How To Write a Financial Plan for Your Family

Creating a financial plan for your family can provide you with the framework and guidance you need to manage your money and reach your goals. A good financial plan should act as a blueprint for financial clarity, providing a comprehensive picture of your current income and expenses, as well as a strategy to prepare for the future. These three steps can get you started on the road to financial freedom.

1. Create a Budget

If you and your family are aiming for financial freedom, creating a responsible budget should be your first step. To save for the future, you need to ensure that your income exceeds your expenditures. If you don’t track your money, it’s difficult to determine where you stand and whether you are spending responsibly.

Also, by examining your spending habits, you may notice that you’re wasting money on things you don’t really need. Buying a latte every morning may not seem unreasonable, but when you examine the total monthly cost for this innocent daily habit, it can be eye-opening. Similarly, you might discover that you have unnecessary subscriptions that are costing you more than you realized. By creating a budget, you have the opportunity to rethink and revamp your spending habits.

2. Start an Emergency Fund

Everyone knows that life happens when you least expect it. By setting aside enough money to cover three to six months of living expenses, you can be prepared when emergencies arise. The emergency fund is not meant to finance routine purchases, such as a vacation or a new car. Rather, it should be reserved for unforeseen emergencies, such as a sudden loss of income, a necessary home repair, or an unexpected medical bill.

3. Invest for Your Family’s Future

Once you have established a budget and an emergency fund, you are now in the position to invest for your future. For example, you may choose to save up for a major purchase, such as a house or a car. For these types of large-scale investments, knowing the price and your savings rate should enable you to determine a reasonable timeline and game plan. An added benefit is that it’s much easier to control your impulse purchases when you know that the money is going towards something you really need or want.

The most common long-term investments are college funds and retirement accounts. When saving for college, consider:

• 529 plans
• Education savings accounts
• UGMA or UTMA custodial accounts

For retirement, there are several options. If your employer offers a 401(k) plan, you should contribute enough pre-tax income to take advantage of any matching contributions your firm is willing to make. You can also open a traditional or Roth IRA at a financial institution. Both accounts, which allow you to invest in stocks, mutual funds, and bonds, offer unique tax benefits as an incentive to save for your retirement. Finally, retirement annuities are becoming very popular because they can offer a guaranteed income stream to ensure that you don’t outlive your traditional investments.

Every family needs a financial plan to keep them on track. By determining your monetary goals and managing your purchases and investments, you and your family can achieve the financial freedom you deserve.