It would be very nice if eating out were free. In reality, someone must pay for the dinner as well as the tip to the servers. Paying the bill and leaving the right tip are very often an area of concern or confusion. This should never turn what was a delightful dinner into a quagmire or uncomfortable scene.

In general, if you are invited by someone out to dinner, that person intends to pay the bill. The tides begin to turn, though, when groups of people decide to dine out together. In this case, the rule is that each person, or couple, is responsible for their portion of the bill and tip. The expression traditionally used is "Going Dutch". It sometimes gets a little tricky- especially when each person's math skills may be a little shaky. Sometimes a person will add up what they had using the prices on the menu- but fail to consider the sales tax. Without a calculator, it is difficult to figure your portion of the sales tax. You most definitely do not want to come across as selfish or stingy. For instance, if your portion of the bill is $20 in menu items, and the tax is 6%, you should round up to the nearest dollar for the tax. If anything, that portion over the true amount would wind up as more for the tip to the server- and unless the service was poor- that is never a bad thing. If you cannot afford the extra cents, then you should not be going out to dinner in the first place.

Sometimes, someone will grab the check and offer to pay. Unless that person has invited you to dinner, never assume he or she is paying for dinner. Instead, each person or couple should politely ask to see the bill so that they may pay what they owe. If the person who grabs the bill says he or she is "taking care of it", there is always some sort of friendly bickering about that- because no one wants to seem unappreciative. It is also their way of showing humility. However, if the person insists, again, that they wish to pay the bill, do not go back-and-forth in an argument. Be gracious, polite and express your appreciation. You may wish to say that the next dinner is on you. In this case, this process goes smoothly, no one is insulted and the evening can end on a very pleasant note. Keep in mind, though, that if you say the next dinner is your treat- you MUST pay the bill the next time you dine with this person or people.

Leaving the right tip is another area which can cause confusion. This is because there is a great deal of flexibility involved in tipping. Some restaurants include the tip in the bill. If this is the case, it is stated on the menu. Be sure to take note of this so as to avoid double tipping. You are free at your discretion, though, to add to the tip if you feel inclined to do so. The traditional amount to tip is 15% of the bill before the tax. That is the minimum you should expect to pay if the service was appropriate. More and more people today tip at the rate of 20% of the bill before the tax. Some choose to include the tax when calculating the tip. Some, again, choose to tip a greater amount for extraordinary service or because they are very generous. In any case, be sure that you tip at least the minimum for good service.

Financially Surviving Divorce

In 1999 I took the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) course and now realize the full potential. Divorce is an extremely emotional time and I believe it is extremely important to have someone help you with the financial aspects of divorce.

There are four basic things that you will need to survive a divorce financially: a place to live, little or no debt, retirement assets, and liquid money. You should strive for a balance of each of these. You need a mix of each of these categories, not an abundance of one and none of the others.

A Place to Live: In 1997, the tax code changed relating to home ownership. A married couple is now able to exclude up to $500,000 of gains, and a single person is able to exclude up to $250,000 of gains on the sale of their home as long as you have lived in the home for two out of the last five years.

Depending on the divorce, it may be advantageous for one spouse to take the home, while in another situation it could be a disadvantage for the spouse to take the home. You should understand how your divorce settlement will affect you now, as well as in five, ten, fifteen and twenty years from now. A house is not a liquid asset and if you look historically at the stock market, a house may have less appreciation potential compared with money set aside for retirement. This is where it is very important to establish a financial plan.

Little or No Debt: You should understand what the cost of credit means. Because there is a high cost to having debt, you need to know the difference between good debt and bad debt. You should be careful when it comes to using credit to protect your assets and your future because we live in a negative savings society. Contact credit bureaus to get a copy of your credit report. If there are credit cards that have a zero balance, call and cancel those cards.

As part of a divorce, remember that the creditor wants the debt paid regardless of the situation. So, if your spouse takes a credit card with your name on it and does not pay that debt, the creditor will come after you.

Retirement Assets: When you are looking at retirement assets there are many different vehicles in which you can save money for retirement. Make sure that you do not forget some accounts and leave money on the table.

If you receive retirement assets from your spouse's 401(k) plan you may need a QDRO (Qualified Domestic Relations Order) to separate those assets. The QDRO is a legal document that is separate from your divorce decree. This legal document is sent to the benefits department of the 401(k) plan provider to instruct them how the assets should be divided. Make sure the QDRO is written correctly BEFORE the divorce is final to ensure that you receive your retirement assets.

Some benefit plans cannot be divided. In this case, you want to look at other assets of marriage and receive those instead. For example, if a pension cannot be divided, take more of the 401(k) assets of the other spouse.

If you receive retirement assets from your spouse's IRA, you will need a copy of your divorce decree and a few other financial forms to separate those assets. With the 401(k) and IRA, you should change the account into your name and roll the assets into another IRA account. This process is known as a "direct rollover." This is another area where it is important to have a financial plan in place so you can realize the foundation you are setting for your financial future.

Liquid Money: There are three different general phases of the divorce process: The beginning of the divorce, the middle of the divorce, and after the divorce. In each of these states, your budget may be different, so you should make sure that you have liquid money available at all times.

In the beginning, you will need liquid money for the retainer to hire an attorney. You should consider putting this liquid money in a money market account rather than a savings or checking account. This is a vehicle where you are able to earn more interest on your money.

Make sure you understand what a money market account is and what it can do for you. Make sure you understand the difference between assets, regardless of whether you are single, married, or divorced. Gather as much information as you can about your financial situation. Know where your money is. Find out as much information as you can on your own. It is always a good idea to have copies of statements and to start listing all of your assets and liabilities.

While it may seem incredibly appealing to pack up everything and head for a place in the sun when you retire, going through the whole process requires a fair bit more work than most people realise. Life as an expat can be a relaxing way to spend your time after all those years working and by making sure you've got a few things covered, you know there'll be no problems. Your first steps should be organising everything in your soon-to-be old home, so don't be afraid about getting in touch with people who can help.

Be prepared for some huge changes

A major decision involves your old home; what are you going to do with it? Some people may choose to sell while others decide that rental is a good idea, as it provides a regular income that you should be able to depend on - but what if something goes wrong? You'll need to organise someone responsible to look after it on your behalf who can deal with repairs and ensure that your tenants pay their rent on time, so choose wisely.

Depending on where you're moving to, it could be a good idea to get some lessons in your new home's language. Sure, you'll find that a lot of expats think that English is enough but if you're thinking about integrating into society there's no better way to do so than being able to speak like the locals do. Don't worry if you make the odd mistake; people will be happy that you're making the effort to fit in and may even offer to help you improve your skills.

Call a wealth management advisor as soon as you can

You'll find that you're making a lot of huge choices in a short space of time, so be sure to enlist the help of professionals who can help you take a lot of the pressure off. Your finances will be up in the air, so speaking to wealth management advisors is a great idea. They'll be able to talk to you about everything from how your pension will be affected to letting you know what kinds of insurance you'll need, as well as tell you what you should be budgeting for during and after your big move.

When you're looking for an advisor, make sure that your chosen specialist is experienced in global wealth management. That way you'll know that they're skilled in helping clients who are located all around the world, rather than just in the UK, and have contacts in many countries who can help out with any issues that could arise. Ask plenty of questions and be prepared for absolutely anything, but above all enjoy your new life in the sun.