Last Week's Tragedy – In Memory of Sgt. Michael Chesna and Vera Adams

A Warning About Charity Scams

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of last week’s shooting in Weymouth and their loved ones.  Sergeant Michael Chesna and Vera Adams, an innocent bystander were fatally shot early Sunday morning.  Sgt. Chesna left behind a wife and 2 young children.  When a highly publicized crime happens, it brings out the best in most, and often the worst in others.  Kind well meaning folks help the victim’s family by raising money to help pay for sudden and long term expenses.  Others take advantage of an emotional situation by creating phony fundraisers.  Police are warning the public of some fake charities that are soliciting money by phone, and stated there are no legitimate fundraisers established to benefit the Chesna family that solicit by phone.  To learn if a fundraising event is legitimate, do your homework before donating money. Click here for a link provided by the Weymouth Police Department for more information.

Do This Today For Financial Clarity

When tragedy happens suddenly, whether it is a high profile event or not, it reminds me of the importance of having financial clarity.  Here are 7 simple steps you can take today to get your house in order and enjoy financial clarity:

1. Give some thought to what you feel your loved ones will need to know if you have a “what if” event.
2. Review your estate planning documents. If changes or updates are needed, make an appointment with your estate planning attorney.  If you do not have one, ask a trusted source for references.
3. If your documents are in order, have a copy scanned and loaded onto a portable storage device, such as a jump drive.
4. In addition to your estate documents, make a document with a list of bank accounts, investment accounts, credit cards, loans, etc. and add it to the drive.
5. If you have an online presence or digital footprint, make a list of your passwords. Even though you may change them after the fact, if the person in charge needs access, knowing a recent password may help.  If this seems tedious, consider using a cloud based password manager.  Click here for a link for more information.
6. Store the drive offsite in a safe place, such as a Safety Deposit Box.
7. Make sure the person you named to be in charge has access to the drive.

Why Do We Procrastinate?

Let’s face it, thinking about the what-ifs of life is not pleasant and the to-do list can seem daunting.  If you’ve either put off getting your finances in order all together, or it’s been a while since you’ve reviewed your documents, you are not alone.  That's why I’m offering a Financial Clarity Conversation to my followers.  This 60 minute strategy session includes an initial checklist, an hour of consulting, and a follow-up action step summary report.

How Financial Clarity Benefits You

The people I've worked with in this capacity say they walk away with a better understanding of what they need to do, and how to do it.  They get peace of mind, knowing they are finally addressing an important issue that’s haunted them.  And the best thing is that they realize this whole financial organizing process is actually doable, and something they can manage successfully.

If you want that same sort of clarity – along with the sense of accomplishment and relief that comes from taking care of business — a Financial Clarity Conversation might be a great next step.

Please click here to schedule your Financial Clarity Conversation today.  You may select an in person, phone, or internet session.  Don't put it off.  3 months from now you will wish you started today.