Women

We Understand


You are secretaries, laborers, doctors, teachers, lawyers, CEOs of major corporations, technicians, professionals, union leaders, managers, nurses, and more. In addition, you are caregivers, mothers, homemakers, partners and spouses. You face more challenges and responsibilities than ever before, both in the workplace and at home. You spend a lot of your time taking physical and emotional care of others. Now it's time to let us take care of you.

Why Focus on Women and Investing?


It's pretty straightforward. Consider the facts:

·Women, on average, live seven years longer than men. This means women need money to fund longer retirements. (US National Center for Health Statistics, 1999)

·Women are less likely to be financially informed and tend to invest less aggressively than men.

·Women earn seventy-four cents on the dollar to every dollar earned by men. Because women make less money, they have less to invest. (US Census Bureau)

·Only sixty-six percent of women are contributing any amount of their income to savings and investment. (Merrill Lynch Annual Retirement Survey, 1997)

·Seventy-five percent of the elderly poor in the U.S. are women. (US Census Bureau)

·Half of all marriages end in divorce. When divorces are finalized, women tend to lose more income than men.

·Women tend to change jobs or work part-time more often, and they interrupt their careers to raise children. Consequently, they are less likely to qualify for company-sponsored retirement plans or receive the full benefits of those plans.

Stopping for Reflection


We invite you to stop for a moment and reflect on your overall financial position. Have you reached the point in your life where you may need a more comprehensive financial strategy? Ask yourself the following important questions:


·What are my savings goals?

·Would my retirement be affected if my partner or spouse leaves our relationship?

·Will I have enough money saved in time to send my child to college?

·Will I have enough money to live comfortably when I choose to retire?

·How will I pay the bills if my partner or spouse becomes disabled or needs long-term care?

·Would I be taken care of financially if my spouse or partner were to die unexpectedly?

If you are unsure of the answers to these questions, it may be time for a complete financial review. We can help. Our mission is your peace of mind.

The Good News


Our firm specializes in understanding the financial issues affecting women. We can help you build your knowledge about money and investing, identify your values, put your financial house in order, match your values with your actions, and build your retirement portfolio. We believe that empowering you through values-based financial planning will help you live the life you choose.

Building Knowledge


Statistics show that many women typically control household budgets and make daily financial decisions. Fewer women, however, actively participate in the decision making process regarding investments. When it comes to the subject of taking control of their finances, some women express fears about money, intimidation by the financial markets, and lack of knowledge.

If you struggle with money issues, you're not alone. In high school, were you ever offered a course in financial management? Did your parents ever sit down with you to teach you the basics about stocks, bonds, and mutual funds? Has anyone ever taken the time to explain to you how the New York Stock Exchange works? The fact is, most women have never been taught about money. We can change that.

We offer financial education to individuals or small groups of women in a caring and supportive environment. We can help you learn the basics about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, the stock market, and more. Building your knowledge base will help you increase your confidence and help you take control of your financial future.

Identifying Values


Values are defined as the intangible things you care the most about. Happiness, freedom, and peace of mind are good examples of values. Goals are tangible expressions of your values. Goals might include travel, paying down a mortgage, or starting a business. When a person achieves a goal (worldwide travel), she also experiences her values (freedom). We will help you identify your values.

Financial Order


Putting your financial house in order is the next important step in the financial planning process. In order to get a "snap shot" view of your current financial position, it is necessary to gather your financial statements and documents. We analyze your current financial situation by reviewing your assets, debts, insurance needs, and budget.

Matching Values With Actions


Once we have a good analysis of your current financial position, we then design financial strategies that match your values with your actions. It is our belief that when people match their values with their actions, they are highly motivated to achieve their goals.

Funding Retirement


Incredibly, 75% of women are not entitled to pension benefits because of interrupted work histories (U.S. Census Bureau). In 1998, women received an average of $643 per month in social security benefits. Thirty percent of Americans between the ages of 51 and 61 have saved less than $10,000 for retirement (Profiles of America's Retired Investors, ICI 1998). Where will your retirement money come from?

Retirement plans and personal investing are the main sources of retirement funding. We will help you understand your investment options in relation to your objectives, time frame, risk tolerance, and tax implications. Investment options include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, annuities, IRAs, Roth IRAs, and retirement plans.

There is a benefit to investing early:

·Hypothetically, a 25 year-old woman who invests $2000 annually for 10 years, assuming a 10% return, would accumulate $659,411 by the age of sixty-five. The out-of-pocket cost for her investment is $20,000.

There is a cost to delaying your investments:

·A 35 year-old woman who invests $2000 annually for 30 years, assuming a 10% return, would accumulate $393,923. Her out-of-pocket expense is $60,000.

·A 50 year-old woman who invests $5000 annually for 15 years, assuming a 10% return, would accumulate only $161,406 with an out-of-pocket expense of $75,000.

As you can see, investing early has the benefit of long-term growth potential but it's never, never to late to start. We can help get you going.

(These are hypothetical examples and the estimate of 10% average annual return is for illustrative purposes only. Your returns will vary and are not guaranteed.)

And Finally


As Bill Bachrach, author of Values Based Financial Planning, writes, "In the grand scheme of things, money's not that important. It's significant only to the extent that it allows you to enjoy what is important to you. And not worrying about your finances is critical to having a life that excites you, nutures those that you love, and fulfills your highest aspirations."

Having a financial plan in place may not rid you of all your financial worries, but it can be reassuring. We believe that values-based financial planning is the foundation for abundant living and peace of mind.

How Do I Get Started?


You can start by calling Sandra Reynolds, CFP at 508-636-6521 or by e-mailing us to schedule a free, no obligation meeting where we can sit together and discuss your financial concerns. To e-mail, just click on "Contact Us" here on the web site, fill in the necessary information, and submit it to us. We look forward to hearing from you.