IBJ

Couples fight about money. Money fights can put a strain on any relationship and are a frequent cause for divorce. Divorce is one life event that will almost always derail a financial plan.

So how can you manage those money disagreements and keep your relationship on track? Communication and self-reflection go a long way toward generating happy relationships, no matter the topic.

People often dream of getting a big financial windfall. The most common sources of sudden money are lawsuit judgments, divorces, business sales, inheritances, retirement packages and stock options.

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We all deal with death differently, including coping with a parent's death. Adult children might have some unique considerations, especially with the last parent's death.

My mom died Dec. 21, 1998. My mother-in-law just died Dec. 26. My husband and I had very different experiences. My mom was only 66, and her death was unexpected .

It’s the start of a new year, which means it’s time to make—and hopefully begin to implement—New Year’s resolutions.

December is generally the peak time for charitable giving. When I work with clients on spending forecasts, I’m often asked, “How much should I be giving to charity?”

Some general estimates are given as an average percentage of adjusted gross income (gross income minus certain adjustments) of 3 percent to 5 percent.

I wasn’t going to do it. I wasn’t going to write about overspending during the holidays, but I can’t help myself. I got sucked into the Black Friday/Cyber Monday hype.

I found myself poring over the sales ads and wondering what I should buy. Were there any great deals I just couldn’t pass up? Was there anyone who could use any of these deals?

Thanksgiving is now one of my favorite holidays. Besides the food, friends and family gatherings, it gives me time to reflect on how blessed I am.

We so often look at the world and our personal situation and see what’s wrong or what’s missing. Gratitude is an ongoing action, a state of being or a way of life. It is an ongoing habit.

As we age, we slow down physically and cognitively. The physical aspects of aging are more noticeable than the cognitive.

As I’ve aged, my fondness for amusement parks has waned. I grew up in Illinois, and our park of choice was Six Flags outside of St. Louis. As my kids were growing up, we ventured to Holiday World and later Kings Island.

I was at a retreat recently with fellow planners, and one of the topics was, “Lessons Learned from the ’08 Meltdown: How Are You Preparing Your Portfolios and Clients?”

We know a bear is coming; we just don’t know when or how hungry it will be. I don’t worry about individuals like my son, who are young, well-educated and financially sound.