Responsible Investing for Retirement

Let’s face it– planning a vacation is fun. At the mere mention of the word, you are already in Hawaii or trekking the trail to Machu Picchu. But don’t wander too far just yet; retirement planning is about planning for the future you have always dreamed of, much like a long–awaited vacation.

You may already have a plan in place and are following that plan, but if you have delayed reaching your goals, don’t despair. Everyone has a reason to delay planning for retirement—work, babies, marriage, or watching The Bachelor—and it’s easy to get blown off course. But you just have to adjust your sails toward the outcome you want.

Here, some quick tips to get you back on course for the retirement of your dreams: 

• Retirement planning, like planning for vacation, takes a little bit of time. Rather than look at it as a lengthy task, see it as a forever vacation.
• Don’t leave your 401(k) behind. IRAs often have more options than a 401(k) plan. Let your planner help you focus "all" your assets towards your goal.  
• If you’ve recently been married, had a baby or had other big life changes, don’t forget to update your beneficiaries.  
• Don’t plan your retirement on a whim, tip, or hunch. We meet people all the time that lose hundreds of thousands of dollars based on a company that seems cool or advice from an unknowledgeable coworker or friend.
• Since we are talking about travel, I would be remiss to not mention global diversification. Last year the S&P 500 was the top performer. Investors may think this is the next place to go, but investing on last year’s best performer is like betting at Del Mar on a winning horse, just after winning the race.
• And what about being able to retire early? So much can be done with a plan in place. Throw your thoughts onto your vision board and discuss them with your Certified Financial Planner™ professional when you meet with them.  

Even as the wife of a planner, I always leave the complex planning decisions to the Certified Financial Planner™ professionals and you should, too!

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