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Financial Planning Perspectives consists of timely articles on a variety of financial planning topics brought to Wi$eUp by the Financial Planning Association.

View or download the February 2008 PDF here. Articles include:

• When is a Prenup a Great Valentine’s Day Gift? When it’s Time to Remarry

  No, it’s not exactly candy and flowers. But for couples attempting another try at marriage, a prenuptial agreement can either set the groundwork for a new and trusting relationship, or a good reason to call it a day.

• When Considering Long-term Care Insurance, Don’t Forget the Tax Issues

  With Baby Boomers marching en masse into their senior years, the question of whether or not to buy long-term care (LTC) insurance is taking center stage.

• Headed for College? Whether It’s You or Your Kid, It’s Time to Check the Rules on Financial Aid

  On Jan. 1, students became eligible to file their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online for the 2008-09 school year. Even if you feel you’ve planned well for your child’s education or hope you’ll have enough when he or she enrolls, it’s a good idea to learn about financial aid well in advance.

View or download the special edition January 2008 PDF here. Articles include:

• When Recession Fears Surface, Check Your Plan – Or Make One

View or download the January 2008 PDF here. Articles include:

• Happy New Year – Put These Dates on Your Financial Calendar
• If a Friend or Relative Needs Financial Help, Do it the Right Way
• You’ve got an Investment Plan. Do You Have a Self-Investment Plan?

View or download the December 2007 PDF here. Articles include:

• Making the Right Money Resolutions Can Lead to a Much Healthier, Happier 2008
• Is Your Home Insurance Coverage Adequate?
• One-Size-Fits-All Target Funds Can Miss Their Mark

View or download the November 2007 PDF here. Articles include:

• As You Gobble, Give Some Thought to the Rising Costs of Healthcare
• Give Yourself a Special Gift at the Holidays: A Season without Debt
• Your Personality is a Big Part of Your Investment Approach

View or download the October 2007 PDF here. Articles include:

• Getting Today’s Best Returns from a Home Renovation
• Trick or Treat: Why You Should be Scared of Financial “Help” on Late-night TV
• Thinking About a New Mortgage in 2008? It’s a New World Out There

Beware the Trap Of Ribbon and Wrap — washingtonpost.com — Michelle Singletary poses the question "...at what price are you celebrating Christmas? What's your financial life like the rest of the year?" and has a good list of questions for readers to ask themselves about finances.

A New National Retirement Risk Index — A team at Boston College from the Center for Retirement Research gives us insight into the retirement conditions and expectations of the Baby Boomers and Generation Xers. The newly developed National Retirement Risk Index from the Center for Retirement Research measures the share of working-age households who are at risk of being unable to maintain their pre-retirement standard of living in retirement. But there is hope... read on!

Consolidating Student Loans — CNN Money takes a look at the rising interest rates for consolidating student loans, and advises you to keeping an eye on changing government policies.

401k Plans Are Still Coming Up Short — Alicia H. Munnell and Annika Sunden of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College discuss retirement benefits, specifically 401(k) and the risks people take with their retirement accounts. Are you making wi$e choices with your 401(k)?

Women in the Labor Force: A Databook— ed. 2006 — Published by the DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics

The full report Saving for Your Golden Years: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities is available on the Department of Labor's Web site, on the Wi$eUp web site, or by calling the toll-free number (866) 444-3272.

New Report: Student Debt Means Many New Graduates Cannot Afford to Be Teachers or Social Workers - This report from the State Public Interest Research Groups' Higher Education Project looks at the negative impact student debt has on public service career opportunities.

Quick Facts About Student Debt - Facts About Student Borrowing from The Project on Student Debt

Generation X women: They spend, they save — Canton Repository (subscription), OH - Jul 20, 2006 — Even though Generation X women understand the importance of saving for the future, most are still battling debt, according to one survey. ...

Women in the Labor Force in 2005 - Statistics, from the Department of Labor-Women's Bureau, on the increasing participation of women in all aspects of the labor force.

Short on Cash But Keen to Build an Investment Portfolio? -- Consider A DRIP. Information, from Women's Wall Street, on Short for Dividend Investment Programs, which allow investment into the stock market without a large monetary commitment.

The article above, which is about DRIPs (dividend reinvestment plans) has been taken offline. You can learn more about DRIPs from Wikipedia and other investment websites (try an online search)

Publications:

21st Century Working Women - A report to the Women's Bureau of the United States Department of Labor, this paper explores the challenges and opportunities available to women contributing to a 21 st century work environment.

Taking the Mystery out of Retirement Planning - This pamphlet, from the United States Department of Labor- Employment Benefits Security Administration, seeks to unravel retirement planning mysteries, and also offers positive changes that can be made today to secure a sound financial future.

Top 10 Ways to Save For Retirement - This pamphlet, from the United States Department of Labor- Employment Benefits Security Administration, outlines the Top 10 things you could be doing to prepare for your retirement. Printer friendly version.

Women's Bureau Publications - various publications from the Women's Bureau of the United States Department of Labor

Why Women Need Retirement Planning More Than Men Do - Outlines characteristics specific to women that make retirement planning for them uniquely different than for men.

It is Never Too Early To Start Planning For Your Retirement - Information on how to get an early jump on retirement planning.

Financial Planning Perspectives

Disaster Preparedness:

Financial Planning - A Guide for Disaster Preparedness, from the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts (AICPA), American Red Cross, and the National Endowment for Financial Education.

Disaster:Are You Financially Prepared? - FDIC Consumer News Winter 2005-2006

Disaster Preparedness Makes Sense for Finance Too - Information on the importance of disaster preparedness from the Financial Planning Association (FPA).

Recovering Vital Documents - Information on How to Replace Your Vital Documents