The Gerber Life Parenting Blog

A qualified education savings account usually offers federal tax advantages to participants. The key factors are “how much” and “how they work” for investors. While you can use any savings or investment account to plan for college, qualified college investment funds offer tax advantages that standard accounts do not.

For example, a Coverdell Education Savings Account (ESA) offers tax-free earnings increases, if the parent qualifies. If the parent (or child) has “modified adjusted gross income” less than $110,000 (or $220,000 for joint tax returns), and your child is under 18, you qualify for these college savings accounts. If you only withdraw funds for your child’s education expenses each year, these withdrawals are also tax-free.

We live in a day and age where alternative energy solutions seem to be cropping up all the time. If this isn’t encouraging enough, it gets even better. Many of the alternative energy solutions we’re hearing about aren’t just vague notions being cooked up in some science lab by great minds, not to be seen or implemented for decades – they’re actually available to us here and now, and are capable not only of saving energy but also of benefiting our bank accounts in a big way.

One meaningful change that you can make in your home today is installing a solar water heater. But before you go throwing your arms up in the air declaring that you “don’t have that kind of money,” let’s take a closer look at what it’ll actually cost to get you set up with this environmentally beneficial home appliance, as well as the energy savings you’ll see.

Everyone likes a good guarantee in life, right? Guaranteed life insurance, sometimes called guaranteed acceptance life insurance, carries no financial risks.

If you have put off purchasing life insurance until after the age of 50, you may think it’s too late. But that’s not the case.  A life insurance company, such as Gerber Life, will insure you with a guaranteed whole life insurance policy between $3,000 and $15,000 if you are between the ages of 50 and 75..

You may be happily surprised at the effects of your everyday conservation efforts, not to mention the great cost savings you can expect. And all this can be achieved without drastically changing your lifestyle.

Little Things Mean a Lot

You need not deprive yourself of important things to be environmentally friendly and save money, too. It’s the little things that count. Saving little bits of energy and resources will make a positive impact on your budget, however tight it may be.

For example, in summer, raise your air conditioning thermostat to just 78 degrees to save energy—and money. It’s not necessary that you freeze yourself to feel cooler. Air conditioning systems, whether central or window units, first reduce humidity, which automatically makes you feel cooler. A couple of degrees warmer will become just as comfortable as the temperature you’ve been using.

We all want to stay fit and healthy, no matter our age. Luckily it doesn’t take a fad diet or adherence to the latest exercise craze to stay in shape and pass the dreaded annual physical with flying colors. All you have to do is follow one simple formula: daily exercise + healthy nutrition = a fit and healthy you.

If last year’s annual physical left you feeling depressed or hopeless, have no fear. It really doesn’t take much to whip yourself back into shape. Most doctors agree that 20 to 30 minutes of daily exercise is enough to decrease your risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and cancer. Need workout suggestions? Consider a brisk evening walk or a quick swim in the morning before work.