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Kids. As soon as they make their grand entrance into our lives, we're hit with a tsunami wave of money-related questions and issues that we've likely never faced before. Such as: How much should I pay the babysitter? When do I start giving my kid an allowance? How much do I pay a kid to mow my lawn? Should I save in a 529 Plan?

FICO scores have been around since 1989, but they weren’t thrust into the public’s eye until the mid 1990’s when Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac endorsed their use in the mortgage environment.  And by “endorsed” we mean, “forced.” 

Greetings. I'm Dan and I'm a banker. Don't worry, though: I quit my job at a big bank years ago.

These days, it's not about who has the flashier designer clothes or the faster car - it's about who has the higher credit score! That's because the better your score, the better position you're in to manage your financial future.

When Jeannine Pesce, a 37-year-old mom from Manahawkin, New Jersey, decided to quit her job and go back to school to become a nurse, she was sure it was a smart move toward a more secure future. But she's planning to buy a home in 2010 and is worried her lack of income will drag down her credit score.

Whether you're a first-timer or you're a seasoned pro, you should never buy a car on impulse. The buying process takes time, research, careful thought and even some strategy.

The opportunity to convert an existing regular IRA to a Roth IRA may be the single biggest upside to the stock market's extended slide. The younger you are and the more aggressive your investment strategy, the more likely it is that a conversion to a Roth IRA will make sense for you.

To prepare your children for successful financial futures, you open savings accounts, pay allowances, and teach them to spend wisely. And with financial institutions toppling all around us, poor money management is more in the face of this generation than ever before. That's why it's up to you to use all the negative economic news to emphasize - from this day forward - that every financial decision they make will impact their credit score.