Illumint by Kevin Mahoney, CFP

Quick social media update:

Illumint is signing off of Facebook. To follow the company, please join us on Instagram (), Twitter (), or LinkedIn (/bykevinmahoney). Thank you!

We may crave new scenery and more space, but the trade-offs associated with buying a house require even closer scrutiny these days. Thanks to TIME for sharing my thoughts on how to approach a down payment right now. And congrats to the NextAdvisor team on the launch of its new personal finance site!

Read This Before You Write the Biggest Check of Your Life Your down payment can have lasting effects on your mortgage. The right down payment gets you in the right home now and aligns with your long-term goals.

The NBER's announcement on Monday that the U.S. entered a recession in February probably won't change your approach to your personal finances. But perhaps it's a useful prompt: how prepared are you financially for a protracted economic downturn? CNBC's Alicia Adamczyk and I chatted about how you might want to use this (unsurprising) news to your advantage.

The U.S. is officially in a recession. Here's what you should do with your money The U.S. economy officially peaked in February and has since entered a recession, ending the longest expansion on record, the National Bureau of Economic Research declared Monday. Here's what you should do with your money in response to the economic downturn.

Anyone who has determined recently that they need to withdraw funds from a retirement account shouldn't feel badly about themselves -- the typical rules of thumb for retirement accounts don't necessarily apply right now. I chatted with CNBC about how to support your near-term financial stability as prudently as possible.

14% of Americans with retirement savings, both working and unemployed, have already tapped into those funds Whether unemployed or still working, many Americans are looking for extra funds during the coronavirus pandemic. About 14% of those with retirement savings have taken money from accounts such as 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts.

When my 5-year-old asks, I never know for sure whether the public soccer field will be available to him after school. But I can make some educated guesses. I attempt to do the same here with personal finance & what the future holds for my generation.

What Will Personal Finance Look Like in the Future? • Kevin Mahoney, CFP® Although still unclear, it's a source of hope for me that Millennials will think differently about personal finance in the years ahead

Housing-related personal finance decisions look quite different today from when we last recorded podcast episodes. Even so, Washingtonian Magazine's Mimi Montgomery still offers insightful perspective on apartment hunting in high-cost cities. Listen to her crazy anecdotes here: https://apple.co/2UXQLnA, then follow her writing on Twitter via .

The weather was starting to warm up. Flowers were blooming. And you planned to buy (or sell) a house once spring arrived. What now? My latest for Forbes:

Home Buying And Selling In The Time Of Coronavirus If you're buying or selling a home this spring, the COVID-19 economic uncertainty may or may not derail your plans.

The optimal financial advice for a given individual seems to change on a daily basis right now. So I realized this morning that I probably should share my recent conversation with MONEY Magazine ASAP. Fortunately, Kaitlin Mulhere's article includes a lot of good detail on that will continue to be relevant in the months ahead.

Worried About Your Student Loan Payments? Here Are Your Options There are multiple options to pause or lower your bill.

I want to express my gratitude to the many personal finance journalists who continue to compile such helpful tips & resources for their readers. For my Millennial clients in particular, check out Alicia Adamczyk's newsletter (https://bit.ly/397mN4y) and Taylor Tepper's writing, including his most recent Newsweek article, where we discussed how you might be able to use this time to start taking control of your income.

9 smart money moves to make amid the coronavirus pandemic As the blow to the economy from the spread of COVID-19 becomes apparent, it's important to take steps now to protect your family's finances and prepare for what lies ahead. Here's what you need to know and do now.