According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), auto accidents are still the leading cause of death for American teenagers. However, due to safer vehicles graduated license laws, the numbers have decreased 65% from 8,748 teen deaths in 1975 to 3,023 in 2011. Regardless of statistics and new vehicle safety precautions, automakers still haven’t come up with a vehicle that can drive itself when the weather gets bad, when a tire blows out or when another driver becomes distracted and wanders into your lane. Seasoned drivers rely on their experience and split-second-decision-making abilities to negotiate these perilous moments. Teens don't have that experience.

If you're like many, you've spent the past few years scrimping and saving. These are great habits to keep, even if your financial situation has improved. If you still haven’t taken those steps, you might want to think about making these changes: Restart your finances with a thorough financial plan. If you’ve lost a job or have been struggling to get control of your debt, savings or investments, plan a visit now with a Certified Financial Planner™ professional. At the meeting you can also examine spending patterns and the emotional drivers behind many of your financial decisions. If you don’t have a planner in mind, the Financial Planning Association has a website where you can search by location and specific planning issues.

Hobbies, such as woodworking, stamp collecting and scrapbooking, are often done for pleasure but can result in a profit. But if you're lucky enough to make money from your hobby, it may have tax implications. You must report income to the IRS from almost all sources, including hobbies.