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Articles by Nefertari Ward
Loud Budgeting: Set Financial Boundaries
If you worry that setting a boundary will strain a relationship, offer an alternative when you can. Suggest coffee instead of dinner, a walk instead of a paid class, a potluck instead of a restaurant, or a shorter version of a trip. The goal isn't to make life smaller. It's to make your spending more intentional. Like any financial habit, loud budgeting has limits.
5 Ways to Manage the Cost of College
The cost of college has skyrocketed, and unless some sort of reform takes hold, it may seem daunting to fund a college education. But until colleges are pressured to lower their costs, there are ways to help you cope financially within the system. Below we’ve outlined five guidelines that can help make sending your child to college more affordable while keeping you on track with your own financial goals.
How FAFSA Can Help You Pay for College
In most cases, the FAFSA is filled out by college students and “contributors,” usually their parents, stepparents or adoptive parents.It doesn’t matter whether a contributor is actually planning to pay for college expenses; their financial information is still required and considered. A student can be considered independent in some cases (so they won’t need to have their parents provide information), but it’s not as common.
Student Loan Changes Coming July 2026: What Borrowers Need to Know
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed on July 4, 2025, significantly overhauled the federal student loan system, with many changes taking effect on or around July 1, 2026. The law aims to streamline student loan repayment, but it may leave some questioning how it affects them. So, let’s explore the key changes and what they mean. Here is what you can expect: New borrowers will have only two repayment options: the Tiered Standard Repayment Plan and the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP).
When Can You Take a 401k Hardship Withdrawal?
Everyone knows that 401ks are meant for retirement – but 2025 saw a record rate of “hardship” withdrawals, which are 401k withdrawals taken before retirement. It’s a concerning trend, both because it indicates that some Americans are out of financial options – their emergency funds have been exhausted or simply don’t exist – and because it will eventually have a much larger long-term impact on their readiness for retirement.
How to Use a 529 Plan to Pay for College
After years of contributing to a 529 college savings plan, the moment finally arrives: your child is heading to college and it's time to start using the money you've saved. But many families are surprised to learn that paying for college with a 529 plan isn't as simple as taking money out of the account and sending it to the school. To help keep your withdrawals tax-free, you need to understand which expenses qualify, how withdrawal timing works and what documentation to keep.
401k Contribution Strategy: A Secret to Retirement Success
“Set it and forget it!” You’ve probably heard that advice when it comes to your 401k account. And to a point, it’s true – frequent changes to a long-term investment portfolio can derail your progress. But never reviewing your 401k contributions can be just as risky. One of the most underappreciated drivers of retirement success is reviewing your 401k contribution strategy at the start of each year. Your financial life doesn’t stand still.
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