Nancy works at the hospital. We catch up with her during a quick lunch break at the cafeteria. When asked how she got involved in the medical field, she smiles. "It was my Dad," she explains. "He used to take me with him to work at the hospital when I was a little girl. And I was always interested in helping people and working with them. My work is very important to me. I find the challenge has been juggling my commitment to my job with my commitment to my family."

Nancy had her first child a year ago, and it has had a great impact on her life: "Having a child has given my husband and I a whole new perspective," she says. "We share the responsibility of child care, but it's not just the day-to-day things that have changed. It's our whole attitude toward life."

"It's impossible to know, before you have a family of your own, just how much a child can mean to you. And when you love someone that much, it makes you think about what's important. In our case, it gave us a renewed focus on family and a strong interest in planning for the future."

What's the most important consideration? "Security," says Nancy. "We both have Term Life insurance. We're considering Whole Life, as well. Education's important, too. And even though our son is just a baby, we've set up a 529 Educational Savings account for him. You never know what's around the corner, and it's good to cover as many bases as possible."

Nancy and her husband put a lot of effort into keeping their ship afloat. And with a firm hand on the tiller, they always keep one eye on the horizon. "We want him to have all the opportunities we can give him," Nancy says, smiling. "And who knows? If we plan well enough, maybe we can retire early and spend time with the grandkids."