Put your family first by putting your money first
Set your kids up to be financially successful from day one
Between you and your spouse, one has to be a financial leader
Once you set a budget, everything else falls into place
As the founder of Croom Financial, I believe financial planning should be about more than money. Financial planning done correctly should enhance your quality of life and transform your money into a life well lived.
I don’t pretend to be something I’m not. I’m a business owner by trade but a family man at heart. I strive to be a positive example for my clients and bring my financial knowledge, trustworthy advice, and fun-loving personality to each of my relationships.
Prior to becoming a financial advisor in 2004, I spent four years in the U.S. Navy where I attained the rank of lieutenant and served as a supply corps officer on the USS Nimitz. My many experiences in the Navy, from attending Nuclear Power School to managing a $1 million dollar operation on the USS Nimitz, taught me the valuable skills and strategies I employ every day as an independent advisor.
Like Armond, I believe financial planning should be about far more than just the numbers. When done right, it should enhance your quality of life and transform your money into a life well lived.
Harold is an accomplished wealth management professional with over two decades of experience. He holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of New Orleans and a Master of Divinity from the University of St. Thomas.
Family first by putting your money first mentality – you have to become the keeper of the money. You have to know when it is safe to spend and you have to be willing to say no. You have to learn how to walk the fine line. You have to also have a thick skin.
Sometimes it is you against the family.
They want to go to Disneyland, but you have to be willing to say no. But you have to say no in a loving way. You are thinking of them when you say no. The family needs to be financially secure so that they can accomplish all the other things that they want to accomplish.
Employers, Advertisers, and salespeople want to put you in the rat wheel of life. They don’t care whether or not you get you and your family in the right financial position. If you spend all of your money and then some, then fine by them. Just like I had to take control over my family’s finances, I want you to do the same. Let us help you get on track. Set yourself free from the rat wheel and become a financial leader!
Although there are many advantages to living single, singles must recognize that when it comes to finances they must prepare differently than married couples. Many married households have two incomes coming in and they can, in theory, rely on each other if an emergency or life change takes place. Single individuals do not have that luxury.
I bought my first house in 2000 with a 30-year mortgage rate of 7.75%. At the time, I was thrilled with the rate. While the rate was considered reasonable then, I didn’t have a 20% down payment, so I was also paying Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), which added $250 per month to my mortgage payment.
During the time I owned my first home, 30-year mortgage rates dropped significantly, eventually reaching a low of 5.23% in June 2003. That decline prompted me to refinance my mortgage.
You completed one of the most avoided, procrastinated, paperwork-heavy tasks of the year. Whether you tackled it early with spreadsheets neatly organized or slid in just before the deadline with coffee in one hand and receipts in the other, it’s behind you. That deserves a moment of appreciation.
