How long does it take?

Current Processing Time
(service will be temporarily suspended when processing time exceeds 30 days)
7-10 days or less

What do I do to get started?

PLEASE READ THE QUESTIONS CAREFULLY SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDED YOU WITH THE MOST ACCURATE BUDGET PLAN POSSIBLE.  ENTER YOUR DOLLAR AMOUNTS  WITHOUT USING A $.  DUE TO THE HIGH DEMAND FOR THIS SERVICE, IF YOUR DATA CONTAINS ERRORS OR IF QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED INCORRECTLY, WE WILL HAVE TO REQUEST ANOTHER SUBMISSION OF YOUR DATA.  EMAIL US PRIOR TO SUBMISSION IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.  (contact C.O.E., Inc.)

1. What is your first name?                                             
2. What is your spouse's first name (if applicable)?        
(if not married indicate whether divorced (ex-spouse still alive), widowed or never been married)
3. The email address to send the budget analysis to.    
4. What state do you live in?                                           
5. How long have you been married or are you single? 1-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years 21-25 years longer than 25 years Single

6. Have you read the DEBT, BUDGET and SAVING sections of this web page (this is a requirement in order to receive a budget report)?         YES 

7. Do you have a copy of Microsoft Excel on your computer?  YES  NO
(Your budget file will be sent as a spreadsheet program.  You will need MS Excel or Open Office to view the file.  Open Office is a free office suite program that can be downloaded from www.openoffice.org, from our website or you can order our Budget Builder CD.  The Budget Builder CD has everything you need including a copy of Open Office.  Click here to read more.  We will be glad to provide your Budget Analysis complete with the Budget Builder CD when you make your request by mail with a donation to our ministry of $20 or more.
8. Do you manage your household finances with a budget?       YES  NO
We recommend that you download the booklet How to Use The Budget Organizer.  You can also order our complete Budget Organizer complete with forms and custom tabs for $15 or a set of custom colored tabs for $5 to use in your budget organizer)  click MATERIALS

9. Answer the following questions about those that live in your household.
Self            MALE    FEMALE   AGE   INCOME /year
Spouse      MALE    FEMALE   AGE   INCOME /year
Child #1    MALE    FEMALE   AGE
Child #2    MALE    FEMALE   AGE
Child #3    MALE    FEMALE   AGE
Child #4    MALE    FEMALE   AGE
Child #5    MALE    FEMALE   AGE
Child #6    MALE    FEMALE   AGE

10. ACCUMULATED CHECKING and SAVINGS:
How much money do you estimate that you will have in your checking accounts on the first day of the next month?                                                                
How much money do you have in savings accounts?                  

Based on an average month or from past records (pay statements, bills, canceled checks, bank statements, etc.), fill in the monthly dollar amounts (unless otherwise indicated) for the following (be as accurate as possible).

11. Combined MONTHLY income (all sources before tax)? /month
(This entry should include the amount entered in question #12.  Check to insure that this amount is equal to or greater than your and your spouse's combined incomes.  It will be greater if there is income from sources other than work such as listed in #12.  You will need to multiply the entry in #11 by 12 months to compare it with the combined income entries made in question #9).
12. How much of income comes from other than work?     /month
(Includes interest, pension, child support, alimony, etc.)
13. What day of the month are your pay periods on?        
If you are paid every week or every two weeks use next month to indicate the days such as 10 and 25 or 10, 17, 24, 31.  If it is the same day each month indicate the day.
14. How much do you get paid on each pay period?          
15. Pre-tax savings contributions (401k, IRA, etc.)?           /month

16. Charitable contributions?                                               /month
(amounts of less than 1% of GROSS will not be considered in the budget)
17. Taxes withheld from pay?                                              /month

18. Total expenses for HOUSE                                            /month
(includes mortgage payment, utilities, phone, cable, yard supplies, etc.)
19. How much of HOUSE expense is mortgage/rent only? /month
Does your mortgage payment include taxes and insurance?  YES  NO
20. What did you pay last year in property taxes?              /year
21. How much do you pay for homeowners insurance?       /year

22. Expenses for FOOD                                                        /month
(includes groceries only, not eating out which is Entertainment/Recreation)
23. Expenses for AUTO                                                        /month
(includes gas, oil, insurance, any lease payments but not loan payments - that is debt)
24. Do you lease any autos?  YES NO
If you lease an auto: Payment 1 Months Remaining
If you lease an auto: Payment 2 Months Remaining

25. Expenses for regular MEDICAL                                   /month
(includes known medical expenses such as prescriptions, company deductions, etc)

26. Expenses for LIFE INSURANCE                                  /month
(includes a monthly total of all life insurance premiums even when paid annually)
27. What are the cash value amounts of any life insurance?        
28. How much life insurance do you have on yourself?             
29. What type of life insurance is on yourself?              TERM CASH VALUE
30. How much life insurance do you have on your spouse?      
31. What type of life insurance is on your spouse?       TERM CASH VALUE

32. Expenses for SCHOOL                                                   /month
(includes private school tuition, music lessons, gymnastics, other regular expenses)

33. DEBTS:
Do you have good credit (debts current, no recent bankruptcies)? YES NO

Make a list of your consumer debts (credit cards, auto payments, medical bills, etc.) starting with the lowest balance and going to the largest balance.
 
Use the following format:  
Who you owe/balance owed/minimums only monthly payment required/interest rate of loan/months left to pay.

FORMAT: Lender/Balance/Minimum Monthly Payment/Interest Rate/Months Remaining
An example would be: 
VISA/$3,000/$25/14%/unknown;
ABC Bank/$18,000/$350/9%/38mounths;

34. Which of the payment listed above (if any) are for auto loans?

35. LONG TERM:
Do you have a current WILL?                                                      YES  NO
Does your spouse have a current WILL?                                      YES  NO
How much money do you have in before tax investment accts?   
(this would include traditional IRAs, 401k, 403b, 457, SEP, etc)
How much money do you have in after tax investment accounts?
What is the estimated equity in your house (if applicable)?            

36. OTHER:
Include any other specific information that you feel we need to know about your financial situation or special payments that you need to budget for.  Also, be sure to indicate if items have not been included in the categories above so they can be accounted for.  

These special payments will be considerations when we project starting amounts for the CLOTHING, PERSONAL and ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION categories.  You can reference our Form 1 to get suggestions for typical expenses in these categories.  (note: The personal category is a catch-all category and includes all miscellaneous expenditures.  We will make projections for this category based on your specific data and based on our experience of working with thousands of others.)  

37. Would you like to receive updates from C.O.E., Inc. about new services and general information that we feel would be of interest to you?  YES  NO

38. Where did you here about this service or this web site? A friend A message board or web forum Browsing the internet In one of Mike Coe's seminars or classes Other

After you have completed this form, it will be sent to us when you select SUBMIT.  We will then return a suggested monthly budget with comments to the email address that you have provided above.  The budget request are developed individually based on the data that you submitted.  Incomplete or unclear information will require us to ask you for clarifications and slow down the return time. 

1. PLEASE INSURE THAT YOUR DATA IS CORRECT.

2. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR ANSWERS AGREE WITH WHAT THE QUESTION IS ASKING

3. MAKE ANY SPECIFIC COMMENTS IN THE "OTHER" SECTION

4. SUBMIT YOUR DATA

STATISTICAL RESULTS OF THOSE WHO HAVE USED THIS SERVICE

• ONE OR MORE HAVE USED THE ONLINE BUDGET COUNSELING

You should understand that our suggestions and comments are meant to serve as an educational guide only.  We always recommend that you contact a competent professional for specific help in all areas dealing with your personal financial affairs when needed.