YOUR MONEY: MAKEOVER REDUX

Then: Hawks, 48, had made as much as $400,000 a year as a franchise consultant but was laid off shortly before her money makeover in June 2007.

The single mother didn’t have time to attend to her finances.

She didn’t open bank statements and couldn’t say whether her bank account contained $10,000 or $100,000. She had lost 16 years of appreciation in one $100,000 retirement account by not managing it.

With only $180,000 saved, she needed much more to retire.

The planner urged her to go back to full-time employment for the benefits and matching 401(k) contributions. The planner also wanted her to stop renting an expensive home and buy a smaller place.

Now: Hawks traded freelance income for a reliable salary with a large company.

She retained a planner to help negotiate a return to full-time employment at an annual income of $200,000.

The pay package contains all the benefits the makeover planner wanted her to have, including a 401(k) match.

To maintain stability for her son, Hawks did not take the planner’s advice to move and stayed in her home.

New habits: Hawks keeps track of her finances regularly; she also uses an accountant because of her busy schedule.

“I now have a sense of what is where,” Hawks said. The makeover “has been a catalyst for some really positive change.”

-- Ann Marsh