Setting Your Goals

What are your Personal Goals?

As you approach retirement it is logical to ask “What do I want to do next?  What are your big dreams that are still unfulfilled?  What is it that you most wish to achieve in life for you and your family? Your goals might be getting a new car, taking a trip around the world, setting up your own business, leaving an inheritance to your children or setting up a special charitable gift.  We help you fit these goals into your overall financial plan so that your investments are working with your goals in mind.  Everyone has dreams, but not all of us see our dreams fulfilled.  We ask you to write down your goals and aspirations so that we can help you map out a plan to prioritize and achieve your goals.

What are your Financial Goals?

The next step in developing a solid savings and investment plan is to decide what you want your money to do for you. When you think about your financial goals, it's important to be as specific as you can. By identifying and prioritizing your goals—such as buying a new home, paying college tuition for your children, and funding a comfortable retirement—you can help ensure that the investments you select are appropriate to help you achieve each of your goals.

 What is your Time Frame?

How long do you have until you'll need your money? Setting time frames for each of your goals is key because it can help determine how long your money can be working for you. That's why it's important to remember that an investment which may be appropriate in helping you achieve a longer-term goal may not work as effectively for those that are shorter term.

Regardless of your age or how much money you have to invest, your chances of reaching your goal will be much greater if you start today to build your financial future. The sooner you start investing, the longer your money has to grow.  

How much Money do you Have?

Before you make any decisions about investing, you need to assess where you are currently relative to where you want to be. We begin by taking a "financial inventory" to determine how much money you have to invest and how your other assets are already allocated. Don't forget to consider assets such as:

Your total financial situation may dictate a more conservative or aggressive strategy and is a key factor in influencing the types of investments that are most appropriate for reaching each of your goals.

How much Money do you Need?

Quantifying your financial goals—in other words, determining how much money you'll need in the future—is important because it can help determine how much money you'll need to put aside now to accomplish your goals. Say you want to accumulate $100,000 for a future goal. The type of investment you select and your time frame will substantially impact the amount of money you'll need to begin saving for your goal.

 What kind of Investor are you?

Along with determining your financial goals and your time frame, you'll want to also consider what type of investor you are—in other words, what is your risk tolerance? No matter what type of investment you select, there are certain risks and potential rewards associated with it. Depending on the amount of time you have until you need your money, some of those risks may be more acceptable than others. If you're like many investors, you may invest more conservatively for your shorter-term goals and more aggressively when your goals are farther into the future.