Graduations, Weddings & Big Moments: Money Moves That Make Sense
May is for milestones — but those family celebrations come with price tags. This week, I’m breaking down smart ways to help your loved ones without sabotaging your own financial future.
The Wealth Minute
Should You Help Your College Grad with Retirement Contributions?
Graduation season is here, and if you’ve got a young adult stepping into post-college life, you might be thinking about how to help them financially.
Before you Venmo them a few hundred bucks for “living expenses,” consider a smarter, long-game move: helping them start their tax-free retirement savings early.
Why It Matters
The earlier you start saving for retirement, the more time money has to grow through compound interest. A $500 contribution at age 22 could be worth over $7,000 by age 65 (assuming a 7% average return, with no other contributions). Small amounts invested early have a powerful snowball effect.
And let’s be real — most 22-year-olds aren’t thinking about retirement.
Three options to consider:
Open a Roth IRA for Them. If your grad has earned income this year, you can contribute on their behalf (up to $7,000 for current year). A Roth IRA grows tax-free, and withdrawals in retirement are also tax-free.
Why it works:
Builds long-term, tax-free wealth.
Gives them early exposure to investing.
Even small amounts invested now compound massively over decades.
Start a Cash Value Life Insurance Policy. If your grad doesn’t qualify for a Roth IRA (no earned income yet) or is averse to the market, a properly structured cash value life insurance policy can be another option for building tax-advantaged savings.
Why it works:
Flexible Use of Funds Later. Unlike retirement accounts, the cash value can be accessed before age 59½ without penalties — useful for big life milestones like grad school, weddings, or seed money for a business.
Diversifies Beyond Market-Only Investments. Adds a stable, non-market correlated asset to their financial plan early, creating more financial flexibility later in life.
Accumulates Tax-Advantaged Cash Value. The policy grows cash value on a tax-deferred basis, which can be accessed later without triggering taxes when structured properly.
Give Them Financial Coaching (Instead of Cash). Instead of a one-time check, offer to pay for a few sessions with a wealth strategist...me.
Why it works:
It builds skills, not dependence.
They learn budgeting, debt management, investing basics, and tax tips early.
A single conversation about Roth IRAs, compound interest, or avoiding lifestyle creep could save them thousands down the road.
The Bottom Line
All options are gifts that grow and protect your grad’s financial future, not just a one-time cash drop they’ll burn through by summer.
Wealth Move
Curious which one makes sense for your grad? Let’s chat — I’ll help you weigh the options.
Purchase an Wealth Awakening session for them to lay the ground work.
The Freedom Path
How to Survive Wedding Season Without Breaking the Bank
Between airfare, hotel stays, gifts, outfits, and bachelor/bachelorette weekends, wedding season can quietly wreck your budget — especially if you're a high earner trying to balance celebrations and financial goals.
Here’s how to show up for your people without blowing up your cash flow:
Budget for the Entire Season, Not Just One Event. Instead of thinking event-by-event, estimate the total cost of wedding season upfront — travel, lodging, gifts, attire, and pre-events included.
Set a number you’re comfortable with, and decide now how you’ll divide it up.
Pro tip: Weddings aren’t emergencies. Build this into your "Life Happens" or discretionary spending category.
Pick Your Priorities. Not every invite is a must-attend. Be honest about which events matter most. It’s okay to RSVP “no” to distant cousins or casual work friends. Send a thoughtful card and small gift if needed — your future self will thank you.
Get Creative With Gifts. Stick to a personal budget for gifts and focus on meaningful, not expensive.
Team up with friends for a group gift.
Gift an experience (like a dinner on the honeymoon).
Offer to help with something meaningful — like airport pickup, decor setup, or a photo album.
Plan “No-Spend” Weeks Between Events. Balance your spending by committing to no-spend days or weeks around the wedding rush. It’ll help soften the financial hit and keep your cash flow steady.
The Bottom Line
You can celebrate your people and protect your financial peace.
It’s all about setting boundaries, budgeting wisely, and remembering you don’t have to say yes to everything.
Wealth Move
Grab a copy of the Wealth Vision Planner to help you track your wedding season goals.
Schedule a Money Chat if you need to talk through prioritizing.
Book of The Month
This month's book is "The Simple Path To Wealth" by JL Collins.
It's been recently updated, so enjoy it with me. I've had the paperback of this one for a while, but just discovered it on Audible.
Coffee Chat Question
If we were to meet for coffee, what would you want to know?
Feel free to email me questions that will anonymously be added to this section during each edition.
Is it tacky to decline a wedding invitation if it’s not in my budget?
My Take:
I still remember the first time I said no to a wedding invite. It was a friend from my church in Northern Virginia getting married in rural Alabama. By all calculations the trip would cost me almost $700 and I was broke.
I stressed over it for weeks, worried about what people would think, and felt guilty every time someone brought up the wedding. But in the end, I made the smart call and stayed home.
Things To Consider:
Every ‘Yes’ Costs You Something Else. When you’re cash-poor or goal-focused, every big expense comes at the cost of something else you could be doing with that money — whether that’s paying down debt, investing, or just giving yourself some financial breathing room.
Guilt Is Expensive. Most of us overspend because we don’t want to disappoint people. But 15 years later? I’ve never regretted skipping that trip. People remember you showing up in their lives more than at their events.
Financial Boundaries Are Self-Respect in Action. Learning to say no — even when you can technically afford it — is a muscle. And it gets stronger with practice.
A Better Move:
If you’re invited to a wedding you can’t (or don’t want to) afford, skip the trip but still show love.
Send a handwritten card, a small meaningful gift, or offer to take them out to dinner when they’re back home. It keeps the connection alive without wrecking your budget.
Reach out if you need more.
Are You A Federal Employee?
"Uncertainty" was a word never associated with federal employment in the past.
It's a daily utterance these days, however.
To help you make informed financial decisions that are best for you and your family, I'm offering all federal employees a FREE Money Chat.
Click here to schedule a 30 minute chat to discuss anything you want.
Let's change the word of the day to "Empowered."
