MIL's erratic generosity making it hard to plan

[Anonymous]

So you need to reframe it - you use the phrase "my retirement is on track". It should be "Our Retirement".

It might be worth while to get one of those books from a company like Ameriprise (I am using them b/c they gave me the book not b/c I am promoting them) The book is about planning your financial future. What are your dreams / goals? Sit down together to talk about what the future looks like.

Do you want to retire early? Go on extensive vacations? Start a non-profit? Fund a fellowship?

Once you have a vision for what the future looks like, what is the plan to get there? It is not my retirement and his (unless the future is the 2 of you not together)

[Anonymous]

DH needs to grow up and not PLAN on his MOTHER'S money

[Anonymous]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but there have been several recommendations that OP and her DH find a financial counselor to figure out how to set joint financial goals. I'm wondering how one goes about finding said financial counselor.

I don't have OP's MIL problem, but would love for DH and I to be better about figuring out joint financial goals. We're both savers (thank goodness). DH wants to keep non-retirement savings liquid so we can buy a house, but then in the same conversation insists he can't imagine buying a house in this area (we can afford to but I agree prices are just insane) and what if his job location changes, etc. So, he wants the flexibility of liquidity and in the meantime we're loosing money by having savings sit around accumulating less than 1%. I would prefer to get serious about buying a house, but DH has some good points about not buying. So, if we're not going to buy, I'd like to invest our savings for the long term in 529s and mutual funds.