TheLiveBigWay* Digest – Love and Money

In this edition of the Digest, we discuss The 5 Love Languages, 5 ideas for having quality financial conversations with your mate, explain why a “sweetheart will” may not be a sweet way to plan your estate, and gear up for Yeske Buie’s Vienna Office Open House.

The 5 Love Languages

Marriage should be based on love, right? But does it seem as though you and your spouse are speaking two different languages?

• Paul spent three hours building a bookshelf for Marcia. All she wanted was 10 minutes to talk.
• Carol bought Dylan a brand new set of golf clubs. He wondered why she didn’t sign the birthday card.
• Ryan gave Jennifer a hug and a kiss. She frowned at the pile of dirty dishes.

All too often, couples fail to express their love – they try, but they’re speaking different languages. This can lead to frustration, resentment, hurt feelings, and a strained relationship. Fortunately, saying and hearing “I love you” doesn’t have to be that hard.

from “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts,” by Gary Chapman

Five Ways to Have Financial Conversations with your Sweetheart
When planning a date night or weekend getaway, few people think to make a discussion of finances part of the event. However, with money frequently cited as one of top stressors in relationships and one of the main causes of divorce, allocating time to have financial conversations with your sweetheart is a worthwhile endeavor. On this Valentine’s Day we thought we would offer five ideas for how you can make ”money talk” a constructive part of your relationship.

Financial Planning WONK – What is a sweetheart will?
A sweetheart will is one of the simplest forms of estate planning where ”sweethearts” or spouses mutually agree to leave all of their assets to each other if one spouse predeceases the other. While it’s one of the few romantic words in estate planning, it may not be the best option for most people. A sweetheart will does not account for your children and grandchildren nor does it protect your portion of the estate should your spouse remarry. Other assets like retirement accounts and insurance policies, meanwhile, have beneficiary designations so a will would not apply to how they are distributed. As always, it is important to consult an estate planning attorney to determine the appropriate estate plan for your situation.

Save the date.
Please join us for the Yeske Buie Vienna Office Open House on Thursday, March 14th from 4:30pm-6:30pm. The event will be catered and will include staff from both the Virginia and California offices.

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

– The Yeske Buie Team
*SM