This month’s money makeover

Who: Gwen Stewart, 48

Assets: $117,000 cash, $31,400 in retirement accounts, $1,900 in stocks

Debt: None

Goals: Buy a home. Replace car. Plan for retirement. Get health insurance coverage.

Recommendations: Don’t buy a new home until she can show consistent, annual earnings of $86,000. Find a full-time position that provides healthcare benefits. Buy an inexpensive used car. Reallocate retirement investments into a mix of 60% stocks and 40% bonds. Reallocate $117,000 in cash into a mix of low-cost indexed mutual funds and bonds.

About the planner: Lara Lamb is a certified financial planner in Encino.