10 Ways Moms Can Make the Most of Their Money
Give your finances the same TLC you give to the rest of your family.
Recently I was a guest on a radio show about kids and money, and a number of adults called in to talk about their own family experiences as children. One woman had grown up with a father who had a gambling addiction. She credited her mother with holding the family together both financially and psychologically. Another caller confessed that he still loves to indulge his children -- now in their early twenties-with things his family couldn't afford when he was growing up. He depends on his wife to rein in the family purse strings.
In fact, studies consistently show that by margins of 60% or more, women tend to be the ones who pay the family bills and balance the checkbook. So on Mother's Day it makes sense that Mom should give her own finances the same TLC she applies to the rest of the family.
Row 0 - Cell 0 | BOOK: Money Smart Women |
Row 1 - Cell 0 | What We Learned From My Mother |
Row 2 - Cell 0 | Listen to Your Mother |
That's particularly true because the time mothers spend performing the ten most popular "Mom jobs" would add up to annual cash compensation of $122,732 for a stay-at-home mom and $76,184 for a working mom, according to Salary.com. And every woman needs money of her own to manage and control-especially because nearly all women will be on their own financially at some point in their lives.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
That means, for example, putting your own retirement savings first, before braces for the kids' teeth or college tuition bills. In a survey by Country Insurance and Financial Services, 49% of the mothers interviewed picked college as their top savings priority, compared with 39% of fathers, who were more likely to choose retirement. Moms, the dads got it right on this one.
You say you're living paycheck to paycheck and can't find the money to save for a rainy day, much less for retirement or college? I'll let you in on a secret: Regardless of income, everyone is living paycheck to paycheck. The only way to sock money away is to have someone else save for you, taking it off the top of your paycheck before it can burn a hole in your pocket.
If you work outside the home, for example, sign up for your employer's retirement plan. Aim to contribute at least enough to qualify for an employer match. But if you can't come up with that much cash, any amount is a start (see our How much will my 401(k) grow? calculator). In 2009, you can contribute up to $16,500 to a 401(k) or similar account.
And saving doesn't have to be eat-your-spinach. While you're at it, have your bank take a little from each paycheck so you can treat yourself to a romantic weekend with your spouse, a Disney cruise with the kids or a spa weekend with the girls.
Here are seven other ways mothers can make the most of their $100,000-plus annual investment of time and money and build a lifetime of financial security -- on their own.
Set up a spousal IRA. Even if you're a stay-at-home mom, you should always have, and control, your own retirement savings. As long as your husband has a paying job, in 2009 he can contribute up to $5,000 to an IRA or Roth IRA for you, in addition to squirreling away $5,000 in his own account (see Why you need a Roth IRA). That also doubles the tax breaks and savings power available to you as a couple. And if you have outside income from a sideline job, such as making crafts or working as a personal trainer, you can sock away some of that money as well in a self-employed retirement plan.
Make extra retirement contributions if you're 50 or older. You can kick in an additional $5,500 to your 401(k) and an extra $1,000 to an IRA. These catch-up provisions are especially helpful for moms who entered the work force late, after their kids were grown, or delayed their own saving to pay for those braces or that college tuition.
Buy life insurance. Statistically, women tend to be the survivors. And loving as your relationship may be, you can't count on your spouse to provide for you and the kids if he's not there. As a rough rule of thumb, figure that insurance coverage should equal eight to ten times your total household income.
When figuring your insurance needs, consider the income you earn outside the home or the amount you contribute to the family with the services you perform. According to Salary.com, the job titles that best match a mother's work -- in descending order of pay -- are chief executive officer, psychologist, facilities manager, day-care-center teacher, cook, computer operator, housekeeper, van driver, janitor and laundry-machine operator. To shop for a low-cost term insurance policy, go to Insure.com or AccuQuote.
Write a will. If you don't have one, your state's one-size-fits all estate plan kicks in, and it may not be tailored to your needs or your children's. For example, as the surviving spouse, you may get only a fraction of your husband's assets, with the rest going to your children. If you and your spouse both die, the state decides who will raise your kids. With a will, you call the shots. What's more, you'll avoid a messy situation like those that often make tabloid headlines. Remember the Anna Nicole Smith debacle with her infant daughter Dannielynn?
Name a guardian. Think of a will as a way to protect your most precious assets -- your children -- if something should happen to you and your spouse while the kids are still minors. Parents are often tempted to rely on informal guardianship arrangements. But those arrangements don't have legal standing. Without a will naming a guardian, the courts will decide who brings up your children, and you'll have no say in the selection.
Get what you deserve. Make sure you're the beneficiary on insurance policies, pension and profit-sharing plans, IRAs, 401(k)s and other retirement plans. You don't want to find yourself in the position of Caroline, who was unexpectedly widowed at the age of 32. Before her husband met Caroline, he had named his mother the beneficiary of his retirement accounts, and he never bothered to update the papers after the couple were married. When he passed away, there was nothing Caroline could do to get access to the money for herself and her young daughter. Instead, she was dependent on the good graces of her mother-in-law.
Think single, even if you're not. Don't rely on your husband or any other interested party to take care of you. But if you're in a relationship, work together; each of you contributes different strengths and a unique financial perspective. When it comes to investing, for example, men tend to be more willing to take risks, while women are more conservative. Together, you can compensate for each other's weaknesses, make a socko team-and improve the return on your investments.
Adapted from Kiplinger's Money Smart Women (Kaplan, $15.95), by Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.
"Other books, like Kiplinger's Money Smart Women by Janet Bodnar, avoid the patronizing finger wagging and stick to giving advice that women can really use -- like explaining when you can tap your Roth IRA to help with a down payment on your first house. You'll save so much money, you may decide to treat yourself to a latte. After all, you've earned it." -- Time magazine, April 16, 2007
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
Janet Bodnar is editor-at-large of Kiplinger's Personal Finance, a position she assumed after retiring as editor of the magazine after eight years at the helm. She is a nationally recognized expert on the subjects of women and money, children's and family finances, and financial literacy. She is the author of two books, Money Smart Women and Raising Money Smart Kids. As editor-at-large, she writes two popular columns for Kiplinger, "Money Smart Women" and "Living in Retirement." Bodnar is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and is a member of its Board of Trustees. She received her master's degree from Columbia University, where she was also a Knight-Bagehot Fellow in Business and Economics Journalism.
-
Stock Market Today: Stocks Close Mixed Amid War Angst, Nvidia Anxiety
Markets went into risk-off mode amid rising geopolitical tensions and high anxiety ahead of bellwether Nvidia's earnings report.
By Dan Burrows Published
-
What the Comcast Cable Spinoff Means for Investors
Comcast has announced plans to spin off select cable networks and digital assets into a separate publicly traded company. Here's what you need to know.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024 and 2025
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
By Jackie Stewart Last updated
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnb
real estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
By Miriam Cross Published
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute Vacation
Travel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
By Vaishali Varu Last updated
-
How to Figure Out How Much Life Insurance You Need
insurance Instead of relying on rules of thumb, you’re better off taking a systematic approach to figuring your life insurance needs.
By Kimberly Lankford Last updated
-
Amazon Big Deal Days Is Coming! We’ve Got All the Details
Amazon Prime To kick off the holiday season with a bang, Amazon Big Deal Days runs Tuesday, October 8 and Wednesday, October 9.
By Bob Niedt Last updated
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Steps
insurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.
By Kaitlin Pitsker Published
-
Five Ways to Shop for a Low Mortgage Rate
Becoming a Homeowner Mortgage rates are high this year, but you can still find an affordable loan with these tips.
By Daniel Bortz Last updated
-
Retirees, It's Not Too Late to Buy Life Insurance
life insurance Improvements in underwriting have made it easier to qualify for life insurance, which can be a useful estate-planning tool.
By David Rodeck Published