Money Advice

After a couple has tied the knot the excitement of a new life begins—and in case money wasn’t discussed during the courtship of your relationship, it’s a must now to start preparing for a secure financial future together. While in the infancy of your marriage I suggest you sit down to develop a financial strategy that will help secure the long blissful financial road ahead.

With proper planning, couples can ensure that their finances add value to their marriage, rather than detract. Ideally, couples should work toward financial stability to help their wealth grow along with their love over time.

Mary and Pete saved every penny for retirement. They never went on vacations, they rarely went out to eat, and they lived a frugal lifestyle secure in the knowledge that when they retired, they would be able to live comfortably.

In short, they worried so much about retirement that they forgot to experience all that life has to offer.

A credit report is a history of how you or your company borrow and then pay off your credit, including delinquency and bankruptcy. There are currently three main credit bureaus in the United States—Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. If you own a home, have a credit card, lease a car, or apply for or use credit of any sort, this information is reported to one, two or all three of these credit bureaus. In addition, they collect information on how timely you pay your bills, how often you are tardy, how frequently your credit is checked by companies and any changes of address, employment, or personal information.

Untimely deaths are unfortunately common and extremely frustrating for spouses who are left to navigate a sea of unfinished financial business. From retirement plans to insurance policies, far too many widows/widowers are thrust into the unwanted position of managing assets at the worst time of their life.

In addition to grieving, the unexpected death of a spouse can cause chaos and confusion to the surviving spouse and, at the same time, not permit them to see things as clearly as they normally would. It is also far too common for couples to not have a financial or estate plan in place and this leaves the surviving spouse uncertain about what to do with finances.

Protecting the identity of a family member who has passed is one of the most overlooked tasks after all is said and done. On the contrary, obtaining the ID of the deceased is one of the more clever ways a thief can use it to harm you and your family’s good name. Here are five steps to take after a loved-one has passed away to make sure that their identity rests in peace:

1. Short obituaries. Make sure that you don’t include too much identifying information when you write the obituary.

Although it may seem like it for many couples, managing money isn’t a mystery it just takes a little time and effort. When all is said and done there are basically three components: budgeting, saving, and investing. If you master these you should be well on the way to achieving your goals and financial dreams as a married couple.

In many ways, budgeting and saving may seem to be the most difficult areas to master since they require focus and discipline, which isn’t easy in a short-attention-span world.

The year 2018 laid the groundwork for big shifts in the life insurance landscape that will decidedly benefit consumers in the new year. And it seems shifts are sorely needed with more than 40 percent of Americans not having any type of life insurance, according to Foresters Financial. While the industry is shifting at a rapid pace, consumers can take advantage of some notable game changers poised to impact the insurance industry in 2019: