Single Life

• Graduate from Auburn University 

• Join the Peace Corps

• Have a strict budget plan for myself that I don’t deviate from

• Travel

• Remain debt free

• Purchase a new car within 5 years of graduating

• Start a retirement fund

• Save at least 10% of every paycheck

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Pre-Marriage

• Know each others credit scores

• Discuss our budget plan

• Figure out where we want to live

• Discuss when we want to start having kids

• Decide which philanthropies we are giving to and how much

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Marriage

• To have a strong, loving marriage that sets a good example for our future children

• To have an open and honest relationship, especially regarding money

• To strive to vacation as a family at least once a year

• To have family dinners as often as possible

• To never put ourselves in debt

• Have proper documents in place that set up our future in event of a passing

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Parenting

• "Save, spend, give" cups

• Start a bank account for my children 

• Give my kids a weekly allowance

• Be a stay at home mom until all of my kids are in Elementary school

• Have a college savings plan

• Live in a family friendly neighborhood

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Saving and Investing: Ways to Meet Your Financial Goals ERA

• Invest early on

• Save a certain portion of my income each month

• Never allow myself to go into debt

• Raise my children to be money smart

• Have a college savings fund for my children in place

• Begin planning for retirement early on

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Retirement

• Seek out different retirement plan options

• Have a plan in place

• See what benefits come with my current job

• Save percentage of income each paycheck

• Remember ERA

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Divorce

• Stay kind to one another to ensure a civil divorce

• Be money smart

• Don't divorce if currently in debt

• Hire a good lawyer

• Go through several months of counseling 

• Fight for the marriage until there's nothing left to fight for

• Stay loyal to your partner

• Don't have the misconception that kids will make a marriage stronger, because it'll only pull your further apart

• Have a good circle of friends and family to support me through the difficult time

• Use the divorce as a chance to grow and better myself 

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Caregiving

• Get on the same page as the person I am caregiving

• Make sure my husband and I create a plan together

• Prioritize the needs of my family and duties as a wife and mother 

• Still take time for my personal needs

• Be financially stable and conscious throughout the process 

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Widowhood

• Set ourselves up financially for the future

• Avoid making quick decisions, especially financially, soon after the death

• Surround myself with a strong support system

• See a counselor 

• Be strong for other family members

• Stay as positive and optimistic as possible during the loss

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Developing a Winning Planning Team

• Designate who I want to sit around my table

• Make sure their job positions are clear, and they understand me and my goals

• Have the team as a whole be open and communicate well with one another

• Don't solely make major decisions for at least 9 months after a tragedy

• Have a plan in action prior to needing to use it

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