Ladies--Take Charge of your Financial Future!

Have you ever said any of the following before?

* "I don't have enough money to pay my bills; let alone think about retirement."

* "It's my husband's responsibility to take care of the finances and I take care of the   children."

* "When I get married, my husband and I will make those decisions together."

* "I don't need to plan; I'm going to receive an inheritance."

* "I don't have the knowledge."

* "I don't have the time."

Well, it's time to stop making excuses and take charge.

Did you know that on average, women still earn less than men; more than 50% of marriages end in divorce; after a divorce, women see their standard of living drop by as much as 30%; the average age of widowhood is 56; the life expectancy of women is seven years longer than men; at some point in their lives, women will be responsible for 90% of their own finances; women are more likely to be out of the job market an average of 11.5 years caring for children or elderly parents; and Social Security is the only source of retirement for 50% of retired women.

Scared? You don't have to be if you take action today and create your financial plan. Sure, things might change -- you might get married, divorced, remarried, or even opt out of the workforce for a bit -- but you can always change your plan. However, you need a baseline starting from where you are in your life now. Because without a plan, how will you know if you were successful in reaching your destination? The following are four easy steps to help you take charge:

Step 1: Educate yourself. Read. There are books, newsletters, magazines, seminars, websites, radio programs and TV shows all dedicated to helping you figure out money and what it all means. Pick one or two and learn.

Step 2: Figure out where you spend your money: rent/mortgage, transportation, general living expenses like groceries and utilities, entertainment and your savings and/or 401(k). Many credit cards even give you year end summaries of where you spent your money.

Step 3: Find out where you "leak" money: the morning cup of coffee and bagel, lunch out every day, the afternoon latte, numerous taxi rides, an unnecessarily large cable bill, higher than normal cell phone charges. Now you should have a good sense of your monthly expenses.

Step 4: Compare those expenses to your income. Often there is a not much left over or worse, you are in the red. Do yourself a huge favor and create a realistic budget, one that you can stick to.

Don't wait another day to focus on your own financial future. Hopefully one day you'll be sitting in a luxury condo on the French Riviera when you look back and thank yourself for taking charge. 

Product(s) and Description:

We help women gain the clarity and confidence to move forward in their financial lives especially through times of transitions such as divorce, widowhood and career. We take a broad view of our clients lives and play the role of "financial coordinator" for all their needs. Since our compensation comes only from our clients, we are not beholden to any financial services companies--which means you can trust that any advice we give you comes with no strings attached.

Bio

Paula Harris is a WH Cornerstone Investments co-founder and principal. She has spent her career working in financial services and consulting firms as an HR professional for well known organizations. She is an active volunteer in her community where she is Board President of the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra, a director of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce and has served as the chair of the Town of Duxbury Open Space and Recreation Committee.

Contact Information

Web Site URL: www.whcornerstone.com

E-mail: pharris@whcornerstone.com

Phone: 888.797.9009

Address: 
        PO Box 207
        Duxbury, MA 02332