Financial Planning when You're Laid Off

The U.S. unemployment rate hit 8.1% in February after 651,000 jobs were eliminated, according to last week’s announcement by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. With a huge array of companies eliminating positions, almost everyone has at least considered the possibility that their job could be the next to go. Preparing for a worst-case scenario means you need to have a game plan for your finances ready to go in case that dreaded pink slip arrives on your desk.

Planning ahead means setting aside cash in an emergency fund. But here are a few tips on how best to manage your finances after a job loss:

1. Take stock: One of the first things to do is to take stock of where you stand financially. "Even if it's on the back of a napkin, write down what you have in cash, in your investment accounts and your retirement plans," says Daniel D'Ordine, a certified financial planner with New York City-based Life and Wealth Planning. "Next look at your debt, and really identify what are your absolutely non-negotiable expenses and what are flexible expenses."

2. Use cash for essentials: If you’ve planned ahead and saved your cash in an emergency fund, it can be hard to start spending it. But losing your job does constitute an emergency, and that money was intended for essentials, such as rent, groceries and utilities. D'Ordine advises first starting with liquid cash reserves such as savings accounts or money market accounts, before moving on to any money you have locked up in a certificate of deposit (CD). "CDs are still just another type of cash," says D'Ordine. "You don't have to liquidate all of your CDs on day one, but don't be afraid to cash them in, even with an early withdrawal penalty."