Increasing Your Odds
With all the uncertainty in our world, it seems like everyone is hyper focused on the investment markets. We are constantly being asked what we think will happen to the economy or the stock market in the next year or two. While we may not know the answer to those questions, we do feel pretty comfortable that most of our clients will get through this crisis financially.
How do we know? Because we have created a Retirement Feasibility Analysis for our clients and we have tested the analysis with many different “curveballs”.
The essence of a Retirement Feasibility Analysis is to help clients make long-term financial decisions that increase the odds of their assets sustaining them throughout their lifetimes. An important component of this type of analysis is to consider the probability of various negative outcomes. While we consider ourselves generally optimistic people, we believe that it is both important and helpful to also think about “worst case scenarios” - those financial uncertainties that have the potential to derail financial goals.
In some cases, we may assume lower than expected investment returns or higher than expected tax and inflation rates. We might also consider the impact of unforeseen medical surprises as we help clients plan for future cash flow needs. So why is it helpful to discuss and plan for these negative and downright pessimistic financial possibilities? The answer to this question depends on who you ask:
From our perspective, we believe that by addressing some of the things that can go wrong, we can reduce the potential financial impact of the event. In doing so, we can help increase the odds of our clients achieving their financial goals.
From our client’s perspective, we hope that by proactively discussing and anticipating negative financial outcomes, clients can approach financial uncertainty with a sense of confidence and peace of mind.
As global economic uncertainty persists, it is our hope that you can find comfort in having a financial game plan that will both provide direction and increase the odds of your financial success. Please feel free to contact our office should you have any questions.
Chip Hymiller, AIF®, CFP® is a principal and founder of Beacon Financial Strategies. Outside the office, he enjoys spending time with his family in the mountains and playing golf.
