May marks the beginning of warmer weather, summer barbecues and celebrations recognizing the end of another school year. As you enjoy this month, join my529 in celebrating National 5.29 Day by taking advantage of a special offer. my529, Utah’s educational savings plan, has been helping families save for education for more than 25 years, and we take part in National 5.29 Day by making it easier for you to invest in the future.
 
A special offer
We are celebrating 5.29 Day for the entire month. Open a new my529 account between May 1 and May 31, 2022, and you could be eligible to receive up to $40 contributed to your account. Find more details and information about this offer at my529.org/529-day.
 
Scholarship opportunity
In addition to National 5.29 Day, my529 and the Utah State Library are once again partnering this year to offer the Book Your Summer reading award. Book Your Summer is an opportunity to get your children reading all summer while entering your name in a random drawing for one of four $1,000 my529 college savings scholarship accounts.

Amanda H. Christensen, AFC, Extension Associate Professor
​Utah Money Moms Editor

Is it really worth the hassle to sit down with your teen and fill out a 1040 Form in addition to worrying about your own taxes this time of year? Y.E.S. Today I'm sharing three reasons why the benefits of teenagers filing a tax return for their seasonal income working summer or holiday jobs is well worth the minimal hassle. Here's some need-to-know personal finance knowledge if you're the parent of a teen. 

When do Teens Have to File a Return? Americans are legally required to file a federal return when they make at least the standard deduction for the 2021 tax year which is $12,550.  Earn less than that, as many teenagers do, and you don’t have to file. 

• ONE EXCEPTION: A dependent child would need to file if they made more than $1,100 in unearned income, typically from interest or investments. Here's a real-life scenario: A teen who earned a wage by teaching swimming lessons or working as an ice-cream scooper  and made less than the standard deduction isn’t legally required to file a federal return. A kid who has done well in cryptocurrency or stock trading may need to file. ​

KristiLyn Wilkinson, AFC Candidate, Empowering Financial Wellness Program Manager

Here at Utah Money Moms we spend a lot of time telling you how to save your money, increase income, decrease expenses, spend according to your financial values, and reach your financial goals. Unfortunately, if you lose your hard earned money in an investment scam that work is all for nothing. We need to be smart about saving, spending, and growing our money! I worked for four years as a securities fraud investigator for the Utah Division of Securities. This Halloween season I don’t want to scare you away from investing, or create fear surrounding money, I want to arm you with the tools to make good financial decisions surrounding the money you invest! The following items are some red flags/things to be aware of to help you avoid investment scams! ​

Alicia Nelson-Bell, Finance Intern

Melanie Jewkes, Extension Associate Professor

Are you saving for retirement? Do you want to be saving for retirement? Are you looking for strategies to invest more money? Put it off no longer -- the best time to start saving for retirement is NOW. 
But I get it! LIFE gets in the way sometimes. It doesn’t help that picking a way to invest in retirement can be is complicated. But time is of the essence, and you are literally losing money, and money on that money (compound interest), the longer you put off figuring out how to save for retirement.
It is never too late to start saving for retirement. NOW is always better than tomorrow. Here are some strategies to get you on your way to investing in you beginning today.