Ohio State nav bar

Skip to main content

The Ohio State University

  • Help
  • BuckeyeLink
  • Map
  • Find People
  • Webmail
  • Search Ohio State
  • Home
  • Food
  • Family and Relationships
  • Money
  • Mind and Body
  • Webinars
  • Authors

Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

Topics:

The Ohio State University
You are here: Home / Money / Personal finance news this fall

November 13, 2018

Personal finance news this fall

I would like to share with you 3 news items that I found noteworthy in the past few months.

1. Free credit freezes started on September 21st

Starting September 21st, a new federal law came into effect. This new law regulates that we now can freeze and unfreeze credit files without paying fees. It is quite easily done on the credit bureaus’ websites. Second, parents get a free credit freeze for their children under age 16. Freezing our children’s credit is not something many of us think about, but it is clearly worthwhile because we might not notice it for years if our children’s ID has been stolen. Third, fraud alerts that tell businesses to check with you when you purchase on credit will now be extended to 12 months from 90 days. For more information, visit the consumer protection information of the Federal Trade Commission and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

2. The F.I.R.E. movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early)

It sounds extreme to save more than half of your salary in order to retire at age 40, but it also makes me ask: How did they do it? What can we learn from F.I.R.E.? I believe that the strategies and financial calculations of FIRE individuals and families can be useful when we think about retirement planning before and financial management during retirement. Examples are time value of money calculations and simple but proven strategies for weathering stock market fluctuations, such as keeping at least 6 months of expenses in cash. The New York Times summarized questions about the FIRE movement in an article.

3. Costs of college

I am starting a new research project this fall that investigates tools for undergraduate students to help these young adults make good financial decisions in college. The decision frame includes small decisions about day to day expenses and the big decisions about student loans. For this project, I have been collecting articles in the news media. I like a recent podcast of a journalist who spoke with her high school-aged son about college costs. The conversation makes an interesting turn when the son takes over the role of the interviewer. Listen to this podcast on the Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research website.

 

Coffee cup in the snow

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

WRITTEN BY: Cäzilia Loibl

REVIEWED BY: Amanda Woods

Categories: Money

Avatar for Caezilia Loibl
Avatar for Caezilia Loibl

About Caezilia Loibl

Cäzilia Loibl is a Professor in the Department of Human Sciences and a State Extension Specialist for Family and Consumer Sciences.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

The Ohio Saves Week webinar series presented in Spring 2024

An Iceberg in blue water, mostly underwater

Insurance for Hidden Financial Obstacles.

Sunset in Georgia Mountains

Save Money by Lowering Vacation Costs

Fruits and Veggies

National Nutrition Month

Follow Us!

  • Facebook

Footer

Need Assistance?

If you are having issues logging into the site, need assistance with updates, or need to request an alternate format please send an email to the EHE Service Desk at servicedesk@ehe.osu.edu stating the nature of your issue and we will assist you. Thank you.
Are you a Live Smart Ohio Author? Log in here!

Categories

  • Food
  • Family and Relationships
  • Money
  • Mind and Body
  • Webinars

Follow us!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
The Ohio State University
FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN ECOLOGY
COLLEGE OF FOOD, AGRICULTURAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

© 2025 Live Smart Ohio - Family and Consumer Sciences | The Ohio State University - College of Education and Human Ecology | Accessibility | Privacy Policy

%d