Face it; taking care of your responsibilities is good for your physical, emotional and financial health. Markets are volatile right now. The television news is only confusing things. Pundits are everywhere, contradicting themselves with every wild swing of the index. The basic idea is to "Love your family. Take care of your family. Work. Insure. Save. Invest. Plan. Protect. You'll be fine."

Use the following check list as a quick reference:

o Love your wife
o Love your kids
o Live for your family
o Grow up
o Curb your spending
o Buy a Ferrari (just kidding)
o Insure
o Invest
o Save
o Live your life, not the neighbors'
o Dream your goals
o Plan
o Protect the estate
o Believe in our country, our economic culture, and our markets
o Study
o Resist TV
o Grow corn in the beneficent universe
o Work, work, work
o Feed the beast
o Go to asset classes
o Diversify
o Measure yourself
o Balance and rebalance
o Opportunism
o Hire a pro
o No whining
o Pray (Probably should put this first!)

Carpenter, has a few questions for family men:

Question 1: What happens to your business, the family home, and your stunning collection of Ferraris and antique golf clubs once you're not with us any longer?

Question 2: What happens to your business, the family home, and your stunning collection of Ferraris and antique golf clubs if you or someone in your immediate family has a tragic accident, resulting in severe injury or death?

Question 3: What happens to your business, your business succession plans, your retirement plan, and that dream of sailing off into the sunset if your business partner suddenly drops dead of a heart attack and your new business partners are now his two twenty-something twins, Tommy and Timmy?

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of potential disasters out there. Everybody's situation is different. But the key is to safeguard your family. If you've made it this far in this survival guide, the hard part is behind you. Be proud, be brave. You're "manning up." You're securing, sustaining, loving, and protecting. You're finally getting back on target.

Donald F. Carpenter, Jr. author of The Family's Man's Stock Market Volatility Survival Guide makes no bones about it and answers these questions in his interview with Mark Alyn on Late Night Health. His book, The Family Man's Stock Market Volatility Survival Guide: How to Defend Your Family in Any Economy, is intended only for family men...with families that they love, adore, and sacrifice for. And for men who are ready to "man up" to their responsibilities.
air date: 7/22/16