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A couple weeks ago, we devoted the entire interview portion of the podcast to the hotly debated Department of Labor fiduciary rule, which was set to begin implementation on April 10.

A couple weeks ago, we devoted the entire interview portion of the podcast to the hotly debated Department of Labor fiduciary rule, which was set to begin implementation on April 10. We taped that interview just days before President Trump signed a Memorandum that instructs the DOL to examine the rule “to determine whether it may adversely affect the ability of Americans to gain access to retirement information and financial advice.”

In other words, the fiduciary rule could be toast. Well, not on this show–it’s going to be a running theme on Better Off because as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, fiduciary is an issue about which I’m deeply passionate. So is our guest this week, Betterment CEO Jon Stein.

By now it’s no secret that Betterment is the sponsor of Better Off. But that’s not the reason why we’re having Jon on today. Jon has been an industry leader on the issue of fiduciary, publishing an open letter to President Trump, and voicing his company’s support for the rule.

Jon’s take is simple and one that should resonate: U.S. investors should be able to trust that the financial advice they’re getting is in their best interest. As he stated in the letter, “Investing can be made intentionally complicated, and salesmen are clever. Left to its own devices, the investment industry for decades sold bad products to Americans.”

The good news is that Jon and I are not alone. There’s support out there from plenty of high-profile people, including U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who penned a letter to the DOL highlighting support for the fiduciary rule from several financial institutions, including Betterment, adding that a delay “would be a slap in the face to the companies that have invested, in good faith, for a deadline that has stood for the past year — and to the everyday worker deserving of the assurance that their retirement adviser is working in their best interest.”

Safe to say Jon and I have plenty to discuss!

“Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment.

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You will often hear me say that before you worry about the financial future of your kids, you need to make sure you're taking care of yourself first. But that doesn't take you off the hook for discussing money with your kids.

You will often hear me say that before you worry about the financial future of your kids, you need to make sure you’re taking care of yourself first. But that doesn’t take you off the hook for discussing money with your kids.

Think of it as another one of the talks…so now in addition to the sex talk, the drug and alcohol talk, we can add the money talk. All of these conversations must occur at every stage of your child’s development, with age-appropriate messaging that the kids can absorb.

To help with your effort, this week we’re talking to Beth Kobliner, author of Make Your Kid A Money Genius (Even If You’re Not): A Parents’ Guide for Kids 3 to 23. Okay, okay, full disclosure, she’s also a friend of mine.

But that’s not why Beth is on “Better Off.” She’s on because it’s an important topic. I know there are a lot of you out there subscribed to this podcast, with kids or thinking about starting a family, wondering how to have such conversations:

How much debt should we take on for college?
Should I give my teen a debit or credit card?
Should I give my child an allowance?
My kid wants to move back home…should I charge rent?

Those are just some examples and there’s plenty more in the book. Whether you’re a rookie in the parenting game or a veteran, this book will help. As Beth says, “Think of it as a guide for parents that offers the financial facts of life for kids 3 to 23.”

And FYI, Beth is the real deal. In 2010, she was selected by President Obama to be a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, where she created MoneyAsYouGrow.org. The site attracted more than 1.4 million visitors and was adopted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2016.

So whether you have kids, are planning on it or know someone with kids, I encourage you to check it out. It’s never too soon to start the money talk with your children.

For more financial literacy tips with Beth, you can connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.