Tomorrow Isn't Guaranteed: How to Stop a False Sense of Security From Destroying Your Financial Plan
Even the best financial plan can be derailed if we're too overwhelmed to follow the guidance set out by our adviser, or worse, think we can always act on it tomorrow.
Most financial plans are created with good intentions. When they're made correctly, they account for the client's goals, spending habits and savings patterns. But financial problems rarely come from a bad financial plan. They're usually the result of a plan not being implemented consistently.
Making financial changes isn't easy. Behavioral changes take time, and daily life can be distracting. Clients usually understand the recommendations being made, especially when they have a good relationship with their adviser.
But actually following the guidance requires the client to look inward and confront financial habits that may no longer work — and that can be uncomfortable.
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The tasks that commonly get delayed aren't the hardest, but rather the ones that feel the least urgent. Updating beneficiaries, funding trusts or investing for retirement can easily be pushed to the side thanks to a false sense of security.
People think the future is guaranteed and waiting to act doesn't have consequences — until the unexpected happens.
Tomorrow isn't guaranteed
Earlier this year, I worked with a couple to create both a retirement and estate plan. The legal documents were drafted and a strategy was in place. The husband and wife just needed to continue funding the trust. They understood this, but it never felt urgent, particularly for the husband. He was 68 and simply thought he had more time. But he didn't.
One morning he was brushing his teeth when he suffered an aneurysm that killed him. As the trust wasn't fully funded, the estate went through probate. The wife was left with unexpected legal costs, delays and stress while mourning the sudden death of her husband.
This is a situation no one wants to go through, but believing the future is guaranteed can increase its chances of happening. Helping clients stay engaged after their financial plan is created is the most effective way to maintain momentum.
Start small
People often struggle to follow through because seeing everything that may be required to achieve their goals all at once can be overwhelming. Every recommendation, task or new strategy becomes intimidating, which feels uncomfortable. When these feelings go unaddressed, action is delayed entirely.
Rather than focusing on everything at once, pick one objective to tackle, and start with small, manageable steps. Crossing smaller action items off the list will create a sense of progress, making long-term goals feel more achievable.
Financial planning is most effective when it's viewed as an ongoing process instead of a one-time event. And progress rarely comes from one major decision. Most often, achieving long-term goals requires you to consistently follow through on the smaller ones.
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