Your life between the event and the settlement may have been uncertain and confusing, never really knowing how the damage from the event will effect your future or the when and how much of the settlement. Once the settlement arrives it is natural to want to put the legal battles behind you and get on with your life but we have found from experience that the quality of your life after the settlement can be determined by the choices you make now. Each decisions and commitment you make has an impact, it takes time to understand how the pieces fit together and which choices are in your best interest now and for the long term. This What Now…. education series is designed to help you prepare your financial and life plan to manage all the decisions that have been on hold for a long time. It may sound satisfying and fun to put the settlement money into action but the good feelings can soon fade and the money can quickly shrink. Each segment of this series addresses an issue that has been challenging and difficult for the majority of the people receiving legal settlement before you. This is an opportunity to learn from their experience and plan to live your best possible life. We encourage you to watch each of the seven segments , complete the workbook and find a training financial planner to help make current decisions, organize your plan and remain your trusted source of guidance for decades to come. The time you invest in yourself is the single biggest gift you can give yourself and your family. List the series titles
Money that comes from the settlement of a lawsuit is hardly a joyous windfall. Most of the time this money is a recovery for damages, pain, suffering, and loss. It has probably taken many years of legal battling to secure the settlement you anticipate receiving because of an injury or loss. While receiving the money might be nice, the real blessing is to have the matter over with so you can go on with your life.
But going on with your life may not be so simple. You will need to make far-reaching investment decisions while simultaneously dealing with psychological and possibly physical pain. You may have a permanent disability, you may have become the caregiver for family member who has been permanently injured, or you may be still suffering the effects of a tragic loss such as the death of a child or a spouse.
The emotional landscape is as important as the financial landscape. It is normal to see the financial component as most important and give your attention and energy to the financial planning that is required. Because it is more factual it may seem like safer ground, but your finances do not exist in isolation of your emotions. The event happened, you had years of legal, medical, dealing with the unknown
Introduction to the challenges of managing any major life event Common misconceptions and myths about receiving a large sum of money
Who What You _______________________________ Family ________________________________ Friends ________________________________ Creditors ________________________________
Making financial decisions is more complicated than it looks from the outside It will take at least a year before you really know how the money part works You will do your best for everyone but you must take care of your basic needs first
Have a Financial and Life Plan Stress test the possibilities and the limits of the money –know your trade offs First cover basic needs: housing, transportation, insurance, utilities New cars, vacations and houses will still be there a year later Get as much freedom from daily money worries as possible Wait one year before taking investment risk or big purchases