money smart gifts

You can get away with handing out cards drawn with colorful crayons as your go-to gift when you’re young, but when you get older your shopping list grows. As we age, we have more and more relatives and friends that we exchange gifts with, which means more money and more time spent shopping. So, when your loved ones start handing out their lists, it may be a good time to prepare some financially savvy gift ideas for friends and family.

If one of your grandchildren does not yet have a savings account, now might be a great time to open one and start teaching them the importance of saving. Part of your gift could even be a contribution to help start the account, giving them a gift that will keep on giving. You could also purchase stock for your loved ones. This way you can communicate valuable lessons about investing and hopefully watch your gift grow together.

Giving gifts towards college or helping pay off student debt can help your kids or grandkids out financially. Up to $10,000 in 529 plan funds can now be used to pay off student loans, as well as tuition as early as kindergarten.[1] Knowing that you are helping them with some of their financial burden can help brighten the holidays for everyone, and help teach loved ones about the importance of education. Also, you have the power to choose the amount that fits your budget!

It’s the season of giving, and you can give to charity under someone’s name as a gift or encourage them to donate clothes or food to a local shelter. This can be a good option for giving gifts to those who don’t need anything and want to participate in the spirit of giving. There are tax efficient strategies for charitable giving as well, especially in 2020. Another idea is to volunteer together. It’s free to help serve at a soup kitchen or spend time at an animal shelter and can build priceless memories.

Overall, it’s important to plan early for your holiday spending and make smart financial decisions to avoid overspending. Plus, these financially savvy gift ideas for friends and family can cut down on the number of gift ideas you need to generate and time you have to spend shopping. To learn more about how to incorporate charitable donations and giving to loved ones into your tax plan, or using 529 plans for educational expenses, schedule your comprehensive financial review. We can help you figure out a financial plan that works for you.

The commentary on this blog reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints and analyses of BML Wealth Management’s employees providing such comments, and should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by Cooper Financial Group. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Nothing on this blog constitutes investment advice. Any mention of a particular security and related performance data is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.

Investment Advisory services are offered through Cooper Financial Group, an SEC Registered Investment Advisory firm. All Insurance Services are offered through BML Wealth & Insurance Services. California Insurance License #0M15550. BML Wealth Management & Cooper Financial Group are not affiliated.

We do not provide tax or legal advice, all individuals are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals regarding their personal situation. Any references to protection benefits or steady and reliable income streams in this guide refer only to fixed insurance products. They do not refer, in any way, to securities or investment advisory products. Annuity guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Annuities are insurance products that may be subject to fees, surrender charges and holding periods which vary by insurance company. Annuities are not FDIC insured. Indices mentioned are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.


The commentary on this blog reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints, and analyses of BML Wealth Management’s employees providing such comments and should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by West Wealth Group, LLC. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Nothing on this blog constitutes investment advice. Any mention of a particular security and related performance data is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.

Investment advisory services through West Wealth Group, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. BML Wealth Management and West Wealth Group, LLC are affiliated entities. Insurance Services are offered through BML Wealth & Insurance Services, California Insurance License #0M15550.

We do not provide tax or legal advice. All individuals are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified professionals regarding their personal situation. Any references to protection benefits or steady and reliable income streams in this guide refer only to fixed insurance products. They do not refer, in any way, to securities or investment advisory products.