Women and Estate Planning They say men are from Mars and women are from Venus, but is this true when it comes to estate planning? Absolutely. And because women often find themselves in such different circumstances than men, it is even more crucial for them to educate themselves about estate planning, and consult an experienced estate planning professional.

Article by Jonathan Clements from Women & Co. You and your future spouse are not only romantic partners—you’re financial partners, too. That partnership might start with a joint checking account or by adding your new spouse to your employer’s health plan.

I'm too busy to plan Perhaps you're so wrapped up in balancing your responsibilities that you haven't given retirement planning much thought. That's understandable, but if you don't put retirement planning at the top of your to-do list, you risk shortchanging yourself later on. Staying focused on your goal of saving for a comfortable retirement is difficult, but if you put yourself first it will really pay off in the end.

On October 25, 2011, the College Board released college cost figures for the 2011/2012 academic year in its annual Trends in College Pricing report. Public colleges (in-state students):     • Tuition and fees increased an average of 8.3% to $8,244     • Room and board increased an average of 4.0% to $8,887     • Total average cost* for 2011/2012: $21,447 Public colleges (out-of-state students):     • Tuition and fees...

The federal methodology for financial aid examines your family's income, assets, and household information to calculate your expected family contribution, or EFC. Your EFC represents the amount of money the government deems you can afford to put toward college costs each year before any financial aid is forthcoming. The federal methodology counts some parental assets and excludes others in arriving at your EFC (these assets are referred to as assessable and non-assessable assets).

The prospect of needing long-term care is an important, yet sometimes overlooked, part of financial and retirement planning. Yet it may be especially vital for women to consider as they often face the need for long-term care as both a caregiver and recipient. Women as caregivers While you may think most long-term care is received in a nursing home setting, the National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information (National Clearinghouse) estimates that about 80% of care is provided at home by in...

Our custodian of choice, TD Ameritrade, releases a website designed by women for women navigating life changes (marriage or remarriage, children, divorce, loss of a spouse, elderly care, etc.). We think you will find these resources, checklists and worksheets helpful in navigating the financial aspects of these life transitions.  As always, please let us know how we can help.  Ignoring facing the realities of these life transitions rarely makes them better.  Welcome to Life 2.0

Medicare and Medicaid were signed into law 36 years ago to protect older and poorer Americans against the high cost of health care. Ironically, it's the high cost of providing health care through these programs that now threatens federal and state budgets, leading to calls for Medicare and Medicaid reform. Although these programs are often lumped together, they function quite differently.

iMoney for Women - Combining Wisdom and Wealth Women have distinct financial realities - we live longer, spend more years in retirement, and are more likely to take time out of the workforce to tend to our families. We live in a male-dominated financial world, struggle to achieve balance, manage changing relationships, and seek to achieve a greater good in our homes and communities. Empower yourself with "Financial Fundamentals for Women" - education on investing, estate planning, tax strategies...

If you're a stepparent and your spouse is the one filling out the FAFSA (i.e., your spouse is the custodial parent of the college-bound child), then your income and assets will need to be reported on the FAFSA. This rule applies as long as you are married on the date the custodial parent fills out the FAFSA. So even if you weren't married the previous year--the year for which the FAFSA wants financial information--you will still need to list your income and assets if you are married on the date ...

Be prepared for potential threats that could jeopardize your financial security. This includes the risk of serious illness or disability, the threat of inflation or increasing tax liabilities, a sudden market downturn, and the risk of poor investment decisions or inappropriate risk management, to name just a few. Having an emergency fund and proper insurance can help.