Ask Kim: Returning to Work

Posted on October 15, 2026

Dear Kim,

I’ve been a stay-at-home parent for 10 years, and now that my kids are older, I’m heading back to work full-time. My spouse has savings for both of us, but I want to have something in my own name. Where should I start?

Sincerely,

Working Again

Dear Working,

Probably, the best place to begin would be your new job’s retirement account, if they offer one. Next, you could designate a portion of your paycheck to be automatically deposited into a savings account. That keeps the funds out of your checking account and decreases the chance of accidentally spending what you intend to save.

As those funds grow, you can move portions to other accounts to meet the goals you have decided on for them.

Good luck!

Kim

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