by Keith Klein
The decision to go forward with your plans to start a family is a joyous one, but it can also lead to increased stress especially if your financial house has not been child-proofed. Considering that, on average, the cost of raising a child now exceeds $300,000, there’s little margin for error for most young families that have other important financial goals to achieve. There’s no reason why you should get caught off guard or caught in cash crunch as long as you plan ahead. The following family planning checklist contains what is deemed by most new parents as being the most essential steps in preparing for a new arrival: