Skip to content
  • Home
  • Essentials
        • ESSENTIALS

        • Goals and Budgeting
          • Overview
          • Organizing Your Financial Life
          • Budgeting
          • Your Personal Net Worth
          • Setting Goals
          • Financial Planning
          • Planning Your Charitable Giving
          • 30-Day Financial Cleanse

        • Credit and Debit
          • Overview
          • Good Debt versus Bad Debt
          • How Credit Can Help—and Hurt
          • Understanding Your Credit Score
          • Preventing Identity Theft
          • Paying Off Student Debt

        • Estate Planning
          • Overview
          • Estate Plan Basics
          • Creating an Estate Plan

        • Types of Accounts
          • Overview
          • Choosing the Right Accounts
          • Individual Retirement Accounts
          • Employer Sponsored Retirement Accounts
          • Small Business Retirement Accounts
          • College Savings Accounts
          • Custodial Accounts
          • Understanding FDIC and SIPC Insurance

        • Saving
          • Overview
          • Why You Should Save and How Much
          • Making the Most of Your Paycheck
          • Saving for an Emergency
          • Eight Savings Fundamentals

        • Investing
          • Overview
          • Getting Started with Investing
          • Stocks, Bonds, and Cash
          • Fractional Shares
          • Socially Responsible Investing
          • Understanding Mutual Funds and ETFs
          • Creating an Investment Plan
          • Finding the Right Asset Allocation
          • The Advantages of Diversification
          • Benefits of Compound Growth
          • Tax-Smart Investing
          • The Importance of Monitoring and Rebalancing

        • Taxes
          • Overview
          • Income Taxes
          • Income Taxes for Children
          • Calculate Taxes
          • Payroll Taxes

        • Insurance
          • Overview
          • Insurance You Need
          • Individual Health Insurance
          • Group Health Insurance
          • Understanding Medicare
          • Disability Insurance
          • Life Insurance
          • Long-Term Care Insurance
          • Auto Insurance
  • My Life
        • MY LIFE
        • STARTING OUT
        • BUYING A CAR
        • MILITARY COMMUNITY

        • Buying a Home
          • Overview
          • Buy or Rent?
          • How Much House Can You Afford?
          • Mortgage Basics
          • Beyond Mortgage Costs

        • Jobs
          • Overview
          • Changing Jobs
          • What to Do If You Lose Your Job
          • Managing Your Finances as You Change Jobs
          • Protecting Your 401(k)

        • Getting Married
          • Overview
          • Marrying Your Finances
          • Prenups: Do You Need One?

        • Starting a Family
          • Overview
          • Budgeting for a Child
          • Insurance and Estate Planning Needs
          • Planning for a Child's Education

        • Divorce
          • Overview
          • Preparing Your Finances for Divorce
          • Protecting Yourself During a Divorce
          • Managing Money After a Divorce

        • Helping Aging Parents
          • Overview
          • Talking Money with Aging Parents
          • Insurance Needs
          • Managing Income and Investments
          • Knowing Their Wishes
          • Social Services

        • Losing a Loved One
          • Overview
          • Handling Finances After Loss
          • Special Guidelines for Loss of a Spouse

        • Retirement
          • Overview
          • Starting Retirement
          • Nearing Retirement
          • Enjoying Retirement
  • Ask Carrie
        • ASK CARRIE
        • Planning & Goals
        • Investing Basics
        • Insurance
        • Education Savings
        • Couples & Families
        • Kids & Teens
        • Estate
        • Retirement
        • Major Purchases
        • Banking, Credit & Debt
        • Budgeting & Saving
        • Taxes
        • About Carrie
  • Teaching Kids
        • TEACHING KIDS

        • Basics
          • Overview
          • Rules of the Road at Every Age
          • Budgeting

        • Saving
          • Overview
          • Starting the Savings Habit
          • Motivating Your Kids to Save
          • Tips for Parents with Kids and Teens

        • Investing
          • Overview
          • Introducing Kids to Investing
          • Important Investing Concepts
          • Benefits of Early Investing
          • Investment Accounts for Kids
        • Giving Back

        • Life Lessons
          • Overview
          • Tips for Financial Success
          • Managing an Allowance
          • Help Teens use Credit Wisely

        • Buying a Car
          • Overview
          • Your Teen's First Car
          • Assessing Your Teens Needs and Budget
          • Cash or Financing?
          • Auto Insurance

        • First Job
          • Overview
          • Your Teen's First Job
          • Income Tax Basics
          • Payroll Tax Basics
          • Getting Serious About Saving

        • Going to College
          • Overview
          • Costs Beyond Tuition
          • Life Away from Home

        • Leaving the Nest
          • Overview
          • A Checklist for Leaving Home

        • Activities and Resources
          • Overview
          • Money Quiz for Parents
          • Hands-On Activities

        • Educational Resources
          • Overview
          • Lesson Plans and Activities for Educators
          • Money Math for Middle School Students
          • High School Financial Planning Program
          • National Standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education
          • Boys & Girls Clubs After School
          • Schwab MoneyWise Workshop for Teens
          • More Educational Resources
  • Tools & Resources
        • TOOLS AND RESOURCES
        • Worksheets

        • Calculators
          • Overview
          • Savings Calculator
          • Credit Card Payoff Calculator
          • Cost of Debt Calculator
          • College Savings Calculator
          • Rent versus Buy Calculator
          • Mortgage Affordability Calculator
          • Retirement Calculator
        • Spending Tracker
        • Monthly Budget Planner
        • Financial Fitness Quiz

        • Documents and Forms
          • Overview
          • Form W-4
          • Form W-2
          • Form 1099

        • Research
          • Overview
          • Studies and Findings
          • Ariel-Schwab Black Investor Survey
          • Charles Schwab Financial Literacy Survey
          • Young Adult Financial Literacy Survey
          • Older Workers and Money Survey
        • Financial Glossary
        • COVID-19 Resources
  • Foundation
      • FOUNDATION
      • Moneywise America

Carrie answers your financial questions.

Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, CFP®, is a leading advocate for financial literacy and one of America's most trusted sources for financial advice. She answers today's perplexing financial questions every week in her Ask Carrie column.

Carrie answers your financial questions.

Ask Carrie

529 Accounts: What Happens When Your Child Doesn’t Go to College?

by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
September 24, 2021
Kid not going to college? Don’t despair. Those 529 assets can be used for a variety of education costs.
Ask Carrie

College-Bound Student? It’s Time to Fill out the FAFSA®!

by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
September 22, 2021
Don’t assume you won’t qualify for college financial aid; file the FAFSA® early to maximize your opportunities.
Ask Carrie

How Much Should You Save for Your Kids' College?

by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
May 26, 2021
Most families don't pay the sticker price for college, but don't put off saving. Consider a 529—and start early.
Ask Carrie

College Ahead: How Can I Improve My Child’s Chances for Financial Aid?

by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
January 27, 2021
Being strategic now can help increase your chances of securing college financial aid.
Ask Carrie

Baby On the Way: Are You Ready for Your New Financial Reality?

by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
November 6, 2020
A new baby means a whole new financial reality. Best to be prepared—starting before the baby comes.
Ask Carrie

What's the Best Way to Set Up an Education Fund for My Grandchild?

by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
February 21, 2020
Funding a grandchild's education can be complicated business. Be sure to consider all of your choices before making a decision.
Ask Carrie

Paying for College: Are Scholarships Taxable?

by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
January 31, 2020
Favorable tax treatment of scholarship money is only one way Uncle Sam may be able to help you with college costs.
Ask Carrie

Should You Have a Separate 529 Account for Each Child?

by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
August 29, 2019
Technically, you can use a single 529 account for multiple children. But there are lots of reasons not to.
Ask Carrie

Is It Time to Declutter Your Finances?

by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
July 31, 2019
Closing financial accounts you no longer need can be a good idea—but take special care with credit cards.
Personal Finance & Planning
Ask Carrie

Navigating the World of Student Loans

by Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
May 15, 2019
When employed thoughtfully and managed responsibly, student loans can pave the way to a brighter future.

Pagination

  • Previous Slide Prev
  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Next Slide
(0820-0RM3)
  • About the Foundation
    • Foundation
    • Moneywise America
  • Ask Carrie
    • Ask Carrie
    • Planning & Goals
    • Investing Basics
    • Insurance
    • Education Savings
    • Couples and Families
    • Kids and Teens
    • Estate
    • Retirement
    • Major Purchases
    • Banking, Credit & Debt
    • Budgeting & Saving
    • Taxes
    • About Carrie
  • Essentials
  • My Life
  • Teaching Kids
  • Tools and Resources

The information on this website is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal, or investment planning advice. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, consult with a qualified tax advisor, CPA, financial planner, or investment manager.

The Charles Schwab Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, private foundation that is not part of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. or its parent company, The Charles Schwab Corporation.

© 2021 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. ("Schwab"). All rights reserved. Member SIPC.

(0820-0RM3)

LegacySearchConfig