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Finance: Investment Ideas for Newlyweds
By David Amann, Special to The Spectrum
June is a popular month for weddings. If you’re
getting married this month, you have a lot to think
about. But after the wedding — well, you’ll have
even more to think about. And one of those topics
should be your investment strategy. In these days
of economic uncertainty, it’s important that you
and your spouse make investment decisions today
that will help you reach your long-term goals.
Of course, the investment process can seem
confusing for just one person, so you might think
it will be twice as difficult for the two of you.
But that’s not necessarily so. You can launch
an investment strategy that can serve you well
throughout your lives together by following these
few basic steps:
Identify your goals. When you start out,
you may have short-term goals, such as saving
enough for a down payment on a house. As you
move through the years, your goals will become
longer-term in nature. For example, if you have
children, you might set a goal of helping them pay
for college. And you will need to establish a goal
of saving for retirement. Your first step toward
achieving all these goals is identifying them.
Commit to regular investing. When
you begin your careers, you and your spouse may
not have a lot of disposable income, but you still
need to commit yourselves to putting aside some
money each month — even if it’s only a small
amount — for investment purposes. If you each
have an employer-sponsored retirement plan, such
as a 401(k) plan, contribute as much as you can afford.
Reconcile your investment styles.
You and your spouse may have different orientations
toward investing. By nature, you might be an
aggressive investor and your spouse more conservative,
or vice versa. This divergence does not have to
be a problem, but you should communicate your
preferences clearly to each other when choosing
investments together. If you and your spouse
each compromise a bit, you can come up with a
joint portfolio that works for both of you. At the
same time, when you each have an account, such
as a 401(k), you may not want them to look alike
by containing duplicate investments. Instead,
consider building portfolios that complement each
other and that can help fill in any gaps that exist
in your joint investment strategy.
Be co-managers. You probably know
many married couples in which one spouse
handles all the finances and investments. This
isn’t necessarily a good model to follow. You and
your spouse will benefit if you both are familiar
with your investment situation and capable of
making decisions. Nobody knows what the
future will hold, and if one spouse suddenly finds
himself or herself in charge of the family finances
with no preparation, it can lead to troubles.
By following these suggestions, you can make
long-term investing a rewarding part of your
marriage. And the sooner you get started, the
greater those rewards can be.
Editor’s note: This article was written by David
Amman of Edward Jones for use by The Spectrum
Magazine.
Senior Activities
The Veterans Memorial Senior Center,
1455 Madison Ave., Redwood City, is
providing the following activities that are
open to the public during the month of June.
Friday Movies for Everyone
Every Friday, 1:15 p.m. (unless otherwise noted)
Come to the VMSC in June for a free featured
movie in our state-of-the-art movie theater!
June 5: “Frost/Nixon”
June 12: “Last Chance Harvey”
June 19: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
June 26: “Valkyrie”
Okinawan Long Life and How It’s
Achieved
Thursday, June 4, 1–2 p.m., free
Goldstar Room
Arthur Michaelson will lead a discussion of
the Okinawan lifestyle, including Karatedo
Doshinkan, the ancient martial art that is
practiced there. Arthur is one of the world’s
foremost and most accomplished teachers of this
style of noncompetitive martial art.
Living and Coping With Vision Loss
Thursday, June 18, 1–2 p.m., free
Sunset Room
Representing Vista Center for the blind and
visually impaired, Ms. McGrath will inform
us about the opportunities, some very new and
cutting-edge, for people with vision problems.
She will also tell us about the Vista Center and
the wonderful work they do.
Senior Center Chevy’s Fundraiser
Thursday, June 18, all day
Chevy’s in Redwood City
Enjoy a delicious meal and help support the
VMSC. Chevy’s will donate 25 percent of the
proceeds from your meal on June 18 to our
program! To get credit for your meals, make sure
you present our fundraising flier to the server.
The server will attach it to the receipt and give it
to the manager. At the end of the event, Chevy’s
will count the receipts and figure the amount of
the donation. It’s that easy! Eat well and support a
wonderful cause. To obtain additional fundraising
fliers, please contact Christina at 650-780-7343 or
pick some up throughout the lobby of the VMSC.
Father’s Day Tribute Lunch
Friday, June 19, 12–2 p.m., $10 per person
Redwood Room
Join the Veterans Memorial Senior Center as we
pay tribute to the men in our lives. Fathers, sons,
daughters, grandsons and granddaughters are
encouraged to join us for this special luncheon.
All fathers will receive a special gift. Individuals
are also encouraged to send us photos and stories
of their fathers for a special display in the VMSC
lobby. Please call 650-780-7259 for your lunch
reservations.
New Member/Volunteer Orientation
Thursday, June 25, 7–8:15 p.m., free
Sunset Room
All new and “old” patrons and volunteers are
welcome to join us for a discussion of all our
Center has to offer, a tour of the campus and
refreshments. You will have an opportunity to
speak with staff, board members and chairs of
some of our clubs, as well as get your questions
answered. There is no charge for this event.
Fourth of July Dog Days of Summer
Celebration
Thursday, July 2, 12–2 p.m.
Bring your lawn chairs, flags and dogs for
this patriotic outdoor celebration. Games for
people and dogs will be provided and a hot
dog/hamburger BBQ will be served on the
grass of the VMSC. This will be a pet-friendly
celebration, so bring those pooches and they will
receive a special gift. Optional indoor dining
will also be provided; however, dogs cannot be
accommodated within the Senior Center. Cost: $8
per human. Dogs free!
To learn more about the Veterans Memorial
Senior Center, call 650-780-7270. Redwood City
Parks, Recreation and Community Services
Department provides recreational facilities and
activities for all ages and interests, and supplies
building and custodial services for city buildings.
Redwood City Parks also operates the Veterans
Memorial Senior Center and the Fair Oaks
Community Center, providing social, educational
and cultural activities, as well as information,
referral and counseling services to persons living
in Redwood City and neighboring communities.
Redwood City Parks is more than you think! Its
Web site is located at www.redwoodcity.org/parks.
The Spectrum 33