Many marriage counselors will tell you if a couple comes to agreement on four major issues — money, kids, religion and in-laws — they have a greater chance of forming a successful and lasting marriage.
I believe it’s vitally important that financial decisions are made by husband and wife together — as one.
Most women value communication in a relationship, and the process of doing a monthly budget together will be a wonderful sharing experience for the two of you.
Money isn’t the most important thing in the world. But the way a couple handles money is representative of their dreams, passions and fears. It’s also indicative of their vision for the future.
Question: I receive child support payments for my two kids from my ex-husband. My new husband and I are using your plan to improve our finances, but we can’t agree on how to handle these payments. I’ve been keeping it in a separate account. He thinks we should combine it with the rest of our house money and budget. What do you think is best?
ANSWER: I don’t blame you for being protective of the child support money. I’m sure the feelings you have stem from a desire to protect your kids. But if your new husband is a good guy, one who’s kind, loving and willing to treat these kids like they’re his very own, then my opinion is the money should go into the pile where it helps take care of the kids and family.
Your job as a parent is to be a blessing to your kids. That means feeding them, clothing them, educating them and giving them a good home. As long as these things are happening, and we’re talking about a functional, loving marriage, then all the money should be combined and be part of the family. Put it right at the top of your monthly budget, along with all your other household income.
Money is important, and I’d expect you to make sure your kids and your cash are treated properly. But I’m talking about two responsible people being involved in a happy marriage, too. A healthy, loving relationship is one of the best gifts any couple can give to their kids.
http://www.dallasnews.com/business/personal-finance/headlines/20150104-dont-drop-coverage-on-the-car.ece
I hate the Lifecycle funds; they’re awful. They adjust your investments automatically and the adjustments are uber, crazy conservative. If you’re in the TSP, I recommend putting the vast majority in the C plan. It is the premiere plan of the entire TSP. It is more like an index fund and it has done very well. I would put 80% into that, 10% into the S, and 10% into the I.
VIA http://blogs.fedsmith.com/2015/01/04/i-hate-the-lifecycle-funds/
