black-jack

A lot of people ask me what’s the most dangerous thing they should avoid when planning for retirement. They expect me to say things like the stock market or taxes, and are always caught off guard by my answer. I believe apathy is the single biggest danger to your retirement plan. Often times, people will stick their heads in the sand when the subject of financial planning comes up. It’s not a lack of recognizing the importance or necessity of financial planning, rather a lack of taking action. And, in some cases, doing nothing can be the riskiest move to your retirement strategy.

Think about in terms of maintaining your home. Imagine you discovered a small leak in your house that just dripped a tiny amount of water occasionally. Since the leak was so small and only dripped occasionally, you decided to put it on the back burner and deal with it another time. Then as normally happens in life, you got busy with other things and forgot about it. Months turned into years until one day you discover the real damage from neglecting the problem. What was once a small drip, has now turned into wall and floor damage, mold, and worst of all, a compromised foundation.

It may sound like an extreme example, but it’s really not. What was once something to be put off for another day, has now developed into a much bigger problem. It’s important to remember that we are part of a global economy and many things can impact our finances, from geo-political events to regional market conditions. Add to that the incredible, and growing array of investment options and it can feel overwhelming. Take a deep breath and relax because you don’t have to tackle financial planning alone. Getting educated on your investing options and finding professional help has never been easier. Right now, you can begin learning the financial essentials and different retirement options by enrolling in our free educational courses: Click HERE to enroll in Madrona University.

In addition, to help get you started and remove all barriers we offer a financial review that is 100% complimentary, with no obligation to move forward. We view these meetings as the start of a much larger and more important conversation about not only your finances, but also your future plans. It’s an assessment of your current situation and an interactive discussion on what your goals are for retirement.

The most important thing is that you take action and start preparing for the financial future you deserve. Stop putting off your financial planning because it’s vital that you get off the sidelines and take control.

So, whether you’ve just noticed a tiny drip or see major structural problems, it’s time to take corrective action.