Charting the Course
Can I retire?
How do you get to an unknown destination without a map?
One option is to follow generic rules of thumb and hope it’s enough when it’s time to retire. Another option is to hire a professional advisor using intellectual rigor and advanced analytics to take the guesswork out and keep you on course through life’s various phases.
Your financial plan guides all the major financial and investment decisions we’ll need to make together. It’s the blueprint for your financial future. That’s why I begin the planning process immediately at the outset of each new relationship and then update the plan each year or when there are significant changes in your circumstances.
At the outset of our relationship you’ll receive a custom-embossed leather binder to house your financial plan and other financial documents. Your customized plan incorporates all your financial goals and resources so that we can build a step-by-step approach for achieving your goals and preserving your financial independence.
By proactively updating your plan we’ll be able to make small, painless adjustments as needed along the way instead of large, more painful changes later on.
Explore Retirement Planning Series
Reach out to begin discussing your customized retirement transition roadmap.
The Approach
The old-school approach to retirement planning was to assume a rate of return each year, apply it to your current and future savings and then watch your portfolio grow. The problem with that approach is it leads to unrealistic, overly-optimistic results.
The fact is markets don’t move up in a straight line at a consistent rate each year. Portfolio returns can vary dramatically from year to year. This is called volatility, and it impacts long-term returns, which ultimately impacts your financial goals (including retirement).
Any good plan must account for market volatility and must include market stress tests (e.g. simulating bear markets at the worst time, higher-than-expected deflation, lower-than-expected returns).
Among other things, these tests help guide the investment strategy.
This is why we can’t make investment decisions without first building your Financial Plan and charting the course.
Explore our Tax Planning services.
