home purchase/sale. If you spoke to someone who bought during Covid and has a 3% or less mortgage, they would still be happy. This is our 47th year in our current home. Over those years, the price/value of the home has gone up, down, and been unchanged over different periods of time. With real estate, you cannot have a short term approach.... In 2006, we sold my wife's parent's 1700sf home in Albany, CA for $1M. Four years later it resold for $875k. Today, it is worth $1.7M. Just as with declines in the stock market, over time, most of those who stay invested will come out ok.
Post: The Home Ownership Gamble
Link to comment from April 7, 2026
Since we are just looking at the effect of economics on the decision to have children, we early Baby Boomers faced much lower expenses than folks do today. In 1973 when our first one was born, our health insurance didn't even cover the expense. I think our family doctor (not an OB/GYN) charged $250 and the hospital was less than $1000 including a 3 day stay for my wife. Since my wife didn't work, we never had to pay for child care. Our 2500 SF home cost $99k. We didn't have to pay for cell phones, personal computers, etc. When the first child went to university, the tuition was around $8k for four years. Everything was much less expensive than today! None of the things we used with our children, from cribs, to strollers, to car seats, to clothing, would be considered safe for use with children today. And all of the newer stuff is much more expensive. I can't step into the shoes of someone who has to live in our economy today. But, there will be a profound cost in late retirement for all of the childless. Institutional care provided to older folks must be monitored by someone in the family to assure that the elder gets the care they have been promised. I will be 80 this year and I am very happy that we were able to afford bringing children into the world.
Post: Financial regrets about parenthood?
Link to comment from April 7, 2026
With more than half the population living paycheck-to-paycheck, your idea isn't going to work. Which households have 12% margin in their budgets? What we could do is to match your investment choice with a mandate for ALL employers to fund additional pretax compensation of say 5-7% which would be contributed to a governmental program which would invest these funds as you have suggested. Employers could increase their prices to offset the additional expense. Where ever people worked their retirement account would follow them. Employees who wish to contribute more could do so. There would be some initial angst from employers but they would adjust. When retirement funding is optional it does not occur for most of the population.
Post: Perfection, enemy of good
Link to comment from April 5, 2026
The best example of why you need a broad view of possible health care financial risks has to include Long Term Care which is totally outside Medicare.......I am currently paying more than $10k per month for Memory Care for my spouse.....
Post: Focus on the real healthcare financial risk in post age 65 retirement
Link to comment from March 24, 2026
I have to tell you of my experience this year with the IRS IP pin. For quite a few years I have been using TurboTax PC version to do my taxes. This has included using the pin. However, I don’t recall ever doing anything to obtain the pin, nor have I ever received one through the mail. Each year after installing the new version of TT I import my return from the previous year. Then i update all the 1099 data etc, and am ready to file. This year when I attempted to E-file, my return was rejected for having an incorrect pin. I looked at the info I had, and then tried again. Failed again. So, I called TT tech help line. The very knowledgeable person at TT advised me that for a significant number of taxpayers, the IRS had not actually mailed out the new pins for 2025 taxes. It was some kind of glitch. The solution was to login to my account at the IRS to get the pin. Again, this was interesting, as I didn’t have an account at the IRS that I knew of; had never been to their site. Fortunately, I have ID.ME credentials. I used them to login to the IRS, and easily found the pin. I put this new pin into TT and successfully E-filed. What is really fascinating, is that our return was a joint return. My spouse also has a pin, the IRS accepted the return with her pin as imported from our 2024 return. Trying to understand how the IRS works is like gazing at your own navel, a crystal ball, tea leaves, etc.
Post: A PIN to protect your tax return
Link to comment from March 1, 2026
I have only used Disqus to login at HD. This am I posted a reply on the IP Pin thread, and my reply says Awaiting for Approval. What is going on?
Post: Question for writers
Link to comment from March 1, 2026
I have to tell you of my experience this year with the IRS IP pin. For quite a few years I have been using TurboTax PC version to do my taxes. This has included using the pin. However, I don't recall ever doing anything to obtain the pin, nor have I ever received one through the mail. Each year after installing the new version of TT I import my return from the previous year. Then i update all the 1099 data etc, and am ready to file. This year when I attempted to E-file, my return was rejected for having an incorrect pin. I looked at the info I had, and then tried again. Failed again. So, I called TT tech help line. The very knowledgeable person at TT advised me that for a significant number of taxpayers, the IRS had not actually mailed out the new pins for 2025 taxes. It was some kind of glitch. The solution was to login to my account at the IRS to get the pin. Again, this was interesting, as I didn't have an account at the IRS that I knew of; had never been to their site. Fortunately, I have ID.ME credentials. I used them to login to the IRS, and easily found the pin. I put this new pin into TT and successfully E-filed. What is really fascinating, is that our return was a joint return. My spouse also has a pin, the IRS accepted the return with her pin as imported from our 2024 return. Trying to understand how the IRS works is like gazing at your own navel, a crystal ball, tea leaves, or perhaps trying to understand the whichness of the why......
Post: A PIN to protect your tax return
Link to comment from March 1, 2026