Archive for October, 2009

How Do We Talk About Life Insurance?

Monday, October 26th, 2009

What happens to my family financially when I die? Many of us know someone who lost a parent at a young age or a spouse in the early-to-mid stages of marriage. What is the impact on those who are left behind? Will your spouse be able to stay in dream home you purchased together? Will he or she be able to give time to your children or will work be the primary focus to keep a roof over their heads? Will the lives of your children be uprooted as well as being turned upside-down due to your death? Now is the time to get prepared. Communicating about it is often filled with anxiety and apprehension. Here are some tips to get started:

  1. Set the tone – it is imperative to keep it positive
  2. Discuss what income would need to be replaced
  3. Discuss if you want term insurance, universal or variable universal insurance.

Be sure to see more details written out in our Money Couple Minute “How Do We Talk About Life Insurance”.

Remember, this is a decision you need to make together. Protecting each other and making sure your family is taken care of will help bring you closer together and give you both peace of mind.

Individual Investments

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

We know lots of couples where one partner has a Risk Taker Money Personality and the other has a Security Seeker Money Personality. When they work together, these couples can play off of each others’ strengths to build a strong investment portfolio. This combination can lead to both a happy present and a secure future.

Read the entire Money Couple Minute on Individual Investments and learn more about how individual Money Personalities can work to your advantage in your relationship.

Avoiding Income Resentment

Friday, October 9th, 2009

We find that the primary breadwinner can sometimes feel like he or she should have more say so about money issues simply because that individual makes more. Couples that know how to communicate about money recognize that they have to think like partners, not individuals. Money touches every part of life, so if one partner is trying to control the money, the resulting bad mojo is going to infect the whole relationship.

Learn the necessary steps to ensure solid financial communication and how to avoid the income resentment trap in this weeks’ Money Couple Minute Avoiding Income Resentment.

Dealing with a Budget Buster

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

If one of you is struggling to stick with a budget, try tracking your spending for one month. Write down every cent that goes out – from the mortgage to double mocha’s. At the end of the month, look at where your money goes. Then talk about where you can cut back and find ways to compromise so that both of you can live with the changes you make.

Get more practical tips on dealing with a budget buster in this weeks Money Couple MinuteDealing with a Budget Buster.