I like to help my client take the whole approach to their finances. It’s too easy to lock into a single financial obsession, to bite into some hot topic in the financial news.
Take the idea of planning for your retirement. It can be daunting. How much money do you need? It seems like there can never be enough. So some people respond by squirreling away everything they have. While I’m the first one to advocate for responsibility in your personal finances, I think it’s also important to live your life. Putting everything under the floorboard like Silas Marner, you might be squandering your chance to enjoy this life you’ve built for yourself. Maybe there’s a home improvement you’d like to make, an experience you want to have with your kids, or some travel you simply won’t enjoy as much when you’re older.
Well, do you have enough money to do it?
Maybe you do. Let’s at least ask the question, and make a plan if we can. Considering that we only get to live one time, it’s safe to say it’s worth the effort. Let’s sort through the complexities and arrive at an answer you can feel good about. It’s my job as a financial advisor to work with clients to maintain a positive outlook, to get a sense for what might be safe to spend today. It is a delicate balance, certainly, but with help it is a balance that you can strike. It is an empowering step to make.
Listen below to Stu chatting about this topic with Win Damon of 1450 Am and wnbp.com. Listen live on Tuesday mornings at 8:30!
18 March 2012