Thursday, January 7, 2010

Financial planning for a child

I wish to write an article on financial planning for a child. The key features are:

a) annual expenses for a child's education
b) savings for tertiary education of a child, especially if the child wishes to go overseas
c) insurance for the child's medical expenses arising from accidents and illnesses.

Are there any other special needs? What are the key concerns of a parent?

The annual expenses should be met out of current income. The parent should consider the need to spend money on enrichment programs and tuition, which seem to take a significant monthly budget. The best way to save for tertiary education is to have a savings plan that gives a good yield. The child can be insured for Medishield or private Shield, but the expense should be kept low.

Any views?