Women's Money Wisdom
Balancing careers, caregiving, and personal well-being is no small feat—especially for women who often carry the weight of multiple roles. From supporting aging parents to raising children and managing demanding careers, financial planning can easily take a back seat. But your financial future deserves attention, and we’re here to help you take charge.
Welcome to Women's Money Wisdom, the podcast designed to empower women with the knowledge and confidence to build financial security and achieve their dreams. Hosted by Melissa Joy, CFP®, founder of Pearl Planning, each weekly episode offers practical financial insights, expert guidance, and real conversations about money.
Join us to enhance your financial literacy, make informed decisions, and take the next step toward financial freedom. At Pearl Planning, located in Dexter, Michigan, we’re committed to helping you navigate every stage of your financial journey.
Subscribe now and start your path to financial empowerment with Women's Money Wisdom.
Investment advisory services offered by Pearl Planning, a DBA of Stephens Consulting LLC., an SEC registered investment advisor. Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Pearl Planning, or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this Podcast will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this podcast serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Pearl Planning. To the extent that a listener has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. Pearl Planning is neither a law firm, nor a certified public accounting firm, and no portion of the Podcast content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of Pearl Planning’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at www.pearlplan.com. Content represents the opinion of the speaker and not necessarily that of Pearl Planning.
Women's Money Wisdom
Episode 170: The Case for 529 Plans for College Savings with Ann Garcia
In this episode Melissa Joy, CFP, ® and Ann Garcia, CFP®, a financial advisor and author of the popular College Financial Lady blog, discuss why a 529 plan is a great vehicle for college savings. They cover everything from asset weighting on the FAFSA form, flexibility on what colleges your child can attend, and how they help maximize tax savings. Did you know if your 529 is overfunded because your student got a scholarship, you don’t pay the penalty on withdrawals of the amount that is overfunded due to the scholarship, only taxes on the gain? If you have a child who may attend college some day, this is a must listen episode to help plan financially.
You will learn:
- The benefits of 529 plans and why they are an excellent option for funding higher education.
- Explanation of what 529 plans are and how they differ from other college savings options.
- Tax advantages of 529 plans, including tax-free growth and potential state tax deductions/credits.
- Flexibility of 529 plans, allowing for changes in beneficiaries within the family and use for K-12 tuition.
- Importance of earmarking funds specifically for college to maintain focus on savings goals and eligibility for financial aid.
- How assets are weighted on the FAFSA, with 529 plans being treated as a parental asset with a maximum of 5.64% factored into the EFC.
- Encouragement to start saving for college early to benefit from compounding and time.
Resources:
- Learn more about Ann Garcia and The College Financial Lady.
- Find out about Pearl Planning.
- Read 529 Plans: How to Get Money Out.
- Listen to Episode 132: Paying For College with Ann Garcia.
- List of documents you will need to fill out the FAFSA, FAFSA Resources by the College Financial Lady.
- Sign up for the College Financial Plan Mast
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https:...
