Thank you for your interest in the Financial Planning Webcasts!

Over time while working with burn survivors and their family members we have identified a need for information and resources in the area of financial planning and debt management. A recent workshop was done in Rhode Island for the survivors of the Station nightclub fire.

Often a burn injury puts incredible stress on the financial situation of families causing increased debt during recovery. There are a some who experience a financial settlement due to the cause of their injury and may not have the information or skills to manage this new financial reality. The Phoenix Society, and the Sudden Money Institute have collaborated to put a series of webcasts together to provide you with information on the following financial topics:

Webcast 1: Introduction

Considerations for managing the intersection of your life and your new money as you prepare to accept a legal settlement.

Webcast 2: Settlement options

Basic information including the different kinds of settlements, the pros and cons of each, and how to know what works best for you.

Webcast 3: Debt

Information to include identifying and tracking income and spending, debt consolidation, dealing with collection agencies and creditors, and money goals.  This is a priority to address before a settlement arrives.

Webcast 4: Home Purchase

Information on what kind of house works best for you, the actual cost of owning a home, renting vs. owning, and paying cash or taking out a mortgage.

Webcast 5: Insurance 

Information on what kind of coverage you need (health, long term care, life, homeowners, auto, personal liability), what you have now and how it might change, and the cost of not being insured.

Webcast 6: Investing for Income

Basic information on where income comes from in an investment portfolio, evaluating risk and reward, inflation and taxes, long term trends, and living under your means today to afford your means in the future.

Webcast 7: Workding with an Advisor

Information on what and who is an investment advisor, the differences between a broker, registered rep, registered investment advisor, insurance agent, and financial planner, how they are paid and what it should cost, and what happens in the first meeting (what to expect).

These What Now.... education webcasts are 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.

We encourage you to join in on each of the seven segments, complete the workbook and find a trained 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.

(The Phoenix Society is offering this webinar series so you can be better prepared to ask the necessary questions of your representations and wants to make clear that all instructors are working solely on a pro-bono basis and are not selling any product or service.)