I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand to watch commercials. The biggest reason is not because of what they are selling, it’s because of the disclaimers at the end of the commercial. Those disclaimers should be the biggest help in aiding you to decide whether or not to make the purchase. And yet you can’t even understand what they are saying because they are speaking so fast. Sometimes they don’t even speak it. They flash or scroll text so fast you don’t have nearly enough time to read it yourself.
How can something so important be glossed over so quickly?
Are there things in your life that are just as important that are being handled in the same way? Or even worse, not being handled at all? Few things are more important to you and your future than your retirement savings. Yet most people are not paying enough attention to the “retirement” fine print, let alone creating an Investment Policy Statement to be used in the event something unfortunate happens. I get it. You don’t want to think about the “what if” scenarios that make you uncomfortable. I struggle with the same issues. At the same time, I can’t allow my feeling uncomfortable get in the way of doing something so important.
What is an Investment Policy Statement?
An Investment Policy Statement is a document that will help a loved one pick up the pieces of your investment puzzle when you are not around to put it together for them. In other words, it presents your directions to where you are heading with your money. What you feel good about, how much risk you are comfortable taking, and how much income you need to generate to retire are just a few items that an Investment Policy Statement should cover.
The sad part about an Investment Policy Statement is that there are very few places where you can go to create one. How can something so important, now find its way into mainstream financial planning? That, I don’t get it.
And that’s going to change right now!
CYA: Cover Your Assets
A few years ago, I decided to take on this problem and give my clients the ability to quickly and efficiently make their own Investment Policy Statement. The best part is that it’s now right inside the Simplictree® planning system. This Investment Policy Statement only takes about 30 minutes to complete and covers the full gamut of one’s financial picture. Heaven forbid something bad happens to you, but this document, which includes your beneficiary designations, will act as the roadmap to your investment objectives and concerns. No more guessing or wondering what you would have done. Now your loved ones will know exactly what you would have done and why.
You have spent a lifetime creating your wealth. Don’t you think it’s important to protect your financial legacy with an Investment Policy Statement?
If you haven’t created your Investment Policy Statement yet, please drop us a line and we will make sure that becomes our top priority the next time you visit us.