Getting married

Money can be a main source of stress in a marriage. Coming to some sort of agreement about the basics before heading down the aisle will help start you off on the right foot. Our checklist can help you.

Starting a family

If you're planning for your first child you've already found stacks of baby books and websites. A lot of those don't get into the money side of having a baby, but our checklist can help you plan ahead.

Saving for education

Many parents want to help cover the costs of their kids' college education. Depending on how early you make this decision, you may be able to save using some tax-advantaged options that make it easier to reach your goal. Less money going out the door for taxes means more going towards college costs.

Caregiving

Millions of Americans provide care for family members in some form. You may be providing care and not even know it. As a caregiver, you play an important role in helping someone take care of his or her personal and financial life. Building a support network, setting priorities and creating a budget can help you deal with the personal and financial challenges of giving care.

Getting divorced

Divorces are emotionally taxing, and they're also a source of many financial problems. The money issues come from two sources—first, the cost of the process itself, and second, what might be a doubling of household expenses for a formerly married couple.

Coping with illness

Medical problems, especially long-term illnesses, can lead to some of the most challenging personal-finance issues that you'll ever face. Our checklist can help you plan ahead for illness-related financial risks.

Coping with death

Unfortunately, the death of a family member or friend often ends up raising money issues. If you're the person who is (or feels) responsible for sorting some of those issues out, our checklist can help you anticipate common things that can come up.