Money is something every couple talks about and struggles with at some point and it can be one of the biggest sources of stress in a relationship. Add kids to that, and you’ve got even more financial demands and desires to think about. It’s something Chris and I constantly have to work on and we’re still not where we’d like to be in the twilight of our careers. But outside of winning the lottery, how can we fix our financial woes? Is it too late for us?
“We all must work together for the client, connecting and collaborating to help solve their problems.” – Jeff Motske
Robert Reiss: Let's roll back to 1999. Talk about your vision for Trilogy.
Jeff Motske: I created the model that we use at Trilogy Financial, which is the combination of tax, financial and estate planning. In my previous life I was in the retirement planning space, but I knew there was more out there. I was working with my clients, and I recognized they had needs that we didn't service. So, I built a little network to better serve those needs, specifically tax and estate planning. Then I realized that a more comprehensive solution needed to be created, and the only way to realize this vision was to start my own firm…and that was the very beginning of Trilogy Financial. The way I look at it, tax, estate and financial planning may be in different lanes, but they're all on the same highway heading toward our clients' final destination. We all must work together for the client, connecting and collaborating to help solve their problems.
...IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO boost your bank account and lower your bills, assessing where you can trim your expenses is an ideal step toward taking control of your finances. But just as cutting back on calories isn't always easy, paring back your expenses and identifying areas where you're overspending can present a challenge. You may have to modify your budget, re-evaluate your spending habits and even shift your mindset. So if you want to go on a financial diet but aren't sure how to start, try the following expert-backed strategies.
Start tracking your expenses. “In order to cut back on the budget, you need to have a budget,” says Kevin Gallegos, the vice president of client enrollment with Freedom Debt Relief, a debt settlement company based in Phoenix. “While people may talk about trimming the budget, relatively few actually have one written down. A spreadsheet or pencil and paper will work as well as budget-specific software or an app,” he says.
