GoodNest

A guide for parents

Expecting

What to read, in order, for expecting.

In order

  1. 1The Ultimate Guide to Building a Generational Nest Egg for Your Child (2026)Learn how to build a nest egg for your child in 2026: compound growth, 529s, UTMAs, Trump Accounts, custodial Roth IRAs, and a simple 5-step plan.
  2. 2Setting Realistic Goals: How to Balance College Savings and General WealthSet a realistic college savings goal with 2026 cost data, then split your child’s savings between a 529 and flexible accounts with three simple frameworks.
  3. 3The “Oxygen Mask” Rule of Parental Finance: Why Your Retirement Comes FirstWhy parents should secure their own retirement before funding a child’s nest egg, what “on track” means in 2026, and a step-by-step savings priority ladder.
  4. 4The Cost of Waiting: What Delaying Your Child’s Nest Egg Really CostsStarting at birth instead of age 10 can leave your child with over three times as much by 18. See the math, adjusted for inflation, and how to catch up.
  5. 5Finding the Funds: How to Budget $50 to $100 a Month for Your Child’s FutureNew parents can free up $50 to $100 a month for a child’s nest egg without a spending overhaul. Tax moves, easy trims, and the math for 2026.
  6. 6Automating the Nest Egg: A Set-It-and-Forget-It Guide to Saving for Your ChildAutomatic transfers timed to payday are the most reliable way to save for your child. The behavioral science, plus a step-by-step setup for 529s and more.
  7. 7How Does Compound Interest Actually Work for Minors? A Plain-English Guide for ParentsPlain-English examples of how compound interest grows a child’s savings, why the earliest dollars do most of the work, and what they can become by 18 and 25.
  8. 8The Impact of the 2026 Gift Tax Exclusion: A Family Guide to the $19,000 LimitHow the $19,000 gift tax exclusion works in 2026: when couples can give $38,000, when Form 709 is required, and the rules for 529 plans and Trump Accounts.
  9. 9Discussing Wealth with Grandparents: Scripts for Asking for Gifts That GrowScripts for asking grandparents to give to your child’s 529 or savings instead of more toys, plus how to handle pushback and the 2026 rules for big gifts.
  10. 10Milestone Contributions: How to Turn Your Child’s Big Moments Into Investments That GrowBaby showers, bar mitzvahs, quinceañeras, graduations: where to invest each milestone’s gift money for your child, plus the 2026 gift tax rules to know.
  11. 11Comparing Investment Accounts for Kids: 529 vs. UTMA vs. Roth IRA vs. 530A Trump AccountCompare 529 plans, UTMA/UGMA accounts, custodial Roth IRAs, and 530A Trump Accounts on taxes, flexibility, 2026 limits, and when your child takes control.
  12. 12The Complete Guide to 529 College Savings PlansHow 529 college savings plans work in 2026: state tax deductions, tax-free growth, the new $20,000 K-12 limit, Roth rollovers, and how to choose a plan.
  13. 13Understanding Trust Funds for the Middle ClassDo middle-class parents need a trust? When a custodial account is enough, how a living trust with a child’s sub-trust works, what it costs, and its limits.
  14. 14The 530A Trump Account Explained: Rules, Taxes, and the $5,000 LimitHow the Section 530A Trump Account works in 2026: the $5,000 limit, no earned income needed, tax-deferred growth, automatic accounts, and the rules at 18.
  15. 15How to Claim the Federal Seed Money Pilot: Your Child’s $1,000 Trump Account DepositThe $1,000 Trump Account deposit isn’t automatic, even if Treasury opened your child’s account. Who qualifies, how to request it, and what to do if it stalls.
  16. 16Navigating 530A Employer Contributions: How Your Employer Can Add Up to $2,500 a Year to Your Kids’ Trump AccountsEmployers can add up to $2,500 a year to Trump Accounts, per employee, not per child. How matches, pre-tax payroll, taxes, and the $5,000 cap work.
  17. 17The SECURE 2.0 Act: Rolling 529 Funds into a Roth IRA, Step by StepHow the SECURE 2.0 529-to-Roth IRA rollover works in 2026: the 15-year rule, the $35,000 lifetime cap, the $7,500 yearly limit, and each step of the move.
  18. 18The GoodNest Guide to Investment Strategies & Portfolio Allocation for Your ChildHow to split a child’s savings among stocks, bonds, and cash: time horizon, risk, glide paths, rebalancing, and the rules for 529s and Trump Accounts.
  19. 19Building Your Village: How to Crowdfund Your Child’s Nest EggHow to rally grandparents, relatives, and friends behind your child’s savings: where gifts should go, the 2026 gift tax rules, and a step-by-step plan.
  20. 20The GoodNest Guide to Asking for Investments Instead of ToysWarm, ready-to-use scripts and email templates for asking family to give to your child’s college fund or savings instead of toys at birthdays and holidays.
  21. 21Structuring Milestone Contributions: From Baby Shower to Graduation DayHow to weave college fund and savings gifts into baby showers, baptisms, bar and bat mitzvahs, sweet sixteens, and graduations, with wording for each.
  22. 22Naming Successor Custodians: Who Takes Over If You Can’tIf you die or can’t manage your child’s UTMA or 529 plan, who takes over? See what happens with no successor, how to name one, and whom to choose.
  23. 23The Infant Years (Ages 0-2): Your Baby’s Financial Setup, Step by StepYour baby’s first two years, step by step: the Social Security number, insurance, the $1,000 Trump Account seed, a 529, and automatic investing.