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When people warn you that having kids is expensive, it’s no joke. From diapers to food, braces to sports activities the costs add up quick. For a middle-income family in the U.S. raising a child up until age 18, costs an estimated average of $245,340 (or $304,480, adjusted for projected inflation), according to the 2013 “Cost of Raising a Child” report from the U.S.

Too wealthy for financial aid and too strapped to pay out of pocket? Turn to other options.

After the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, we dig up our hopes and dreams and make some resolutions. Getting back in the gym, losing weight, and eating clean, are usually at the top of the list, but what about your finances? The health of your accounts, spending habits, and investments are just as important to evaluate.

For some a car is simply a means of getting from point A to point B. For others it’s a status symbol. Cars are a hobby, a passion, for some and necessity for others, but whatever the level affinity toward automobiles there comes a time where just about everyone needs to start shopping for a new (or used) one. But, don’t run down to the local dealership just yet.

It is no secret that the typical American is working long hours with little respite compared to other countries with large economies. Full-time employees report an average work week of 47 hours and four out of 10 American workers say they work over 50 hours a week.

Identity thieves and credit card scammers are more relentless than ever in their pursuit of your personal financial information, and as more people are opting to conduct their shopping and their financial transactions online, the number of scams increases proportionately.  Armed with nothing more than a computer keyboard and a geek’s knowledge of how to prowl the cloud, they work 24/

It has only been since the Baby Boomer generation began to cross the retirement threshold that we’ve had to seriously confront the new challenge of our longevity.

For as long as there has been stock markets, investors have intuitively known that expectations of returns come with commensurate expectations of risk; the higher return one expects the greater the risk one assumes in order to achieve it.

As the saying goes there are two things that are inevitable: death and taxes. And, out of those two sure things, you can only really plan for your taxes. It should be no surprise when tax season surely and steadily rolls around again, yet every year there are plenty of individuals who file for a tax extension (in 2014 there were approximately 12 million Americans who did so).

Answer this riddle: what’s the one thing that will eventually happen to everyone, but generally, no one wants to discuss? Death is a subject that immediately conjures up all sorts of emotions. But, death is also cause for practicality.