Ron Pearson Quotes

"quality funds in a well-diversified portfolio that earned 9.3 percent (all accounts) in the last 12 months, whereas the S&P 500 lost 14.8 percent."

"Saving $2,000 annually in an Education IRA (starting in 2002) or a college savings plan (529 plan) earning 8 percent should provide the needed money. The Education IRA has the most flexibility since the new tax law allows money to be spent on computer technology, Internet access or K-12 expenses in addition to college costs."

"He needs to maximize his savings for his own retirement as well as his daughter's education, yet his debt is absorbing 43 percent of his monthly income."

"You have to remember to tell all your relatives not to pass money on under the child's name, ... Anyone can blow up your plan."

"Saving $2,000 annually in an Education IRA (starting in 2002) or a college savings plan (529 plan) earning 8 percent should provide the needed money, ... The Education IRA has the most flexibility since the new tax law allows money to be spent on computer technology, Internet access or K-12 expenses in addition to college costs."

"They hadn't even gotten their first paychecks yet, ... My biggest thing was giving them a sense of reality and what costs would be. We outlined costs and a budget, and by the time we finished they said they could take maybe one vacation a year. They started to understand reality versus their dreams."

"Considering that she started saving three years ago, she has done well, ... I applaud her choice to put more emphasis on quality of life and her lack of debt."

"Even for middle-income and upper middle-income clients, when I tell them they are looking at sometimes half a million dollars or more they'll need to leave behind, they usually say they don't have it,"

"The bump up to $5,000 for IRAs is huge, ... It will have a big impact in retirement savings."

"It's difficult for some military personnel after five or six years who may be married, have kids and other financial obligations, ... If they haven't banked some on the side, it's tough."

"Financial freedom is so intertwined with what a person wants to achieve in life. It doesn't necessarily mean never having to work again, but instead has more to do with realizing your own dreams."

"It's not easy, the money only goes so far,"