Although 2020 has been a year of unexpected changes, one routine has remained consistent: the fourth quarter means it’s time to begin organizing your finances for the new year. To help you get started, here’s a checklist of key topics to think about, including new tax and retirement considerations related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For parents, deciding how much to save for retirement versus what to set aside for a child’s education can be a difficult balancing act. Saving for your future should be a priority, particularly through maximizing the benefits of retirement plans. But, although paying yourself first is essential, that doesn’t mean you can’t set funds aside to further a child’s education. A college savings plan is a tax-advantaged way to achieve this goal. The following information...

Do your children act like money grows on trees? If they observe you effortlessly pulling out the credit card for every purchase or they play video games where they can buy accessories for avatars, it’s understandable why they hold onto that cliché. This can lead them to believe they can buy whatever they want without ever paying for it—just a wave of a plastic card and it’s theirs. So, when the time comes to teach...