COURSE OUTLINE
Look for the article this week!!!

*Margin and the Origin of Debt in Ancient Times
*Socio Economic Factors Influencing Debt
*Anxiety and Compulsive Spending
*12 Step Methods to Stop Destructive Financial Behaviors
*Impulse Control and Self Esteem Regarding Debt
*Goal Setting Regarding Debts
*Good v. Bad Debt
*Spending Plans v. Budgets
*Goal Setting Regarding Money Saved and Prudent Reserves
*Debt and Credit Scores as Tools
*How Much Debt?
*Maintaining Your Score
*Edward’s Presentation
*Drop Dead Letters
*Family Debt
*Minnie the Moocher
*Gail Provo’s Presentation
*Catastrophic Illness

Recommended Reading:
Your Credit Score
By: Liz Pulliam Weston

Ask Suze
About Debt
By: Suze Orman

Not Buying It
My Year Without Spending

Maple Valley Money Classes are held @ The DaVine in Maple Valley
the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month…Classes are free of charge!
Bring Pen, Paper and a PeeChee
Maple Valley Money serves to teach and does not advise…

Estate Planning Using Family Meetings!

When it comes to Estate Planning being proactive is essential in order to keep families intact and to avoid misunderstandings that can end up in the courtroom with a judge sorting out what you intended.

TEAM

There must be a trusted advisor team for every Estate Plan:

Attorney
CPA
Financial Advisor
Family Steward (Adult Child)
Physician
Hospice

Decide early who is on the Estate Planning Team

FAMILY MEETINGS

Your family is comprised not only of loving supportive people but also the people who will provide care and advocacy for you when you are no longer able to do so.

A great place to give and receive clarity on a loved ones intentions is a Family Meeting.
For many years I have been mediating and providing the space for loving Family Meetings.
Sometimes the Elder family member requests to die in the home and not ever be put in the hospital.
It is possible they only want caregiving to be provided by Hospice and their Children.
These are serious requests and interviewing the Elder family member for what their wishes are is very important. Also of great importance is knowing who will the spiritual in house caregiver be, parents often want last rites or a service weekly. This is of tremendous importance to the entire family.

You may feel a family meeting is not always needed but in the years of Estate Planning Practice I have come to believe it is a must! Feelings of being treated fairly and kept in the loop are critical or strong emotions of grief become misdirected in blame and acting out.
Set ground rules in your family meeting not all of the professional team need be there so keep the meeting small and let the group find out who is Power of Attorney, Attorney, CPA, Medical Wishes, Caregiving Wishes and of course most important Spiritual Wishes.

When relations are strained between siblings I am called in as a neutral party to facilitate the meeting. We all know an adult child who is an addict, or always seeking additional monies from the parent or the child who is overly protective of the parent….we know these adult children and there are others as well such as the adult child who is overwhelmed with the emotions or responsibilities and has decided to limit themselves…not because of a lack of love but too much love…overwhelming the situation.

Entire families have come to understand the parent did not wish to go to a senior center and was choosing to remain in the home with family as caregivers.

Please do not meet on the holiday when all are gathered.
Pick a day following the holiday to meet preferably after a meal…low blood sugar does a number to already frayed emotions.

Write it down!
If you have more questions be sure to write them down for the next meeting.
Write down who is doing what before the next meeting?
Write down what remains to be decided and…
Write down a time and date for the next meeting…

Be sure to bring a load of patience with you to the meeting.
At the core of all of the meetings I have facilitated was a deep abiding LOVE.

Every blessing to you there,

Stanette Marie Rose
CEO/Founder
MapleValleyMoney.com
206-718-5224

The very first investment club in Maple Valley was created by a handful of incredibly brave women. They all were connected to TaHoMa in some way or another and proud of it! They proudly named the investment club the Bear Naked Ladies and began meeting regularly, researching stock picks and presenting them to the group. The group met monthly and for a small amount of money a month the group was able to build an actual portfolio using fundamental research.

Another investment club I was associated with as Financial Advisor was the MIC club aka: Martini Investment Club. Boeing Retirees from all over Puget Sound who wanted to learn how to buy low and sell high as well as how to play the sectors and trends to their advantage this all male group with the exception of one brave woman went on to be an extremely profitable investment club that slowly but surely had to divide the profits and principal back out to the heirs via estate planning.

Investment clubs can have between 6 people to 20 folks involved…I personally love about 12 in a group. Each person in the group will have different interests and this is a very good thing. One individual will enjoy aerospace, another bioengineering, another shopping and consumer cyclicals…each person has a very important role to play in stock selection and research of sectors.

The Beardstown Ladies is a perfect example of an investment club that decided to be observant of trends. Where were they shopping? Where did their dollars go? Where were the folks in the next generation shopping and putting their dollars and stock selections began with these ideas and then the fundamental investing was added to further investigate whether an idea was worth pursuing.

The IRS has a place on it’s website to get the Tax ID number. You go to the IRS for your number, decide where to open your account try to go somewhere the commissions do not eat up the profits or if you want to pay more in commissions be sure you have a financial advisor with you ready and able to advise with wisdom on stocks and call me to consult on the opening of the club and I will teach you how to research stocks and read graphs etc.

Decide as a group on an educational agenda. Write out topics of interest to the group from an open brainstorming session. I always give an economic update as well as cover an up and coming sector also explain what is happening internationally just to give background and direction to the group. Individual investors love to be heard and Investment Clubs is a great platform for observations on markets to be heard as well as economic fears. The group then learns how to flip negatives into positives….something traders and investors have learned how to do for many, many years.

Officers are named and you are off and running. Motley Fool suggests having fun with titles like: Big Kahuna, Not Quite as Big Kahuna, High Priestess of Learning, Foofah of Finances, Head Honcho of the Minutes and Agenda, Superintendant of snacks. The idea is to have fun, fun, fun while learning together with folks you enjoy. I love to see investment clubs get started and am very willing to sit with your group as you plan yours….but remember…to serve coffee and cheesecake!!!

All the very best to you and your family,

Stanette Marie Rose

CEO/Founder

Maple Valley Money

206-718-5224

Going Green and Socially Responsible Investing have deep roots in America!

The origins of socially responsible investing (SRI) may date back to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). In 1758, the Quaker Philadelphia Yearly Meeting prohibited members from participating in the slave trade–buying or selling humans.

Religious institutions have been at the forefront of social investing. One of the most articulate early adopters of SRI was John Wesley (1703-1791), one of the founders of Methodism. Wesley’s sermon “The Use of Money” outlined his basic tenets of social investing – i.e. not to harm your neighbor through your business practices and to avoid industries like tanning and chemical production, which can harm the health of workers. Some of the most well known applications of socially responsible investing were religiously motivated. Investors would avoid “sinful” companies, such as those associated with products such as guns, liquor, and tobacco.

The modern socially responsible investing movement evolved with the political climate of the 1960s. Economic development projects started or managed by Dr. Martin Luther King, like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Operation Breadbasket Project in Chicago, established the model for future socially responsible investing efforts. King combined ongoing dialog with boycotts and direct action targeting specific corporations. Concerns about the Vietnam War were incorporated by some social investors.[1][2]. Many people living during the era remember a picture in June 1972 of a naked nine year-old girl, Phan Thị Kim Phúc, running towards a photographer screaming, her back burning from the napalm dropped on her village. That photograph channeled outrage against Dow Chemical[3], the manufacturer of napalm, and prompted protests across the country against Dow Chemical and other companies profiting from the Vietnam War (historical data from Wikipedia).

Today we have the opportunity to invest via a variety of mutual funds that provide screens. Child labor, human rights, polution, oil, tabacco, alcohol…whatever your spirit speaks to you or moral compass dictates is an unwise use of your hard earned dollars in investments you can create a screen with mutual funds to be sure that you are not investing in objectional companies and pracitices.
Funds such as Calvert, Pax, Domini and even American Funds has a socially responsible fund are available for reasonable minimum investments and you can dollar cost average into them using a voided check and a dollar amount of your choice.

Take a look at each mutual funds top ten holdings…for instance in Calvert’s water fund it is fascinating to see the top ten water stocks that Calvert has selected…be sure to read the prospectus to understand why they were chosen or go to the library and get an S and P to read on each company it is absolutely fascinating to see what is being done to make sure you and I are and our children and grandchildren have pure waters to drink to not only survive but thrive!!!

Socially responsible investing and green investing have deep roots in our history as Americans. We are the empowered decision makers about our money and treasure. Be sure to consider green investing an socially responsible investing for your next long term investment decision. And….take a look at buying the actual stocks in the mutual funds…always, always dollar cost average into your investments that way up or down you are getting a good “average” price.

Every blessing to you and your family,
Stanette Marie Rose
CEO/Founder
Maple Valley Money

www.MapleValleyMoney.com
C: 206-718-5224

“My Parents and Family In China Have Sent Me To Buy Your Land…”

Hats off to Nathan McDonald of Investment Forum for producing an eye opening Real Estate Investment Forum. The room at the Pan Pacific hotel was packed Friday March 5th, 2010 as an expert panel assembled to discuss the pulse of buying and selling real estate investments in this market. A few were bruised and battered…some wiser and ready to invest with the knowledge that CASH is still KING in the real estate biz.

The attendees ranged from estate planners and liquidators to local investors as well as well heeled youth from China and Saudi Arabia. It became very clear if you or I, U.S. citizens currently do not have the capital to purchase land, vacation properties, plats and commercial properties the Chinese and Saudi Arabians do and they have sent their children over ahead on a deal hunt. One such young ambassador from the University of Washington stated, “My parents and family in China have sent me to buy your land…” Later over drinks, a glass of chardonnay she and others from other nations just held and never sipped…you could see the focus and the intent is to add to the family portfolio and this was met with serious acknowledgement…lunches were being set up for this week as quickly as possible.

Ada Healey, Vice President, Real Estate, Vulcan Inc. stated there are only 30 acres of undeveloped land they are working on now. Ada mentioned that she sees job growth in the global health life sciences and commercial property demand in that area as well. There is so much debt exposure at this time they cannot even do letters of credit, which came as a surprise to her. The debt market is still tight but there are also opportunities in multi family low rise rentals, medical buildings and affordable housing. High tech job growth and related commercial properties also an opportunity.

Martin Stever, Angel, Venture and Real Estate Investor explained that in Phoenix finished lots are doubling and right behind Phoenix is Montana and Idaho. Seattle is a trailing market in this recovery.
To him this market smells like 1992, 93, 94 and the S and L debacle…and is ripe with opportunity.
Hindsight being 20/20 2010 is going to bee seen as the BEST year to buy and by 2013 it will be game over with the general real estate market up 15%.

Emerging GORILLA?….and who might that be? Citi…seems Citi wants to own and operate home building and become the King Kong of home building.

Is there still room for you? You bet if you remember to get the cash out of the mattress and buy local!

Every blessing to you and your families,

Stanette Marie Rose
CEO/Founder
Maple Valley Money
www.maplevalleymoney.com
206-718-5224

We all know over the past decade we have been ill advised and made mistakes along the way with our credit, finances and investment dollars. It is essential to recovery that we recognize our mistakes talk about them and discover a new, wiser course of action.

The biggest mistake of all is to somehow glance over a mistake, hide it and even pretend it never existed. Like anything that we keep unconscious believe me financial mistakes regarding your credit, finances and investment dollars if left unconscious will rise up to live and ruin again your financial security. Along the way of acknowledging a mistake comes an AHA! moment and GREATER learning!

You, your family and business deserves to succeed beyond your wildest dreams but acknowledgement, close scrutiny and telling the truth about mistakes must come first. A mistake is a natural process in creativity…as one amazing painter, Pollock said, “My paintings are the absence of mistakes”. Looking closely at his work you understand the natural law of his art. Money believe it or not is like art….yes there is the counting and saving and the investing but there are also other factors too.
Among these are over leveraging, too much unsecured debt, too high of interest rates that drain away at the principal and business expenses such as over priced bricks and mortar.

Sometimes financial triumphs feed the ego a lie.
The financial wins tell us they will continue on forever and that while your winning big with money you deserve and are entitled to even more….”Go ahead a debt a little and a little more.” The lies the ego tells regarding money are endless…

Sometimes financial triumph breads lies of fear the ego eagerly supports.
The financial surplus is welcomed then quickly drowned in fear messages that it will all soon go away…
“Hide this money! Hoard it! It will be lost soon enough forever!” This causes deprivation and is the mirror image of the ego’s other message of overindulgance.

No matter what there are mistakes being made until we regain health and balance with our finances.
After a few cycles of mistakes we realize we are going to have to learn a new way of health and balance with our money if we are to create a true sense of security.

Accept your mistakes, see them for what they are and make note.
Literally write down your financial mistakes and tell the truth to first yourself and then a trusted advisor.
Financial advisor, pastor, therapist…spouse…be sure to tell the truth to someone. It may be emotional but in the long run it is so worth it to get it out there what it is you did you feel is a mistake around money over the past 2-5 years and then work on a plan to learn a new way. Learn to be inspired by your mistakes! Yes! It is possible to be inspired by your mistakes.

For some this will mean going on a strictly cash basis for all outflows.
*Credit cards must be put away especially all unsecured debt.
*Using a ledger to track every expense allows you to get clean and sober about what you spend money on and why. Spending plans are an incredible tool to creating and learning the truth about your finances.
*Dollar Cost Average back into your 401K, Retirement and Estate accounts…there truly is only one way to rebuild and that is by rebuilding!!!

“It takes courage to admit that you have been doing something wrong, to admit you have something to learn and there is a better way.” W. Edwards Deming

“When you come to fork in the road, take it.” Yogi Berra

Every blessing to you and your family,

Stanette Marie Rose
CEO/Founder
Maple Valley Money
www.maplevalleymoney.com

206-718-5224

“I can’t believe that” Said Alice. “Can’t you” The Queen said in a pitying tone. “Try again: draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.”

Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said: “one can’t believe impossible things.”

“I daresay you haven’t much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age. I always did it for a half hour a day. Why sometimes I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Alice in Wonderland

Right now is one of the most powerful times in our human history.
Are we going to shine despite terrorism, stock market collapsing, pink slips and an over all sensation of some sort of despair or other.

Believe me when I tell you I too have been riding this ride out of turmoil and have some insights to share with you….Your questions in this time of transition and market conditions might be:

*Can I start a business?
*Can I get hired into my dream job?
*Can I semi retire right now?

The answers are yes if you are willing to work from the inside out.
By that I mean, creating a vision that comes from your soul’s purpose…literally answering in the quiet contemplation, “Who am I?” and “Why did I come into this life….what is my life’s purpose?”

Vision is defined as:

A clear sense of purporse usually expressed in a few words that guides and sustains actions and feelings particularly in a time of crisis…

It truly is important to remember that mountains are climbed one step at a time.
Recently my daughter and I climbed Mt Si and guess what? We did it one step at a time for a magnificent accomplishment!

“It is not how much we do, but how much love we put into the doing. It is not how much we give but how much love we put into the giving. To God there is nothing small.” Mother Theresa

Reestablish your goals:

This is clearly a time of spiritual, financial tuning up…
What is it you truly came here in this lifetime to do?
Now is that time to build your ideal business.
Start one step at a time rebuilding a retirement fund.
Or…
Begin the process of simplfication of lifestyle.
(AKA living within your means)

No matter what our VISION looks like here are the skills we will need to proceed…
1. Kaizen: The art of taking a small step to climb a mountain
2. Clear Priorities
3. View Life On a Large Scale
4. View Actions as a Service and Gift to Others
5. Optimism
6. Articulate
7. Acceptance of Mistakes
8. Passion
9. Curiousity
10. Set reasonable goals
11. Make outrageous Requests
12. Give of your time in the community
13. Give of your talent in the community
14. Give of your treasure in the community
(Without thought for personal or professional gain!)

Together we create a financial vision of life that will sustain us…
These are if you can believe it just the baby steps for creating a Purposeful Financial Vision of Life
Our classes at Maple Valley Money go into much greater detail and the next one is Thursday, February 25th at The DaVine…Join Us!

“Be patient towards all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves.”
Rainier Maria Rilke

Every blessing to you and your family!
Stanette Marie Rose
CEO/Founder
Maple Valley Money
www.maplevalleymoney.com
206-718-5224

SIGNS OF A COMPULSIVE DEBTOR

I have discovered in my Financial Advisory role that anxiety is most likely root cause of all addiction disorders.

To help yourself or others you must begin to examine the source of the anxiety and actions that are creating compulsive debting…

Here is a list reprinted with permission from Debtors Anonymous:

The 12 Signs of a Compulsive Debtor

1. Being unclear about your financial situation. Not knowing account balances, monthly expenses, loan interest rates, fees, fines, or contractual obligations.

2. Frequently “borrowing” items such as books, pens, or small amounts of money from friends and others, and failing to return them.

3. Poor saving habits. Not planning for taxes, retirement or other not-recurring but predictable items, and then feeling surprised when they come due; a “live for today, don’t worry about tomorrow” attitude.”

4. Compulsive shopping: Being unable to pass up a “good deal”; making impulsive purchases; leaving price tags on clothes so they can be returned; not using items you’ve purchased.

5. Difficulty in meeting basic financial or personal obligations, and/or an inordinate sense of accomplishment when such obligations are met.

6. A different feeling when buying things on credit than when paying cash, a feeling of being in the club, of being accepted, of being grown up.

7. Living in chaos and drama around money: Using one credit card to pay another; bouncing checks; always having a financial crisis to contend with.

8. A tendency to live on the edge: Living paycheck to paycheck; taking risks with health and car insurance coverage; writing checks hoping money will appear to cover them.

9. Unwarranted inhibition and embarrassment in what should be a normal discussion of money.

10. Overworking or underearning: Working extra hours to earn money to pay creditors; using time inefficiently; taking jobs below your skill and education level.

11. An unwillingness to care for and value yourself: Living in self-imposed deprivation; denying your basic needs in order to pay your creditors.

12. A feeling or hope that someone will take care of you if necessary, so that you won’t really get into serious financial trouble, that there will always be someone you can turn to.

To recover from compulsive debting and it’s disastrous effects on self and loved ones it is vitally important to take the first step and admit to ourselves and others there is a problem we are feeling powerless over. Resources are available thru a wonderful 12 step program: Puget Sound Debtors Anonymous.

For more information about Puget Sound Debtors Anonymous contact: www.dawashstate.org
Meetings are located all over Puget Sound…Bellevue, Ballard etc…and it is possible to create a hometown meeting as well.

It is my intention to serve you with love, support and wisdom in our journey together out of unsecured debting and into a life filled with promise, security and joy!

Every blessing to you and your families,

Stanette Marie Rose
CEO/Founder
Maple Valley Money

Register for class today at: www.MapleValleyMoney.com

206-718-5224

Debt Free Maple Valley 2010: College Debt!

Just because the folks who gave you the college loan never send you a bill does not mean you do not need to pay it! Many time clients tell me, “Well, I never did get a bill on that loan, so I have not started paying it” I am also hearing tales of folks waiting to get married or not being seen as solid marriage material due to the college debt they racked up to get the degrees. It is important to seek employment if possible during college to pay and keep paying in good faith on the college loans.

Good Faith: College loans are important to pay even small incremental amounts of money on or around the same date each month like a machine….as this creates a track record of Good Faith with the lender and if later you need to show proof of responsible actions you will have it.

Bad Faith: 270 days late is the magic number of days for the loan to go into Bad Faith and the phone calls will start. It is essential that you are responsible enough to call and explain what is happening… ie: illness, death in the family or unemployment and to document your conversation in writing.
The word responsibility means the ability to respond….stay in communication.

Dropping the Ball: If you find you drop the ball on a payment, picking it back up again as quickly as possible is essential.

Recorded Phone Lines: Be couscious on the phone with lenders as you are often being recorded.
Later in a court room situation these conversations can and possibly will be used against you…

Married Filing Joint: Use innocent spouse defense to fight lender attempts to attach Income Tax Refunds. Part of the Income Tax Refund belongs to the spouse who did not default on his or her College Loan debts and the lender has no rights to the money.

Stress Relief: Go to DA.org and sit in circles of support. You are NOT alone…these debts seems astronomical and may be cause for anxiety. Remember you are NOT your debt but are responsible to pay it back…Request help with a Spending Plan and Debt Pay Back Plan ASAP.

Windfalls: Should you receive a gift of cash remember to divide it into thirds….past, present and future.
Past: Repay the loan with a third of the windfall
Present: Enjoy 1/3 of the money in present time
Future: Set a third of the money away in savings for the future…

Remember you can greatly reduce College Debt levels by paying a bit more on every bill and doubling up payments in each month when possible!

For more information feel free to give me a call!
Stanette Marie Rose
206-718-5224

Today’s topic of borrowing between family members is fraught with angst.
Sometimes a request for funds is absolutely necessary and understandable.
Other times it is habitual and disrespectful to all concerned…and then there is the matter of the family debtor who never pays back…NEVER!

Money can be one of the most difficult topics between family members.
In my financial practice I have heard it all…”He is out of the will because another $5000 would give him enough drugs to kill him.” Father of addicted son.
“He just was laid off for the third time and now he is losing his home, wife and my grand baby will be on the street.” Mother of an adult son with a grand child she adores.

What you decide to do regarding giving a loan needs to include a healthy perspective.
Sometimes it is healthier to say no…or to say yes with limits boundaries and a signed contract that includes tidy time frames. The key thing is to be sure lending to family members does not do more harm than good. Sometimes loans only weaken the bond and the respect adding tensions and distance.

Look underneath the need to borrow.
Is there an unmet need for love, affection, closeness that borrowing is masking?
Is there a hidden need for punishment, shame and continued distance from loved ones?
Ask yourself what is the most empowering action for me to take both for myself and for this family member. Giving and lending money often is not the best solution.

If you do lend be sure to put everything in writing, get signatures and agree to a pay back program that includes interest. I recommend a 6% interest rate on any and all money borrowed.
What happens should the borrower not repay the loan and has a track record of borrowing many times and not repaying? Be sure to let your Executor of your Estate know as well as your attorney so there can be a carve out of the will. It is a relatively simple thing to make sure your estate distributes to the the child with the loan reduced from the balance. Believe me it causes a ripple if you let the loan be ignored as the other children are keeping track of the siblings debts even if you have long forgotten.

A reminder to us all is lessons about money start so young it is unbelievable. I was four or five when I wanted some money for a treat or toy and was taught to fill out an I.O.U. slip of paper. At allowance time the I.O.U. was paid back and then the residual allowance given. It is the way the lending in a family is taught and how the all important repayment is handled. Keep it grounded and practical and not driven by fear.

Stanette Marie Rose
CEO/Founder
Maple Valley Money.com
206-718-5224

Sign up for classes at maplevalleymoney.com
Private Appointments Available Upon Request!