financial independence

Not just for women

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This spring I read the book The Smart Woman’s Guide to Planning for Retirement: How to Save for Your Future Today by Mary Hunt and want to pass on a few important excerpts:

Pages 162-164

“Here are six steps you can take to become more financially independent.

  1. Maintain good records.  Be sure you have copies of all current assets, bank account numbers, safe deposit information, insurance beneficiary information, IRAs and other retirement account records, tax returns going back seven years, mutual funds statements, stocks and bonds, health insurance policies, homeowner’s and auto insurance policies, the lease or mortgage information for your home, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and birth and marriage certificates.  It is also a good idea to keep receipts of major appliances with information on warranties.

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Are you prepared for financial independence?

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Getting ready for the inevitable financial independence day

By Wendi Strom

July 31, 2016

“Earlier this month, our great nation celebrated its 240th year of independence. On this beautiful day, we most certainly had an Independence Day worthy of celebrating.

But looking around at those celebrations lead me to the realization that not every independence day is cause for joy images (52)and celebration. In fact, two of the synonyms of independence are most telling of this: separation and self-sufficiency. What if we add financial to the mix? Financial independence, financial self-sufficiency, financial separation.

After being part of a financial partnership, through marriage for example, becoming financially independent, especially unexpectedly through death or illness, is typically anything but a celebration. It can be crippling, potentially both financially and emotionally. Because of this, regardless of your age, it’s important to take steps like these outlined below, to put you and your loved ones on a track of financial preparedness for the day that something happens to you or your financial partner.

Working with many couples and widows over the years, here’s a list that I’ve compiled and use with my own clients to help them protect each other….”

Read the entire article at:  http://www.denverpost.com/2016/07/31/financial-independence-day/

Wendi Strom, Certified Financial Planner, LOTUS Financial Partners, Denver, CO and president-elect of the Financial Planning Association of Colorado.