You already know the answer. You've known it since you first held your child, or since the pregnancy test came back positive, or since you started wondering if you should "do something." The answer is: now. But let's talk about why "now" is more useful than "yesterday."
The guilt trap
Here's what happens to most parents. You know you should start saving. You mean to look into it. Months go by. Then a year. Then the guilt sets in: "I should have started sooner." The guilt makes it harder to start, not easier. So you wait more.
That loop keeps millions of parents stuck. The good news: the math is on your side more than you think.
The real numbers
Compound growth is powerful, and it's more powerful the earlier you start. But starting at age 3 is still dramatically better than starting at age 10. And starting at age 10 is dramatically better than not starting at all.
At $200/month with an illustrative 6% annual return:
- Starting at birth: around $77,000 by age 18
- Starting at age 3: around $61,000 by age 18
- Starting at age 5: around $51,000 by age 18
- Starting at age 8: around $35,000 by age 18
Every one of those numbers is better than zero. And every year of growth matters.
Want to see what your specific numbers look like? The quiz takes 2 minutes and shows you projections based on your child's age and what you can contribute.
Why "perfect" is the enemy of "started"
Parents get stuck researching the perfect plan. 529s, Roth IRAs, UGMA accounts, taxable brokerage accounts. Each has different rules, different tax treatment, different restrictions. The research itself becomes the reason nothing happens.
Here's the thing nobody tells you: the most important decision isn't which account to open. It's whether you start at all. A good plan started today beats a perfect plan started "someday."
What "starting" actually looks like
Starting doesn't mean hours of research. It doesn't mean understanding tax code. It means one conversation. Fifteen minutes. Someone walks you through your numbers and explains your options in plain language.
That's what Drew does. He'll show you what $100, $200, or $500 a month becomes over the next 18 years. You'll leave the call knowing exactly what your child's plan looks like. No homework required.
Ready? One conversation, no pressure.
You're not behind
If your child is a newborn, you're in the best possible position. If they're 5, you still have 13 years of growth ahead. If they're 10, you still have time to build something meaningful.
The only bad time to start is never. You're here, which means you're already doing the right thing. The next step is small.