The human experience is filled with so many intangibles: love, friendship, compassion, traditions, generosity…the list could go on and on.  When someone passes away, the loss of those things profound, permanent, and irreplaceable.  Furthermore, the economic contribution that s/he makes is small by comparison.  However, this is the only thing that is potentially replaceable. 

Any good financial professional will help you grow your Net Worth.  The question is, how do they do that?  Do they focus on things that are beyond your control, like rates of return, the economy, or trying to guess at what the future might hold.  Or do they put you in the driver’s seat, providing you with the tools that will help you take better control over how much money you get to keep.

It would be nice to live without the drain of debt and taxes.  However, these are often unavoidable for most of us.  The key, then, is to create options that will minimize the negative impact that these often have on wealth-building.

Today’s definition of retirement is much different than it was in previous generations.  Instead of working for 40+ years and then suddenly stopping, today’s retirees are slowing down and transitioning into 2nd careers, part-time jobs, and volunteer work as a way of exiting their long-term careers.  While this brings about many exciting opportunities, it is not without its own unique risks.