The library

166 plain-English reads on budgeting, saving, investing, debt, credit and taxes. Newest first unless you say otherwise.

College Savings

529 vs Custodial Account

A 529 suits education; an ordinary UTMA is an irrevocable gift. Compare control, tax and FAFSA treatment on the same $40,000 balance.

6 min read

Passive Income

REITs Explained

A REIT must distribute at least 90% of taxable income, not 90% of rent. Compare listed funds, locked-up products and taxable-account drag.

5 min read

Passive Income

How Much You Need Invested for $500 a Month

$500 monthly needs $150,000 at a 4% withdrawal rate or $187,500 at a 3.2% dividend yield. Neither figure includes tax or guarantees the income.

5 min read

Passive Income, Honestly Rated

At an assumed 4% yield, $500 monthly takes $150,000 before tax. Compare nine income sources by capital, work and the risk behind the payment.

9 min read

College Savings

529 to Roth IRA Rollovers

The 2026 IRA limit is $7,500 for under-50s, but a 529 rollover also faces a $35,000 lifetime cap, ageing rules and available contribution room.

5 min read

College Savings

Does a 529 Hurt Financial Aid?

A $60,000 parent 529 can add up to $3,384 to the aid index. A dependent student-owned 529 gets parent treatment too; an ordinary UTMA does not.

5 min read

College Savings

What If Your Child Does Not Go to College?

On a $42,000 529 with $12,000 of earnings, the extra 10% federal tax is $1,200, not $4,200. Compare six routes for unused money.

5 min read

The 529 Plan, Explained

A 529 plan can shelter education investment gains. Compare state tax savings, fees and the cost of withdrawing money for something else.

9 min read

Banking

Treasury Bills vs a Savings Account

Treasury bill interest is exempt from state income tax, which is worth nothing in Texas and a good deal in California. The comparison, done properly, at three state rates.

5 min read

Budgeting

Weekly vs Monthly Budgeting

Bills arrive monthly. Spending happens weekly. Running one cadence for both is the mismatch behind most mid-month overspending, and the fix is a hybrid.

5 min read

Banking

Credit Union vs Bank

A credit union is owned by its members, which changes where the profit goes. What that is worth in a year, and where a bank genuinely wins.

6 min read

Budgeting

Budgeting as a Couple

Three structures: fully joint, fully separate, or proportional. Which you pick matters less than agreeing the amount above which you check with each other.

5 min read

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