June 1st of 2017 marked the day that JPJ Investments welcomed me on board as a financial advisor. For the past 365 days, I have spent my time completely immersed in the field of personal financial planning. After speaking with clients and others in the industry, I wanted to compile a list of 5 key things that I have learned along the way that I thought would be valuable to pass along.
- Ask the Right Questions
If roles were reversed and I was a prospective client meeting with a new advisor, there is one question I would need answered before I could move forward. I would want to know what the advisor had in his or her portfolio. That would give me a sense as to whether or not the advisor believed in what he or she was recommending to clients.
- No Better Time than Now
There is no greater time than the present to begin taking retirement seriously. Getting a plan in place now, no matter how old you are, could greatly affect how you are able to spend your days in your retirement years.
- An Advisor’s Best “Product”
You would think that the number one thing most clients want would be great investment performance. However, that tends not to be a client’s number one priority. The number one priority for most people is trust. Trust is the greatest “product” an advisor can sell.
- Rule of 72
This is one of the greatest rules of thumb you could ever learn. Take 72 and divide it by the annual percentage rate of return you are earning. That will give you about how long it will take your money to double. For example, if you are retiring in 8 years and you currently have a $500,000 investment portfolio, you will need to earn about 9% on average annually for those 8 years to reach $1,000,000.
- Boring Old Insurance
Life can throw many wrenches at you, and that is why it is important to protect yourself with insurance. It may be boring, but it could end up getting you a great return on your money. Term life insurance can be a cheap option for peace of mind knowing that your loved ones are financially safe in the event of an untimely death. Disability insurance can protect the greatest asset that many people have, which is the ability to earn income. Losing the ability to work could cost you millions in the years to come, and you may not be able to afford to miss out on that income. Long term care costs could deplete a retirement portfolio without the proper insurance to cover it. This is why it is so important to at least acknowledge all of these different situations and consider the risks that you face.
I am excited to continue bringing value to people, and hopefully you took something away from these points. If you have any specific topics you would like to learn more about, let me know!
You can reach me directly at hunter@jpjinvestments.com
This article courtesy of Hunter Greene.