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Couples that fail to prepare for a shared money maturity will likely experience longer and sharper growing pains. Here are several things to talk about before tying the knot.

Many couples have significant issues about money. Many people’s beliefs are holding them back from enjoying life to its fullest potential. Make sure someone asks you the right questions.

I highly recommend that you plan to live on one salary for the first several years. This is a challenge that too few couples accept.

“Deciding when to take Social Security benefits is critically important to maximizing long-term benefits. Benefits may be claimed as early as age 62, or as late as 70.”

Begin by reflecting on this question: “Imagine you are financially secure, that you have enough money to take care of your needs, now and in the future.

Modeling investment returns seeks to find an equation to predict your expected returns as much as possible. The simplest equation for the markets would be “Return equals 11.71%.” This has been the average return from 1927 through 2010, the zero factor model.

“Economics in One Lesson” by Henry Hazlitt is one of the classics which should be required reading before voting. It is interesting to see that he knew more in 1946 than the politicians of our age.

Financial troubles and marital troubles go together. Does financial largess therefore also go with marital harmony? Do something romantic together: Engage a fee-only financial planner.

David John Marotta and Matthew Illian discuss how to get more from Social Security by filing at the right time and taking benefits at the right time.

Couples that fail to prepare for a shared money maturity will likely experience longer and sharper growing pains.

“Unlike the government economic advisor, these entrepreneurial castaways are not making, i.e. printing, money. Instead, they’re creating new wealth by producing things that others find valuable.”

Social Security benefits can represent a big stack of cash. A typical monthly benefit of $2,200 has a present value well over $500,000. Consider all your Social Security options carefully to avoid making a costly mistake.

If you had the services of a financial advisor working for you, what would you want them to work on?

Q: I recently landed a job that will allow me to begin saving. My company offers a 401(k) and a 3% match, but I also have college debts of $15,000 and a credit card balance of $650. How do you recommend I proceed?

“How can you respond if these new taxes are enacted? One option is to do a Roth conversion so that you can pay taxes now for those retirement funds.”