Life Guides

Managing Your Financial Life:

People do not plan to fail… they fail to plan. Taking control of your finances and your financial future can help you reach your desired destinations in life. If you want to control your finances, not let them control you, start with creating a strong financial foundation upon which you can build toward your long-term goals.

Marriage and Money

A leading cause, if not the number one cause of divorce is disagreements about money.

The best way to avoid money problems is to talk about money issues openly and honestly and the best time to start is before you are married. This guide is designed to help you “get the ball rolling,” as well as to provide useful tools.

Planning for Children with Special Needs

One of the most important questions parents who have a child with special needs ask themselves is… What’s going to happen to my child when I am no longer here? To a large degree, the answer to that question will depend on the steps you begin taking today to arrange for your child’s future well-being.

Teaching Kids About Money

Do not count on school programs to teach your kids about the value of money. It is up to parents to do what they do best: teach. Teach your children sound money habits when they are young and the likelihood is that they will avoid “money traps” as they grow older. It is our hope that some of the suggestions that follow will make your job a bit easier!

Paying for College

If you want your children to benefit from a college education, it is never too early to start saving. Let’s face it, a college education is expensive. In fact, it might be one of the largest outlays you ever make. The good news is that families who want to save for their children’s college education now have more options available than ever before.

Dealing with Divorce

The decision to obtain a divorce is a painful decision, with emotional and financial implications that can last for years. When there are children involved, the decision becomes even more difficult. Before deciding to divorce, give counseling a try and see if your marriage can be saved. If, after making every attempt to save your marriage, you determine that divorce is unavoidable, there are steps you can take to lessen the burden of the divorce process.

Business Continuation

Eventually every business owner will leave the business he or she created, either by selling the business, death, disability, or retirement. Business continuation planning takes control of the inevitable. Without advance planning, others may control the process resulting in turmoil. With advance planning, a business owner can realize maximum value for the business, develop an appropriate tax strategy and place the business with chosen successors.

So, You are Thinking About Retirement?

The word “retirement” means different things to different people. Regardless of the vision you have, it is an event that can produce great satisfaction when you have a blueprint for what a successful retirement means to you. Without a plan that includes an assessment of your retirement readiness, retirement can become a period of anxiety as you worry about whether your finances can sustain you through a potentially long retirement.

Retirement and Social Security

The Social Security Administration estimates that 96% of American workers are covered by Social Security. For most, the monthly Social Security check forms an important part of retirement income. For this reason, it is important to understand what you can expect to receive from Social Security when you retire. You may be pleasantly surprised!

Retirement and Medicare

The rising cost of health care in the United States has become an important risk to a financially secure retirement. With that in mind, it is important to understand the various components of Medicare, the federal government program that provides health insurance to most Americans aged 65 and older.

When a Loved One Dies

The days and weeks of grief following a family member’s death can be compounded by feelings of stress and anxiety at the thought of handling the details associated with the passing of a loved one. This guide is designed to lessen that stress and anxiety by providing an outline of the information and tasks that must be performed when someone dies.