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Welcome

Your Money Smart Team is here to support you. This site is dedicated to serving people, especially women, going through life and money transitions. Dr. Judith Gerhart, founder, CFP, hosts live events, phone seminars, a radio show, podcasts and offers private coaching.

Benefits of signing up include periodic announcements and participating in live phone classes, interactive study groups, access to inspiring interviews on my Radio Show, and getting answers to your most important questions. The site is a professional resource that includes up to date articles by Dr. Gerhart and other experts that address money issues.


Divorce and Debt

December 24th, 2008

Once you’ve identified your debts and taken steps to ensure they don’t increase, it’s time to decide who will be responsible for what debt. There are several ways to do this, including:
 

If possible, pay off the debts now. If you have savings or assets you can sell, this is the cleanest method. You don’t have [...]

Topics: Divorce, Finance, Tips | Post a comment »


Keys to Avoiding Bankruptcy

December 24th, 2008

The key to avoiding bankruptcy or other, less dire but no less unpleasant financial problems is to have a firm grip on your finances by following these eight tips:
 

Avoid impulse spending. 
Don’t use a credit card unless you have the cash to pay it off. 
 
Tear up credit card offers you receive in the mail. 
Set up a [...]

Topics: Finance | Post a comment »


More Tips for Women

December 23rd, 2008

1. Build an emergency fund. Without one, losing your job or incurring a large unexpected bill could force you to take on heavy credit card debt, and could put you into a financial hole that will be difficult if not impossible to dig your way out of.
2. Be involved in the day-to-day management of your [...]

Topics: Finance | Post a comment »


Money Tips for Women

December 22nd, 2008

1. Don’t rely on someone else, like a husband or boyfriend, for your financial security. Educate yourself about money management and investing.
2. Set goals - it’s key to financial success.
3. Don’t use money to make yourself feel good. That type of high is fleeting. Instead, do things that promote self-respect and creativity so you don’t [...]

Topics: Finance | Post a comment »


Parenting Mistakes

December 21st, 2008

Professionals all agree these are some of the most emotionally damaging mistakes to children that parents make when coping with divorce or separation: 

Asking your children to bear the weight of making decisions or choosing sides.
Failing to remind your children that none of this is in any way their fault.
Forgetting to emphasize that Mom and Dad [...]

Topics: Divorce, Tips | Post a comment »


Avoiding Bankruptcy

December 20th, 2008

There are ways to handle your debt and avoid bankruptcy. For starters, you can come up with a plan to pay off your debt based on the amount of your debt and your monthly income. Cutting back some of your expenses may give you the extra money you need to pay your debt. Paying off [...]

Topics: Divorce, Finance, Radio Show, Tips | Post a comment »


Happy Divorces

December 19th, 2008

The goal of collaborative divorce is to avoid that. “In a collaborative divorce, the decisions have to be made by the couple,” Stoner says. The two sides and their attorneys meet together and talk until they reach an agreement everyone deems fair. They agree to provide all information — such as financial records — voluntarily, [...]

Topics: Divorce, Finance, Tips | Post a comment »


Personal Budgeting After Divorce

December 18th, 2008

Let’s face it. Managing your personal finances can be a difficult task, especially when on a tight budget. Every time you turn around, there’s another bill to pay, and before you know it, your entire paycheck has been spent, and then some! Soon, you find yourself drowning in the financial demands of everyday life, and [...]

Topics: Divorce, Finance | Post a comment »


Holiday Spending

December 17th, 2008

1. Make a list of your purchases.
Make a list of what you want to buy, so you don’t risk overbuying, Benson said. Be mindful of those purchases. If you begin to see some purchases on your list, you’re moving into dangerous territory.
 
2. Use unopened purchases as gifts.
If you are an overshopper, it’s likely you have a [...]

Topics: Finance, Radio Show | Post a comment »


Divorce Financial Planning

December 16th, 2008

Divorce is not one of the happy milestones in your life that you plan for, but it happens, and it could happen to you. Should you be on the verge of a divorce, or already involved in procuring one, there are many serious financial issues to resolve in order to protect yourself from major financial [...]

Topics: Finance | Post a comment »



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