For many people, investments make up a significant part of their financial portfolio. But with everything going on in the world today, is it still a smart move to commit your financial resources to stocks, bonds, funds, and other investments? Or is it asking for trouble?
The Trouble with Investments
Many people have become wealthy from their investments, there’s no doubt about that. Yet there are some issues to keep in mind.
For one, past rates of return are no guarantee of future returns. We trust and believe that putting money into investments now will grow our wealth in the future, but we don’t know for sure. No one can predict how the market will behave or what interest rates will be in two years, or twenty – no financial advisor, no billionaire investor, no sophisticated algorithm. Pinning future plans on past numbers is risky.
Next, changing interest rates can effectively kill gains from your bonds, and the market’s volatility means you can’t predict how your stocks and funds will behave. Recessions and crashes can wipe out a significant amount of your wealth in a matter of days, if not hours, and potentially delay your retirement date by years.
Taken together, it means that investments can be extremely risky – that is, when they represent too large a percentage of your overall financial plan.
Our Approach to Investments
Like many others in the world of finance, we believe in diversification. Relying too heavily on any one type of financial product puts you at risk. So, investments do have their place in a financial plan, as long as they are balanced with other products and have the right strategy behind them.
We also believe in peace of mind. Our clients are better able to weather the ups and downs of the market and interest rates when they know they will have enough guaranteed income in retirement to cover their basic expenses. Guaranteed income from well-positioned annuities means they don’t have to rely on a never-ending bull market to enjoy their golden years.
Another important part of our approach is keeping money in motion. Getting more than one use out of every dollar you earn helps you build substantial wealth while freeing yourself of the need to chase a higher (read: riskier) rate of return on each individual investment. By keeping your money in motion, you can use your financial resources to get an overall higher rate of return while keeping risk low.
An Important Piece of Your Financial Treatment Plan
Despite market volatility, fluctuating rates, and future uncertainty, we believe investments are still a good idea for most people as they plan for retirement. The key to building a solid financial future and having peace of mind is to know where and how they fit in your overall plan.
To learn how we develop Financial Treatment Plans for our clients, and how you can replace 100% of your income in retirement, check out our book, Your Retirement Smile, or visit our business website today.
