You will often hear me say that before you worry about the financial future of your kids, you need to make sure you’re taking care of yourself first. But that doesn’t take you off the hook for discussing money with your kids.

Think of it as another one of the talks...so now in addition to the sex talk, the drug and alcohol talk, we can add the money talk. All of these conversations must occur at every stage of your child’s development, with age-appropriate messaging that the kids can absorb.

To help with your effort, this week we’re talking to Beth Kobliner, author of Make Your Kid A Money Genius (Even If You're Not): A Parents’ Guide for Kids 3 to 23. Okay, okay, full disclosure, she’s also a friend of mine.

But that’s not why Beth is on “Better Off.” She’s on because it’s an important topic. I know there are a lot of you out there subscribed to this podcast, with kids or thinking about starting a family, wondering how to have such conversations:

How much debt should we take on for college?Should I give my teen a debit or credit card? Should I give my child an allowance?My kid wants to move back home...should I charge rent?

Those are just some examples and there’s plenty more in the book. Whether you’re a rookie in the parenting game or a veteran, this book will help. As Beth says, “Think of it as a guide for parents that offers the financial facts of life for kids 3 to 23.”

And FYI, Beth is the real deal. In 2010, she was selected by President Obama to be a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, where she created MoneyAsYouGrow.org. The site attracted more than 1.4 million visitors and was adopted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2016.

So whether you have kids, are planning on it or know someone with kids, I encourage you to check it out. It’s never too soon to start the money talk with your children.

“Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment.

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