By Nathalie Fiset

Getting married is easy; planning for the years to come is entirely a different story. The couple should ensure that they have carefully laid down a financial plan for the future. Marriage is not all about finances, nonetheless. Because if it is just about money, whats with promise to cherish each other for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer? However, the couples should also seriously consider financial marriage planning so that this aspect of marriage will not be a cause of anything that would break the vows you took at the altar. Here are some important things you should consider on financial marriage planning.

Paying for the wedding. Why do so many people spend too much on a one-day event when they can use the money to some long-term investment such as house mortgage or invest on a business? An average American couple spends $19,000 for wedding alone. Why not put this money to pay off debts? If you plan well enough you can cut the wedding cost up to a minimum without sacrificing the dream wedding you want achieve. If you can make your own invitation, ask a friend for the photography and video coverage, ask your mom or your future mother-in-law to bake the cake, etc, you can make a lot of savings.

Pre nuptial agreement? It is very popular among the rich but lower and middle-class couples should also take serious consideration about this matter. Of course, you do not think of divorce when you are getting married, dont you? However, when or if you get to the point that you are heading to divorce court, it will save a lot of money and emotional battle when you sign a pre-nuptial agreement. Again, marriage does not always lead to divorce but think of pre-nuptial agreement for the moment and the good things it will give to both of you.

Marriage Tax Penalty. The couples income is combined as though it is earned by one person after they get married. So if you are earning less than your fiances now, be prepared to fall under his or her tax bracket after the wedding. Yes, it is cheaper to stay single. That is why you need to discuss this together so that you can plan it out carefully. The good news is, marriage tax penalty fill gradually be passed out as the years go by.

Household finances. Who will pay for the utility bills? Is it better to joint credit card accounts? Do you need to maintain a shared bank account? What is the share of each spouse to the budget? How much from your income will go to savings? How much debts you both have? How will you pay for them? Before tying a knot, sit down and discuss these issues.

Financial goals. Setting financial goals as a couple early will put your financial plans into right perspective. Set short-term goal like buying a house and college education, and long-term goal such as when and where you want to retire. Consider the option of consolidating your finances. If it works for both of you, go for it.

Safety net. Health, life, and disability insurance: there are some types of insurance you can consider. You may already have these insurance but it is worth to review what coverage you need to cover joint responsibilities.

Finally, why not hire a financial planner? Financial marriage planning can be done objectively and effectively if theres an expert sitting with you throughout the process. Financial experts will be able to assess your financial standing and will be able to give realistic goals based on the data you provide. Fees for financial planners vary from firm to firm. To give you an idea, a Certified Financial Planner charges an average fee of $100 per hour; $300 for a plan that covers a specific area; like retirement planning; $700 for a comprehensive financial plan.

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By Sandy Baker

Here are some helpful suggestions on things to consider about the financial planner for your needs:

* You need quality. Simply, you are putting your money into someone elses hands and you need to find a professional who will do his or her best at managing it. They need to be able to provide you with a plan that shows how they can help you. They need to have experience and show you what they have done in the past for others.

* You need to be able to communicate with them on many levels. At first, youll need them to be able to understand your needs and desires and they need to provide you with a plan that you can follow. They also need to be available if you have questions or problems come up. You can tell if the financial planner is committed to this just in your first meeting with them.

* You also need to agree on the same principles. If you feel that the financial planner is simply trying to make money, you are less likely to trust them. Make sure that you take the time to find those financial planners who are on the same page as you.

When you do all of these things, your experience in choosing a financial planner will lead to a good choice.

For more information please see http://www.financial-planner-advice.co.uk

By lexy

Assuming you have gotten yourself out of debt, and are producing extra income, congratulations!! You are on your way to financial freedom and security.

Before you do anything else, make sure you are taking fullest advantage of your 401K plan. Most companies provide some matching funds AND all income that goes into your 401K is exempt from income tax. This is the best first step toward building toward retirement.

A financial planner is a person who provides counsel on how to put your money to work. They will want to know what your financial goals are, such as childrens education, retirement, risk tolerance, income and debt.

There are two types of financial planners:

1. Financial planners who charge for their time and advice, but do not sell financial products. This is the best way to start. They are not motivated by commissions and provide objective information on how you should build your financial future, including life insurance, long-term insurance, and investment advice. This type of financial planner will be most engaged with your personal needs on a one-to-one basis. To find professionals, look for designations such as RFC (registered financial consultant), ChFC (chartered financial consultant), CFP (certified financial planner), or membership in the National Association of Personal Financial Advisers.

2. Brokerage companies who provide financial products and earn commissions on what they sell to you. They will also give you a questionnaire to determine the best match for your investment strategies and then propose the best investment options. If you are just starting, get a local person with whom you can have face-to-face discussions and is easily accessible for any questions you may have. There are now many on-line investment companies, but these should be reserved for those with a high level of investment experience and knowledge.

Talk to friends, work colleagues and family. The best way to insure finding the right person is through a personal reference. It is strongly recommended that you do not use a friend or family member who is in the financial services business. Investment jitters can cause bad feelings.

Nobody has a crystal ball

The ups and downs of the financial markets can cause euphoria or anxiety. Nobody can anticipate the stock or bond market. Beware of any promised 'magic'. This can be a scam. The average return on the stock market over time has been 12% per year, considering the up and down times over many years.

Time is Your Best Friend

Investments are long-term propositions. You must be prepared to ride the roller-coaster of the market, knowing that over the long-term, it will give you a good return on your money. Learn about dollar cost averaging — meaning that you invest a specific amount each month, so you buy when the market is high and when the market is low. This increases the overall growth on your money.

Be informed and Be Diversified

The economy and the best investment strategies are always changing. Educate yourself by reading about current trends. Usually, the current top performers are peaking and next year, something else will be on top. Diversify your portfolio to offset the peaks and valleys in the various investment options.

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By Simon Oldmann

Even if you do not think you are a financial planner, you better start thinking like one fast. In the United States, there is an approximate of 5.6 million people who are either self-made millionaires or financially independent. And what is so hard to believe about that statistic, you ask? This is because that is only about 5% of the American population.

The remaining 95% of the American population (were talking about 106.4 million people here!) are not only not rich, but most of them are facing financial disasters, either owing to poor financial planning or foolish spending!. This is why you should start thinking like a financial planner. Financial planning is not so complicated, and it can make a huge difference in your life.

As the saying goes, 'failing to plan is planning to fail'. Much of the same can be said if you do not plan your finances well, it does not matter if you are a high earner, you still need financial planner skills, to keep you form harms way and to ensure that your life will be financially secured.

The fact of the matter is that financial planning Is Not An Option, most of us need to think ahead today, and you should practice your financial planner skills right away to enjoy the money you make today in the future.

The basics of financial planning is to keep all your finance in order, this is very basic advice, alright. However, more often than not, we would rather concentrate on other things in life such as health, studies, work and more.

Think about the things you want to achieve in life, and how you are going to get there, financial planner always set his goals and puts some order in his thought before starting to actually put the wheels in motion. Financial planning can include buying a house, paying for your children education and thinking about a retirement fund.

Financial planning will help you use your current pay check and your saving to start working on a program that will give you peace of mind on the financial level, a financial planner will plan a budget according to every households expenditure budgeted and a savings plan drawn up, this will help you spend your money wisely and effectively.

A financial planner will consider having savings invested in an investment vehicle that pays higher returns than the normal bank account, it will add in some muscle to your savings and help you reach your financial goals in a shorter period of time.

By starting your retirement planning now (not later!), you can gauge how much money you will need to maintain your current lifestyle and where this money will come from. Many people, especially those who have just started working, always put their retirement planning on the back burner for reasons such as 'I just started work' and 'Oh, I am still young'.

Many, however, fail to realize that by starting early to save for retirement, you will be able to save and invest more due to the magic of 'compounding interest', provided that you invest your savings wisely. Maybe you do not have to wait until the age of 65 to retire. For all you know, by the age of 40, you might have already reached your financial independence and do not have to worry about getting up early to clock in or work until late hours because there are deadlines to meet.

Simon Oldmann has been studying personality traits for 10 years, with a focus on the effects of financial planning on health and mental stability. Simon is currently writing tips and advice on Financial Planning and becoming a better Financial Planner.

By Jay Moncliff

When hiring a financial advisor you don't want to simply hire someone who looks like they know what they are doing, but rather a financial advisor that knows what they are doing and has proof. You will need to ask your potential financial advisor several questions in order to get a real feel of whether this financial advisor is skilled or has no clue how to advise you on money matters. You will be able to find a financial advisor who is going to really help you with your finances by simply asking the following questions.

First of all, you want to ask the potential financial advisor what kind of education he/she has. This is important because a quality financial planner will have educating supporting this field of work, as well as credentials, continuing education certificates and the like. You will also want to ask what kind of experience the individual has as a financial advisor and how long the individual has been working as a financial advisor. This information will enlighten you as to the type of financial planner you are considering hiring.

Another question that should be offered to the potential financial advisor is how they receive payment. Does this particular financial advisor charge an hourly rate, work only on commission, or have some other fee schedule? You will need to know up front how the financial planner plans on billing you before you agree to let them advise you on your finances.

Asking the financial advisor for referrals, especially past clients, is a great way to know if the financial advisor is for real and has been successful with other clients. If the financial advisor does not have any referrals, you might be skeptical about this particular financial advisor.

Finally, ask the financial advisor to give you an outline of what will be covered and how he/she can help you reach your financial goals. An experienced financial advisor will be able to tell you several topics he/she will want to cover with you.

Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.mileniumfinancialservices.com a blog focusing on the Financial resources and articles. This site provides detailed information on Financial. For more info visit his site: Financial