Are you on track to retire? This seems like a simple question, and it is — but the answer’s not easy to get to. Pensions are fast becoming an endangered species, which puts the onus of retirement planning on you, and there are a lot of variables in play. There’s no “magic number” that works for everyone. How much do you have saved, and what is your asset allocation? How much are you saving, and what’s your company match? When would you like to retire, and what are your expenses? How much will your social security be, and when will you start taking it?
And then there are the “what-ifs”. What if you save more, or less, or raise or lower your expenses? What if you want to take a big vacation, or leave a legacy? What if you change your asset allocation? What if there’s a market correction? What if a law is passed which raises the “full retirement age” for Social Security? And on, and on, and on.
There’s little question that the retirement deck is becoming stacked against those who don’t have expert-level knowledge, or access to those who do. I’m looking to level that playing field.
How?
I’m offering a free, personalized retirement analysis. First we’ll set up a meeting to gather data from you, like your retirement package, expenses, social security information, and current investments, as well as your goals, like risk tolerance and desired retirement age. I’ll iterate on the details until I’m satisfied, run the numbers, and then meet with you again — at your workplace, or over lunch, or wherever is most convenient for you — to go over the results.
I won’t pull any punches or promise any magic financial product that will make all your worries disappear. Rather, I’ll tell you what I’ve found (in plain English, not financial-ese). We’ll be able to play around with the variables I’ve mentioned above to see what effect they’ll have on your retirement. In the end, I’ll have a specific list of recommendations, which you can implement as you see fit. Perhaps more importantly, you’ll have a much clearer sense of where you are and what knobs you can turn in order to help you get where you want to go.
What’s the catch? You’re wise to ask. I’m a Registered Investment Advisor — I should be charging for a service like this! The catch is straightforward: I’m growing my business, and you may find that you like working with me as a financial advisor, that you trust me to work for your best interest, to keep you informed rather than try to keep you ignorant, to communicate with you often, and to earn my fee and more in the value I provide.
But if we don’t end up working together, if I only shed some light on your current financial situation and then we part ways, then that’s okay by me. There are many people for whom I’ve had only one session, which ended with me telling them, “do X, Y, and Z, and then come back and talk to me in a few years.” I enjoy those meetings as much as any, because invariably these clients — and I do think of them as clients — leave the meeting wiser and more informed than they arrived, armed with knowledge that will serve them well. And that, ultimately, is why I do what I do.
What’s the next step? If you like the idea of putting some clarity around your retirement, just click here. I’ll get in touch to set up an appointment, and we’ll get the ball rolling!
Financial Geekery 