Take Charge Ladies

by Irene Segal

Good news: More and more women are achieving financial success.

US statistics: 90% of all women either never marry, become widowed or get divorced.

Reality check: At some point in almost every woman's life, she will make financial decisions on her own. Start taking control of your life so that your life does not control you.

Do It Now:
A) Get in Control of Your Finances by finding a professional financial advisor/planner whom you trust, and feel comfortable with. Work with this individual to accomplish a road map for financial security.

B) Seven Steps to a Solid Financial Roadmap/Plan:

1. Define your objectives including short and long term goals.
2. Take a good look at your assets and liabilities to determine your present net worth. Let your advisor know what is important to you and what is not, work with your advisor to determine your risk tolerance and time horizons.
3. Analyze how you spend your money and the cash flow that you need.
4. Make sure that you have a valid will which reflects your current wishes and your personal situation
5. Review your life insurance, disability insurance and other insurances such as medical, critical illness, long term illness.
6. If you do not have a retirement plan in place you should. It is a critical component of your financial plan
7. Develop an investment strategy that reflects your needs, objectives, risk tolerance and time horizon. Putting your income into low yielding GIC's or money market funds may be a resting place for dollars you expect to require using, but it is not an investment strategy.

Proper allocation of your assets is the way to help you maximize your potential returns while
reducing risks.

Irene Segal
Financial Planning & Wealth Management,
Investors Group, Regional Office
416-491-7400 x 529
email: irene.segal@Investorsgroup.com