As a practicing Certified Financial Planner® for 10 years, I can say my best clients have a great relationship with money. And the earlier you save the better your chances of living the lifestyle you want. Because financial planning is not so much a financial goal but a lifestyle goal.
There is an interesting article from Jason Vitug from the Business Insider. Jason drove 10,218 miles in 137 hours through 38 states in 30 days which he called his "Road to Financial Wellness". Within his 11 best pieces of financial advice he mentioned that "wealth is not measured by how much you spend but by how much you save".
I am in my 30s with a 1 yr. old and a beautiful wife and I can say we are saving as much as we can each and every month. Investing becomes much easier if you decide to start early. If you desire to amass $1 million and expect to retire in 30 years with a rate of return of 5% then you will need to save $898.00 in required monthly savings. However, if you receive a rate of return of 7% you will only need to save $581.00 a month.
The next question a prudent investor needs to consider is where should his/her investable savings go? After an adequate emergency fund (which should be enough to provide for 6 months of living expenses) investors need to consider planning strategies. There is a lot of noise on which strategies are the best. Financial planning strategies can fail but solutions are permanent.
A permanent solution that young couples need to consider is life insurance. After my daughter was born I immediately purchased life insurance to protect my family. Life insurance is designed to protect your loved ones if there is a premature death in the family. But, which type of life insurance is the best? That depends on the financial goals and objectives of each couple.
For my family I purchased an indexed universal life insurance policy. Indexed universal life insurance is permanent insurance that offers great flexibility for premiums and adjustments for face amount. The indexed accounts are credited with interest based on the growth in one or more indexes and there is a guaranteed growth rate within the policy.
But what I like best about the indexed universal life insurance policy is the fact that the cash value within the policy can be utilized as a way to generate tax free income for retirement. In other words, this type of policy serves two purposes.
The face amount provides protection for the family in the case of a premature death.
The cash value growth over the years can generate tax-free income during retirement.
This is just one planning solution to where early preparation is the key to financial success.
To learn more about Blake Fambrough and his approach to financial planning, view his Paladin Registry profile to contact him.
Originally posted on Paladin Registry.
About the Author: Blake Fambrough, Financial Advisor with Dubots Capital Management attended Texas Tech University and received a B.B.A. in Finance and a M.S. in Personal Financial Planning. In addition, Blake holds the Certified Financial Planner® designation. He has been working in the financial services industry since 2004. He is a member of the Lake Elsinore Rotary Club. Blake with his wife Christina and their daughter live in the Lake Elsinore area and enjoy volunteering their time to their local church. Follow Blake on Twitter @Fambro1