Whether it's taking care of just themselves, serving as the family CFO, helping parents or planning for the kids' future, many women are expert financial planners out of necessity.

Kim Snider at Kimmunications blogs and podcasts about the importance of financial literacy for the modern family CFO.

Madame X at My Open Wallet blogs about the need to have a heart-to-heart with her parents:

Ugh. I wish I didn't have to worry so much about my parents' finances. I'm getting to the age where I have to worry about their health, which is stressful enough. But when it comes to money, I just don't know where they really stand-- I know my mother can spend money like there's no tomorrow. And I know my father complains all the time about not being able to afford things-- but how much of that is his being secretive and paranoid about my mother bankrupting him? In the past, he's alluded to wanting to give me power of attorney in case something happens to him. Every time I visit, I tell myself it's time to sit down and have that difficult conversation about whether he has a will and what his wishes are. I keep cutting out articles about estate planning and health proxies. But I can't quite broach the issue yet. It's so important, but so, so difficult...

Tired but Happy blogs about her bittersweet route to being able to pay for her child's college education. TBH has been saving in a 529 account (and doesn't plan to stop) but asks whose money is it?

Boston Gal shares how you can use "ethical" funds to grow your 529 account.

Wanda at Well-Heeled shares her strategy for using a 529 plan to pay for her MBA.

Not sure what these 529 plans are all about? Here are a few places to start your research:

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Wikipedia

Bankrate