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These are a few of the most interesting financial questions I have received and how I recommend you approach them. There are many other answers to these questions, but they can give you a good start in achieving your financial goals. 1. What is one question to ask when buying a used car? Is a Vehicle History Report Available? When buying a used car, it's important to know whether the vehicle has been involved in an accident or suffered any other damage. Knowing this can help you determine the car's value and understand the warranty's validity. It can save you tons of money if repairs are required in the long run. In addition, you can't always see prior owner history, how it was used before being acquired by the dealership, or pending recalls on the vehicle. So, requesting the vehicle history report can help you determine if your purchase is a good value for your money. 2. What is one creative way to earn money post-retirement? Become A Yoga Instructor Post-retirement is the perfect time to live a Zen life and teach others how to destress. Becoming certified to teach yoga can be done online or at a local yoga study. You can teach yoga classes online, at a college, or in individual sessions during retirement. Yoga sessions can also be recorded and uploaded on video sharing sites or listened to as podcasts. Teaching yoga offers the flexibility of doing it on your schedule and can bring in extra income in retirement. 3. How can I effectively plan for retirement so I don't run out of money? Save As Much As Possible Maximizing contributions to retirement plans can help build a solid financial future in retirement. Ensure that you maximize the matching contributions that your employer offers and any catch-up contributions you may be eligible for. If the contribution limit with your employer is reached, other alternative retirement plans, such as a Roth IRA, could maximize your savings potential. See my feature in MoneyRates Retirement Planning Guide to help answer the most common retirement questions. 4. What should I know before applying for life insurance? Conduct a Needs Analysis You should evaluate how much life insurance you will need to cover any expenses in the event of your premature death. Evaluating your expenses, such as mortgages, car payments, utilities, and future college expenses for your children, can ensure that your survivors live in financial security. In addition, determining how much you have in savings and other liquid assets can help determine how much life insurance your loved ones may need. 5. What is one thing I should do when I earn a big promotion and raise at work? Get Rid of Your Debt When you receive a raise, it is the ideal time to wipe out your debt if you have credit card debt, student loans, or any other household debt. You will save money on interest and be able to save for your future goals. The most important thing is to not splurge on a big-ticket item that could put you deeper into debt. Maintaining your current standard of living and paying down debt can help ensure that you see the benefits of your increased income. 6. What is one reason why you get up every morning to go to work? Sustainable Retirement Income Building a sustainable retirement income is why I get up every morning to go to work. Having a set amount of income that can be used in my retirement years will enable me to be worry-free about the future of my financial situation. Going to work every morning allows me to continue building towards my future retirement plans, including continually increasing my future social security income. 7. Which school choice is better for college, public or private? Research Your Degree Options Choosing the best college will depend on whether your chosen degree program is offered at a public institution. Private colleges cost more than public institutions. If your funds are limited and you don't have a scholarship or tuition reimbursement, attending a public institution may be best. Attending a public institution will decrease the need to obtain a student loan, which could put you into debt or further into debt if you currently own creditors or have other outstanding loans. What's Next? Before going into a car dealership, consider other questions you should ask. Visit your employer to get a better understanding of your retirement benefits. Do you have kids going to college? Evaluate the financial impact and plan ahead. It may seem like a daunting task, but creating a plan to maximize your wealth can help you achieve your financial goals.

You've found that special someone again, and you're preparing to walk down the aisle with what you hope is your lifelong partner. However, before you say I do again, there are a few financial considerations that you should discuss with your future partner to ensure that you are both aligned on your financial priorities. From assessing your need for life insurance to creating a prenuptial agreement, here are 12 answers to the question, "What are some financial tips you should consider when remarrying?" Financial Considerations Before Remarrying Assess Your Need for Life Insurance Consider Blended Expenditures Be Transparent About Finances With Your New Partner Have Honest Communication About Financial Goals Consolidate and Close Duplicate Bank Accounts Look at Your Partner's Financial History Give Details of Any Debts, Including Child Support Make and Compare Lists of Financial Priorities Become Aligned With Your Partner Define Non-marital Assets Work With a Financial Advisor Create a Prenuptial Agreement Assess Your Need for Life Insurance If you're remarrying, you may have step-children or your own children that will create a blended family. Children can be expensive, so it's important to ensure that your new family is covered with appropriate life insurance. Talk to your insurance carrier to ensure that you have sufficient life insurance to protect your new family should the unexpected happen. Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely Consider Blended Expenditures Remarrying may come with new costs if two families are blending. This can be especially true when children are involved. The increase in the number of children in a family or the cost differences of children in different stages of life can mean a varied impact on your finances. You may want to take some time to get a handle on the new costs you may be taking on as a couple when it comes to blending your families and consider any changes that might need to be made to handle them. The sooner you do this, the easier the transition will be for everyone involved. Max Schwartzapfel, CMO, Schwartzapfel Lawyers See my feature in Self: How to Begin the Process of Combining Finances Be Transparent About Finances With Your New Partner Remarrying after divorce or the death of a spouse is never easy, but financial considerations must be taken into account. One important tip to consider when remarrying is to recognize that your life and finances have changed. For example, taking time to look over and revise estate planning documents might be wise even if you have created them in the past; this ensures that all of your affairs are organized should something happen to you or your new partner. Further, for those interested in making sure their finances merge smoothly with their new partners, assessing both partners' credit reports and working together on building financial trust and transparency may be useful. This uncommon example can help create a secure foundation before money issues become more complicated further on down the road. Carly Hill, Operations Manager, VirtualHolidayParty.com Have Honest Communication About Financial Goals When remarrying, honest communication about financial goals is key for long-term success. Be honest with yourself and your partner about your current situation, including any pre-existing debt, and create a plan on how to proceed. Tax implications may change after marriage, so it is wise to seek professional advice from a qualified tax preparer or financial advisor about any adjustments that need to be made. Establishing a joint savings account will help you start reaching the larger financial goals you created together. Start budgeting and keeping track of spending habits to ensure both partners stay within their planned limits while pursuing their agreed-upon goals. By communicating openly and having conversations surrounding money regularly, couples can better achieve their respective objectives in marriage. Jim Campbell, Owner, Camp Media Consolidate and Close Duplicate Bank Accounts I recommend consolidating and closing duplicate accounts when remarried. This can help to simplify your financial situation and make it easier to manage. Consolidating your accounts means gathering your assets into a single account, such as a joint bank account, and streamlining them so that all of your finances are in one place. Closing duplicate accounts is also important, as too many can be confusing and unnecessarily complicate your financial situation. It will help you to have more clarity and control over your finances, making it easier to manage. Tiffany Homan, COO, Texas Divorce Laws Look at Your Partner's Financial History It might have crossed your mind to look at your partner's current financial situation and even future financial possibilities. But what about their financial history? Many never think to look at this, and it's a financial tip that might help you prepare and know what step to take next. For many, it might not be possible to access their financial history. But if you can, please do! This might save you a lot of financial pain in the future. Lydia Mwangi, Content Writer, Barbell Jobs Give Details of Any Debts, Including Child Support If you are paying or receiving child support, this is a crucial subject to discuss with your future spouse. Research your state's laws before getting hitched to determine how marriage to a new person can affect child support. The courts can decide that your child support should be reduced even if it's unlikely that you would lose it if you got married. Similarly, those responsible for paying child support must discuss the amount of the payments with their future spouse(s) before getting hitched. It is unfair to your new spouse to be taken aback by the financial toll child support has on you. Levon Galstyan, Certified Public Accountant, Oak View Law Group Make and Compare Lists of Financial Priorities Talk about your financial priorities with your partner so that you can both better understand how you think. It may help to sit down with your partner and create separate lists of what you both find to be financially important to you. You can compare your lists, discuss your thought processes, and compromise on areas you disagree on. You're working as a team now, so you need to respect and understand each other to be an effective partnership. Take some time to ensure that you're both on the same page regarding money matters. This can help you avoid conflicts later down the road or, at the very least, give you the foundations to solve a disagreement if one should arise. Max Ade, CEO, Pickleheads Become Aligned With Your Partner Remarrying has been both a scary and an incredibly rewarding experience. However, one of the most important things that my husband and I did when remarrying was to take time to understand each other's non-negotiables regarding spending habits, finances, and long-term goals for our family. While you may not agree on everything and share perspectives on other issues, it's vital to ensure that you are aligned in your financial goals and that all your financial obligations are on the table for one another. Finances can be very polarizing, but if you and your spouse are aligned on your long-term goals, you can rest assured that you'll avoid many unnecessary arguments along the way. And if you're not aligned on such an important consideration, maybe it's time to consider finding a better match. Stephanie Jenkins, Founder, Stephanie Jenkins Photo Define Non-marital Assets Defining non-marital assets before remarrying is one major consideration. Unclear timelines around asset acquisition can easily cause issues at the bank and in your personal life. Make sure to read up on what is legally defined as a non-marital asset and talk with an attorney to ensure those items are justified before the big day. Alexandre Robicquet, Co-founder and CEO, Crossing Minds Work With a Financial Advisor The best financial tip I can give when remarrying is to consolidate and organize all financial accounts, including bank accounts, investment accounts, and retirement accounts. This is essential to help both partners understand their combined assets and liabilities and can make it easier to create a joint financial plan moving forward. It may also be a good idea to work with a financial advisor to help assess the financial situation, make any necessary adjustments, and ensure that the couple's assets are properly allocated to meet their long-term financial goals. Ralitsa Dodova, Content Writer, Buzzlogic Create a Prenuptial Agreement One of the essential financial tips for someone considering remarriage is to create a prenuptial agreement. A prenuptial agreement is a legal document that outlines the financial responsibilities of each person entering into the marriage and how assets and debts will be divided in the event of a divorce. It also sets out each party's rights and obligations concerning retirement benefits, insurance policies, and other financial matters. Considering a prenuptial agreement before marriage, each party can have peace of mind and protect their financial interests. Ben Basic, CEO, Router IP Net

Enrolling in direct deposit can be as easy as one, two, or three. If your employer has an online system that allows you to update your tax, banking, or personal information quickly, then the ability to enroll in direct deposit is right at your fingertips. Some individuals may feel uncomfortable providing their employer with their personal banking information. Or, they may have a general mistrust of banks and want the cash from their hard-earned work in their hands. However, there are downfalls of not having direct deposit set up, and it could cause your pay to be delayed. Why would your pay be delayed? Five Reasons Why Direct Deposit is Important Weather Delays Living in the southern United States, there have been multiple occasions where employers, banks, and other businesses have closed early in anticipation of an impending storm. During these times, some employers may process payroll early. However, if you receive a physical check for your wages and your employer cannot process a check in-house, you will have to wait until offices reopen to receive your paycheck. If you travel to escape the storm and depend on your next paycheck for transportation, lodging, and food costs, you may have to weather the storm in your current location. Sometimes, payment processors have weather delays when they ship checks to employers. If this occurs, your employer cannot control when paychecks arrive. When this happens, voiding a paper paycheck or printing checks in-house requires that employers receive verification that checks have been canceled, causing further delays. See my feature in: What Retirees Should Look for in a Bank You Don't Have Time to Make it to the Bank If you live a hectic life, work long hours, or the bank in your local area closes before you have time to get there, your paychecks could pile up. We all have bills due at a certain time, and the utility company or landlord doesn't want an excuse that you couldn't make it to the bank. By using direct deposit, you can ensure that your paychecks make it to the bank on the specified pay date. It will also ensure that your bill, utility, and rent or mortgage payments are never late. This can reduce late fees and additional interest you could be charged for not making your payments on time. You Can Save Automatically When you receive your paycheck via direct deposit, you have two options. You can have your pay sent to your checking account, or you can split it so a portion goes into your savings as well. By enrolling in direct deposit, you can build your savings fund automatically, and your employer can help you do that through automatic savings enrollments. Suppose you have your direct deposit sent to your checking account. You can create an automatic transfer with your bank for a portion of your earnings to be automatically sent to your savings account. Your savings will grow continuously and automatically. See my feature in: How Much You Should Save Each Month in 2023 Your Check Could Get Lost It's in the mail. It's an old phrase, but it does happen. Have you ever lost a check and had to request that someone writes you another check? If you lose your check, your employer will have to go through a verification process to determine if your paycheck was cashed. This process could take days. Once confirmation is received, the employer can cancel your paycheck and reissue you a new one. If waiting up to a week or longer for this process to complete is unacceptable for you, then an alternative option is to enroll in direct deposit to ensure your paycheck is never "lost in the mail." You're Not Comfortable with Using Technology Being uncomfortable with technology spans multiple generations. It's not specific to one generation because the rate at which technology changes can make it confusing to many. However, when it comes to ensuring that you receive your paycheck timely, it's important to ensure that you keep up-to-date with the latest technology your employer uses. Staying up-to-date with technology is essential when you need to make changes to your tax withholding or direct deposit information. You're right if you think that you don't have to worry about technology when you receive a paper check. However, most employers don't allow employees to receive a paper check. You will have to get familiar with technology to ensure that your income is deposited into the correct bank account. This is essential, especially if you need to switch banks or adjust your direct deposit. What's Next? Discuss your options with your employer to see how you can enroll in direct deposit. If you are unfamiliar with the technology they use, have a human resources member show you how to use it and the options you can use to update your personal information.

Services Getting to the Heart of Your Financial Goal At Harris Financial Coaching, we can reduce the confusion, pressure, and worries about you or your family's financial future to one of empowerment and independence. You landed on this page for a reason. Control your money, don't let it control you. Let's Chat! Mothers & Daughters Your daughter will thank you for teaching her about finances. If you have a daughter you want to teach about money as she grows, this program is perfect for both of you. Find ways to teach her about money as she grows, so she can be confident and responsible with money even after she leaves your arms. Resources For Children Women Talking about money with other women can make it easier to solve your money troubles. Through individual or group sessions, you can learn tricks and gain resources other women have used to manage their finances. If you've had problems in your relationship or your spouse just doesn't want to talk about money. Help is here. Break the Stigma of Talking About Money Fathers & Daughters You can teach your daughter how to wash a car, change the oil, or even play football. Have you thought about teaching her how to manage her money? Challenge her to set money goals and get comfortable talking to you about money. When it's time for her to leave the nest, she will control her finances, education, and career. Let's Chat! Speaking & Workshops Annette Harris is a financial coach for women and military veterans. She helps you improve your relationship with money so you can get and stay out of debt, save up for important goals, and feel more secure and confident about your finances. Through her speaking engagements, workshops, and podcast interviews, Annette aims to reach even more women and military veterans from all backgrounds to provide them with the financial literacy they need to get their money right. Want Annette to come to speak at your organization, university, conference, or on your podcast? Book Annette Now Wealth Building Course Are you ready to get your finances in shape but not sure where to start? Well, this is it! In under an hour, find out how to save, budget, and invest your money. It's time to make real progress toward the financial goals and future you want.

Why Should You Work With Annette? Annette has been lucky enough to be featured as an authority in various publications and invited to discuss coaching and training techniques in the greater community. Take a look below at the latest articles that I have been featured in, as well as tips and tricks about getting the most out of your life. For a complete list of features and collaborations click here . Annette was also a runner-up in the 2021 Black Women's Roundtable Pitch Competition. Download Annette's Media Kit Annette Harris standing in front of a mural of Johnnetta Betsch Cole Annette Harris standing in front of a mural of Johnnetta Betsch Cole Harris Financial Coaching Chamber of Commerce Annette Harris receiving her Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Certificate for Harris Financial Coaching Annette Harris Glow Up Gyrl Annette Harris on the Glow Up, Gyrl Podcast Annette Harris standing in front of a mural of Johnnetta Betsch Cole Annette Harris standing in front of a mural of Johnnetta Betsch Cole 1/3 Harris Financial Coaching Harris Financial Coaching Play Video Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Search video... Now Playing Top 9 Tips For First Time Home Buyers 05:28 Play Video Now Playing Harris Financial Coaching 05:23 Play Video Now Playing Harris Financial Consulting; Annette Harris. Warrior Chapter, Service2CEO Graduation Pitch 03:52 Play Video Now Playing Harris Financial Coaching - Business and Military Service 07:32 Play Video

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