Financial Planning is the best premarital counseling
Managing money as a couple can be a challenge, but it’s an important part of a marriage. If you can work together as a team, you’ll be much happier than if you are perpetually in disagreement about finances. Just as in a business transaction or partnership, when you engage in the tough conversations now to learn about each other’s financial habits, you will be much better equipped for your marriage. As mediators, we can help you with these challenging but essential financial discussions to ensure that you create a strong foundation for your marriage.
Mediation helps you find the right answers before saying “I Do.”
In mediation, we act as a neutral facilitator. It is our job to structure your conversation, keep you both focused, and provide the “checklist” of issues for discussion. The conversation can be as detailed or as general as you wish. If you like, it can be the start of a more complete financial arrangement you will enter into after the wedding. Or it could just be a simple conversation to provide a glimpse into your partner’s financial window. Here are just a few of the questions we may discuss:
- Are each of you spenders or savers?
- Has either of you gone through bankruptcy?
- Does either of you have significant student loans that may make it difficult to contribute to the family budget?
- Are there other debts that are lurking out there that will eventually surface?
- Will you both work?
- Do you want children, and if you do, will one of you stay home to raise the children?
- What is the lifestyle you want to live?
- Can you afford to have children and live the lifestyle you want to live?
- Does either of you want to continue your education?
- Will it be necessary to take out student loans?
- Do you want to buy a house, or do you want to rent?
- Do you want to travel?
All of these questions, while maybe not pertinent in the immediate future, will come up at some point in most marriages. Even if that point is ten years from now, it is still important to discuss how you feel about it now. That way, you can financially plan for that event and not feel the financial pressure of “surprises” down the road.
We are experts at guiding you in the most crucial financial conversations to have before marriage. We strive to keep our environment relaxed and stress-free. Some clients say they even have fun when they come to meet with us!
When you are ready to jump into long-term investments, we can provide you with professional references to make the process as easy and painless as possible!
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