Protect the ones you love By Ariana Montelongo

When Tragedy Strikes

February marks the month that my life would forever change. On February 24, 2012, I received THE call. That dreaded unexpected call. My best friend Alex was fatally injured in a car accident while driving across the state to come home and console his grieving wife (and my other best friend, Maria) who had just buried her dad. Maria wasn’t over the initial shock of losing her father and now she faced the harsh reality of losing her husband, father to their five children, and grandfather of two. Their lives forever changed. The worst was yet to come.

One year and nine months later Maria was killed in a car accident while driving home from work. How could this happen? Why did this happen? So many questions left unanswered yet so many responsibilities overwhelming the children at this tragic time in their lives.

We may never know why these things happen to the people we love. What we do know is that we have two options: hide behind the mask of denial or arrive at acceptance. Live life on life’s terms. Plan for the best and prepare for the worst. 

Six years have passed since the loss of both my best friends. Four of those years I spent living in denial, full of resentments, refusing to face reality. Then, on the third anniversary of Maria’s passing something changed. I shifted my focus to solution-based living and have since embarked on a quest to bring education and resources to families so that they can protect their legacy. 

Protecting your family against all odds

Here are five areas where you and your family may be unprotected and the solutions to get your house in order:

1. Will & Testament: Also called a Will. Is a document that describes how a person’s debts are to be paid and assets distributed at his or her death; it names a guardian for minor children, and names an executor or personal representative to oversee the settlement of the estate.
2. Living Trust: Also called a Revocable Trust, is a trust that is often used to avoid probate. This type of trust can be changed or revoked at any time (and from time to time) during the lifetime of the person (called the settlor or the grantor) who set it up.
3. Power of Attorney: Is a document which names and authorizes a person(s) to make financial decisions and/or transactions for another person (called the principal).
4. Living Will Declaration: Also called an Advance Directive, is a document that instructs your physicians and loved ones as to your intentions relative to life support (i.e., artificial nutrition, hydration, and respiration), in the event that you are permanently unconscious or have a terminal condition.
5. Healthcare Surrogate Designation: Also called a Health Care Power of Attorney, is a document naming a person to make health care decisions for another person (called the principal) when the principal is no longer able to do so.
6. HIPAA Authorization: “HIPAA” is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, a federal law that protects a person’s private medical and mental health information. A HIPAA Authorization is a document that designates a person(s) who may receive another person’s private medical and mental health information.

If you don’t have these documents in order and you think you do not have a plan, think again. It’s likely that the state where you reside has a plan for you. You could run the risk of the state taking temporary or permanent possession of your assets and most valued possession – your children. 

For a nominal cost, you can protect your family and your hard-earned money by visiting: 

www.wealthwave.com/arianamontelongo or 

https://www.instagram.com/Money_Mamma_/ on IG & 

on Facebook www.Facebook.com/MoneyMammaTX

About Ariana Montelongo:

Ariana is a public speaking maven whose titles include Realtor, Director of the Katy Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and WealthWave Financial Advisor. She graduated with a Public Relations and Global Business degree from the University of Houston and has been in the media industry for over ten years. She enjoys empowerment sessions,  networking and educating women on financial freedom.

::Texas Conference for Women:: Prudential #OwnMyFuture

::Momma Disclosure:: This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Prudential and DimeMedia. However, all opinions expressed are my own. 

This year I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Texas Conference for Women which is held in Austin each year. I was in a "dual role" as I was not only a Social Media Roundtable speaker but also as a sponsored Prudential representative. The experience as a whole was very unique for me this year. I have attended the Texas Conference for Women in the past and their a message and what they represent for women not just in Texas but all over the US is I feel very important, powerful and empowering. It empowers especially Momma’s like myself who have a full-time career and who also pursue "side-hustles" or  "side gig", as we call them. 

Of course, partnering with Prudential meant thinking about my finances, which is a good thing trust me. It meant really thinking about the messages that are sent to not just the women in our lives but ourselves and how we can own our future as financially successful women.

I have to admit I’ve worked my whole entire life since I was in my teens and money has always been something that I knew I would have to work for. Everyday. But, just like I worked hard and I spent hard. Sadly, that’s exactly how I spent a big part of my teenage years and most of my 20's, singlehood and no kids made that easy. But fast-forward 15 plus years and now as a Momma, it's kind of hard to go without a real money plan, because of well; gas, food, daycare, food, diapers, etc. 

Photo credit: @texinmiami

When I met my husband he was very much about his credit score, owning a car, owning his own home, having a savings account, just about anything that I wasn’t he was. He was in his 20's, and already very financially responsible. We were raised completely different and now that we’re married adults with kids we totally see where balance is needed and we realize that we really need to educate our children about finances and being responsible and wise about their money. We, of course, instill in them that an education would be your first and foremost source of income because having an education leads to a career that is stable and brings in a good income. That's not to say that along the way some challenges and/or obstacles might come up. And, that sometimes no matter how much you plan or you think you have your finances in order sometimes life, well, happens! 

In those small but very worrisome moments where you think that maybe you should’ve planned or thought more about my finances is where partners like Prudential come in. They have trained advisors and the right tools or resources to help you plan, prepare and establish financial freedom. We can be part of this process and walk hand-in-hand with an advisor that will allow us to develop a plan that works for us and is tailored to our needs. Which is why I love Prudential and how they can assist with this roadmap... into your financial freedom. 

I've been ready to own my future, now I just need a little-added guidance... Gracias Prudential! 

Motivating Moms for Financial Success #WomenInspired #ad

::Momma of Dos Disclosure:: This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Prudential and DiMe Media. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

I hate to admit this but there is only one thing that pains me more than anything in this life as an adult, and that is money. Money and the concept of having, maintaining and saving it. Money truly is the center of many things in life, like having a home, and bills to pay and food, and all things needed to survive. It can be a true woe, but one that I know is highly important to be informed and educated about. Enter Prudential and their #WomenInspired workshop series.  The conversations being held in these workshops, the questions being asked to think and reflect on, have truly allowed me to gain a whole new perspective and one, that I want to know more about. 

::My history and knowledge of and with money::

For some reason, in my family, and early on in life, we didn't learn much about money except that we have to find a way to earn it and that since we have earned it, we have the right to spend it. I don't remember thinking about or talking to my parents about a saving account, how to fund future education, or where I would obtain a down payment for a big purchase like a car or house. I knew I would go to college but had no real plan on how to fund it. While I obtained some scholarships, it wasn't enough. I came out of college with debt, one that I have carried since I graduated from the Univeristy of Houston in 2005. Not the most convenient or best use of my money now. Thankfully my Husband grew up with a different mentality and teachings. We are both first generation Mexican-American, born to immigrant parents. But, had very different upbringings. Not bad, because we balance one another. 

I feel that we cannot blame anyone for where we are now, but we can become knowledgeable in our habits and become aware of the resources available to break the cycles of poor money management. During the Women Inspired conversation, we all spoke openly about our wants, needs and fears in regard to money and our futures, and more importantly the future of our children. Knowing that I am not the only person with questions and that there are resources via organizations like Prudential is relieving.

::Where I am now and what I want to learn about money management:: 

Knowing that I can properly secure funds for my children to attend college, that I can teach them the value of saving at an early age for a future investment, is all very important as our young family ages. I know that I will need to properly manage my money and obtain the appropriate advice and consulting in order to have a system in place as my kids grow and our needs become more pressing. Currently, I have mentioned being in a "good place", one where we are slowly coming out of years where we have accumulated debt for various reasons and/or spending money on big purchase items like a home and new cars or more importantly our children's daycare services.

As a Momma who values my career, I knew that my children would have to be placed in some type of child care facility. I wanted, of course, the absolute best in both care and expense. I didn't know how we would be able to afford it as we had not financially prepared ahead for it. Now that those years are almost over and my children will enter public school, I am relieved and know what I should have done differently. I feel Prudential would have been a good resource early in my pregnancy for this type of planning.

As stated currently we are in a "good place" one where perhaps there is room for struggle but we also want to enjoy our children and ourselves as a small reward for all of our work in past years. With that said one of our fun "splurges" this year will be a little more family travel. We have indeed planned ahead and saved up for our upcoming vacations. So, while I feel that we should be prepared for rainy days we also want to enjoy our investments and the now.

::About Prudential and how they can help:: 

Prudential is here to help you find a solution for those challenges that we can all face at any age or stage of our lives. Learn more by visiting their website. Follow their hashtag #WomenInspired so that you can follow along on their journey across the country as they discover how women are taking charge of their financial lives. Prudential is bringing together women from all walks of life to open up in a conversation that, I feel, needs to begin in every home across America.

VISIT THEM- HERE. 

::Women Inspired::

Prudential has inspired me to become educated in my finances, to take charge early on of my future planning and to teach my children about money management and savings so that we can break the cycle of bad money habits and create a better future for us all.  ~Connie, Momma of Dos