When my friend bought his first house, he had no idea flooding didn’t fall under his home owners insurance. A hurricane came through and damaged his floor, windows and wiring. Without an emergency fund saved up to cover the damage, he had to fix up the wiring himself and lived with boarded up windows and...

It’s called the “$100 Bill Challenge.” Mac Gardner, a financial literacy advocate, shows elementary school students a $100 bill and asks them how they might use it. Nine students out of ten say they would spend it. This says a lot about the psychology of saving money — Gardner says that Americans “are programmed to consume at...

Financial planning may be necessary but it’s also notorious for being a decidedly unpleasant experience. For many people, dealing with intimidating life events such as children in college or reaching retirement age, can trigger much emotional or mental stress. Still others may feel overwhelmed as they explore various possible scenarios, challenges, and solutions. Without doubt,...