Dear Helaine: My husband and I are in our early 30s. We're not financially hurting -- our only debt is a mortgage and car loan. I handle the savings and investment for our household. We're both contributing to our 401(k)s (I'm at 12 percent, and he's at 8 percent prior to match) and also putting 12.5 percent of our after-tax earnings into savings, stocks and our daughter's 529 account.

I've just received a significant raise, and we're looking at an additional $1,000 a month. Normal advice is to put it into retirement or our daughter's college account, but we're looking at some big changes down the road, which include a second child (birth, medical bills, additional child care payment and college fund) and selling our current home and buying another one in the next three years, so we can have more room for our family and live closer to our jobs. I'm feeling leery about the stock market, given everything that is going on in the world, so where should we park this additional money till we need it? -- Flush, but in Flux

Dear Flush, but in Flux: Congratulations on the raise! Your instincts are right on the money, but not for the reasons you think.

One should always continue investing in the stock market. You'll do better year in and year out if you invest the money and leave it in place, rather than yanking it in and out based on your "feeling" about the state of the world. I'm assuming you are taking this advice with your retirement accounts.

However, funds outside your retirement accounts that you believe you will need within a five-year period should not be invested in the stock market. The reason is basic: Stock markets go up and stock markets go down. If you need to pull money out in a relatively short time frame, you are risking doing so during a stock slump. In a worst-case scenario, you could end up losing a not-insignificant sum. Not good!

I don't believe you are a worrywart about your possible need for those funds. If you go ahead and have that second child, I can promise you your expenses will increase, even if you don't ultimately move. It's not just medical and child care bills, either. Children do eat food and need clothes. If you take an airplane to go on a vacation, you'll spend more on airfare. You can expect to buy double the birthday party gifts too.

I can go on, but you are no doubt getting the idea. Put the money aside now, and you'll be better equipped to deal with the additional bills when the time comes. There aren't any options that will earn you what I'm sure you would like to earn on the money, but your best bet would be to put it in a high-interest money market fund or a bank CD.

(To ask Helaine a question, email her at askhelaine@gmail.com.)

(EDITORS: For editorial questions, please contact Sue Roush at sroush@amuniversal.com)

Dear Helaine: I'm in my late 20s and got a bit of a later start in my career than I would have liked. I finished college about a year and a half ago, and got my first salaried job at the age of 26.

I thought when I got a job that didn't involve standing behind a cash register I'd have a lot more money to play with, but it really doesn't seem that way. After rent, bills, putting away money in my retirement and savings accounts every month, it seems like I have almost nothing left over. I've invested a bit in the stock market, but I don't really have time to research stocks, so most of my choices have been bad ones.

I'm starting to feel a bit of panic when I think about all the things I am supposed to be able to afford as an adult, like a house and raising children. My savings account stands at $5,000. A modest home in my area costs no less than $400,000, so even a down payment is a long way off.

I'll be 30 before I know it, and I feel like I should have more to show for myself. How do people handle these kinds of major expenses? I know the easy answer is to invest, but as I said, I'm not good at that. -- Late Starter

Dear Late Starter: When it comes to housing, you are hardly alone. The median age of a first-time homebuyer is 31 years old, partly as a result of higher costs. But don't despair! It's likely you'll be able to save more money as your salary increases, as long as you don't give in to upping your expenditures along with your enhanced paycheck. And while putting 20 percent down on a home is ideal, it's certainly not mandatory. In fact, the majority of people who buy a home with a mortgage put down less than that sum. It's possible you'll be among them. It's also possible your salary will increase, and you will be able to save up the requisite sum.

When it comes to stocks, you don't need to be good at stock-picking to invest in the stock market. In fact, that's completely the wrong way to think about it. I'm assuming that if you are investing via your workplace retirement account, you are likely putting your money in a target date fund or an assortment of index funds. That's how you should invest on your own, too. Enough with the stock-picking! Studies show less than 1 percent of us can beat the stock market averages year in and year out, and that number includes professionals who invest for a living. Don't try to beat them.

Finally, don't be so hard on yourself. Saving $5,000 in little more than a year after graduating college is quite an accomplishment. I'm officially impressed, and I bet more than a few readers of this column are too. Keep up the good work!

(To ask Helaine a question, email her at askhelaine@gmail.com.)

(EDITORS: For editorial questions, please contact Sue Roush at sroush@amuniversal.com)

Dear Helaine: My husband and I are recently married and have realized we are going to owe a significant chunk of money to the IRS this year, thanks to the fact that I make significantly more than he does. I know we could still contribute to an IRA for this year, and still get the tax deduction, but we both have workplace retirement plans and therefore I don't think we qualify. We have not maxed out our 401(k) contributions, however, and I was thinking that transferring some of our savings into our 401(k)s could be a good way to lower the taxes we owe. Is this a feasible option? If not, do you have another suggestion? -- Newlywed Tax Blues

Dear Newlywed: Stop right now! Before you do anything, you need to sit down with a certified public accountant, review your situation, and find out if there is anything you can do to reduce the bill that you are not aware of.

Unfortunately, we are not allowed to take money from our personal savings accounts and place it in a 401(k). These are workplace retirement plans, after all. But there is most likely nothing stopping you and your spouse from simply upping your 401(k) contributions. For 2018, the IRS limit is $18,500 or, if you are at least 50 years old, $24,500. Simply ask your employers if you can change the percentage of your salary you put in your 401(k) until you reach either the legal limit or the amount you can afford to put aside. Then change your contributions back to where they were previously.

Use your savings to pay your bills and other living expenses. One catch: You should be aware that you will face a capital gains tax bill if you need to sell off assets to access that money.

Moreover, it's not strictly true that you can't contribute to an IRA and receive a tax deduction when you are contributing to a 401(k). If your joint adjusted gross income is $101,000 or less, you can contribute the full $5,500 ($6,500 if you are 50 or older) to an IRA and receive the full deduction. You can get partial credit if your adjusted gross income is $121,000 or less. In addition, if you or your spouse has a side hustle, you can set up a solo 401(k) or Simplified Employee Pension (SEP), and put a portion of those earnings in it, which will serve the twofold purpose of upping your retirement savings and reducing your tax bill.

One other thing: Congratulations!

(To ask Helaine a question, email her at askhelaine@gmail.com.)

(EDITORS: For editorial questions, please contact Sue Roush at sroush@amuniversal.com)