Implications of a proposed settlement.

"Lack of financial clarity can cause those going through a divorce to ignore - often to their regret - issues they may not fully understand," says Darlys S. Harmon-Vaught, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, Financial Solutions for Divorce.

Divorce settlement once it has been signed is hard to change. With the help of certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA), diversing individuals or couples gain a clear insight into the ramifications of any financial decisions made during a divorce proceeding.

Reference:

Harmon-Vaught, Daryls S. (2008). Ask the Financial Experts, p. 59. Louisvile KY: Louisville Magazine.

What you should know about naming beneficiaries?

According to Allentown, Pa. investment adviser Kevin Brosious, accounts with beneficiary designations - such as IRAs, 401 (k)s, insurance policies and annuities - aren't governed by your will. "So even if you wrote an ex out of your will eons ago, he or she would still get, say, your IRA if you never changed its beneficiary," Allenton added. As a result, he advised to reviews choices periodically, especially after major life events. And don't leave beneficiary forms blank.

Your accounts then go to probate court for distribution, and rules on who gets what which vary by state.

Savings are the key.

"The tailwind of the bull market is gone, so your savings rate will be the engine that propels your 401 (k)," says Walter Updegrave.

Given the havoc the market has wreaked on your 401 (k) over the past years, you may be wondering what you might have done differently to stay in better shape for retirement, Updegrave added.

No doubt there's room for improvement in all of these areas. But if you're many years from calling it a career, there's another issue that you need to consider: finding ways to stash more money into your retirement account. That's why, you need to save more.

Stop stacking the deck against consumers.

According to Hank Johnson, U.S. representative (D-Ga.) and member of the House Judiciary Committee that most consumers have no idea because they are signing away the right to sue when hey fill out a job application, put an elderly parent in a nursing home, sign up fro a credit card, get a cellphone, or buy a car or a home. He further said that most of these contracts come with a mandatory arbitration clause. That means any dispute they have with the service provider will be decided our of court by an arbitrators or a panel of several arbitrators.

"It's an unfair system. The arbitrators are generally chosen by the company. Comsumers are often forced to travel to arbitration hearings, which can be held thousands of miles from their homes. And there's no meaningful way to appeal the decision."

Hank Johnson told Donna Rosato, senior writer of Money magazine (July,2009; page 16), "That's why Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) and I have proposed new legislation that would give consumers the right to take a service to court to settle their grievance. We're not trying to ban arbitration. We just want consumers to have a choice.