Tag: insurance

What is the difference between a separation and a divorce? With a separation, you may be living in a different residence than your spouse, but you are still legally married. With a divorce, the marriage is legally over, even if you still happen to be living with your ex. A person may seek a separation instead of a divorce, or vice versa, for various reasons. Five common considerations include the following:

1. Genuine Possibility of Saving the Marriage: If you want to live separate from your spouse, but believe that there is a reasonable chance of saving the marriage, through counseling or otherwise, then consider a separation instead of a divorce.

You've had your eye on it for a while. That cherry red, supercharged V8 speed demon at the local car lot that seems to whisper your name each time you pass by. Its siren song is so persistent that you've now begun bargaining with yourself. You could cut out your recreational spending for a year and maybe refinance your home or reduce your monthly grocery bill. Who needs to eat, anyway?

Are the two of you really ready to buy your first home?

I often help newly-married couples negotiate the purchase of their first home. They are always enthusiastic after driving through preferred neighborhoods and singling out those homes they identify as fitting into their price range. They have saved a down payment, they say, and are ready to not only look, but present offers. It is then that I offer them the following advice—a checklist—of eight practical steps to take before moving forward:

Between hurried drivers, icy winter roads and the texting-while-driving epidemic, a car collision could happen in your future. How you respond in the immediate and subsequent days could not just keep you safe, but save you time, money and stress. Now, we're hoping you never have to worry about this, but if a car crash happens stay calm and follow these steps.

Get your car off the road. If your car is drivable, move it immediately to a safe location, but don't leave the scene of the accident.

Are two heads better than one? Despite the common belief that married couples are more financially knowledgeable than the average single person when it comes to insurance, the MetLife Auto & Home Insurance Literacy survey, conducted by Zogby International, reveals this might not be the case after all.

In fact, when asked specific questions about home insurance, on average, married couples only scored just a few points better than their single counterparts, which is not statistically significant. In fact, some of the questions asked in the survey revealed that married couples are just as in need of a brush up on home insurance basics

Getting healthy has an unfair reputation for being hard on your budget. Expensive gym memberships, pricey organic foods and hiring a personal trainer are all thought of as luxuries rather than necessities. However, being healthy doesn't have to cost a lot. In fact, making choices that are good for your body can save you a pretty penny. Check out these healthy and budget-friendly tips:

Americans worry a lot about retirement.

Will their savings hold out? Will Social Security still be around? Will healthcare costs gouge a great hole in their finances?

What many of them may not be aware of, though, is that if handled correctly their life insurance policies could play a role in making retirement a little more secure.

One of the big tricks for having a successful retirement is to make sure you have enough cash flow to pay your bills and still be able to enjoy life. Few people have pensions any more. Social Security only helps so much.