4个步骤创造有保障的财务未来

Once you have enough cash to cover your emergency fund and upcoming large expenses, put excess cash to work for you by investing.

一旦你有足够的现金来支付你的应急基金和即将到来的大开销，把多余的现金通过投资来为你工作。

1. Build up your savings and emergency fund.Set aside cash in an emergency fund you can access easily to cover roughly six months of expenses. That way, you’re ready for unexpected events, like a temporary job loss. Also, start setting aside cash for large expenses planned for three – five years from now, like buying a new car, an expensive trip or a wedding.

建立你的储蓄和应急基金。留出一些现金作为应急基金，你可以方便地使用，以支付大约六个月的开支。这样，你就能准备好应对突发事件，比如临时失业。同时，开始为从现在开始计划的3 - 5年的大开销留出现金，比如买一辆新车，一次昂贵的旅行或一场婚礼。

2. Invest—don’t sit on the sidelines. While cash is good to have on hand for short-term expenses, historically, inflation outpaces cash. That means your money won’t purchase as much in the future as it does today. Once you have enough cash to cover your emergency fund and upcoming large expenses, put excess cash to work for you by investing, which can earn you more than holding it in savings.

投资——不要袖手旁观。虽然手头有现金用于短期支出是件好事，但从历史上看，通货膨胀的速度会超过现金。这意味着你的钱在未来买不到现在买的那么多。一旦你有足够的现金来支付应急基金和即将到来的大额开支，把多余的现金通过投资来为你工作，这样赚的钱比把它作为储蓄要多。

Start investing early!

尽早开始投资!

Know your options: stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs.

了解你的选择:股票、债券、共同基金、等等。

3. Spend (and borrow) smartly. There’s such a thing as good debt and bad debt. “Good debt” is when you borrow to fund something that will appreciate, meaning it will lead to higher net worth or grow in value, like school loans and mortgages. Appreciation offsets the interest you’re paying. “Bad debt” is borrowing to fund something that will depreciate — or lose value over time. With bad debt, the item becomes more expensive for two reasons. You’re paying interest, while at the same time, the item is losing value.

明智地消费(和借贷)。有好债和坏债之分。“好的债务”是指你借钱购买会增值的东西，这意味着它会带来更高的净值或价值增长，比如助学贷款和抵押贷款。升值抵消了你所支付的利息。“坏账”是借钱来资助一些会贬值的东西——或者随着时间的推移会贬值。有了坏账，商品变得更贵有两个原因：你在支付利息的同时，物品却在贬值。

4. Make your intentions known — keep your paperwork up to date. In case of emergency, make sure your family, friends and doctors know your wishes.

让别人知道你的意图——随时更新你的文件。在紧急情况下，确保你的家人、朋友和医生知道你的愿望。

· Keep beneficiaries on file. Every savings account, investment and insurance policy allows you to designate beneficiaries.

保存受益人档案。每一个储蓄帐户、投资和保险政策都允许你指定受益人。

· Establish a healthcare proxy. This document appoints someone you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to.

建立医疗保健代理。如果你无法做出医疗决定，这份文件指定你信任的人代表你做出决定。

· File a will. A will is the best way to pass on your value — even if you do not have children.

立遗嘱。遗嘱是传递个人价值的最好方式——即使你没有孩子。