| |
| |
|
Personal Finance Information |
|
|
|
Do You Know What Tomorrow Will Bring?
I've been sharing the following idea with people for a few years now, and realized recently that I had never written specifically about it. So here it is: "I cannot predict the future." That may seem simple enough, and it's certainly accurate, yet for many advisors, this edict is completely disregarded. How many times have you heard someone say, "I know," when what they really meant was, "I guess?" In stating that I cannot predict the future, my intention is not to appear pessimistic. On the contrary, I agree with what Roosevelt had to say about the issue; "The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." I therefore believe that we can accomplish just about anything. Nevertheless, believing anything is possible is far more grounded in reality than believing that I could know, with any precision, how everything will ultimately unfold. And so with that much clear, I would like to share what I do not know about our collective financial futures. I do not know which segment of the market will outperform all others during this year, or any year. I do not know if this year's equity market will be up, down, volatile, or stagnant. I do not know what our tax system will look like in ten, twenty, or thirty years. I do not know what the rate of inflation will be, or what the rise in housing will be, or college tuition, or gas, or bottled water. I do not know if age expectancies will continue to increase or begin to decrease. I do not know how the United States will fare in competition with the rapidly developing markets of other nations. While it may appear that I don't know much, here's what I do know: I can presume, in a careful manner, certain long-term expectations. And if I am successful in helping my clients understand and appreciate those expectations, I would hope to maximize their full financial potential. I am able (and willing) to respond to change. Ask any advisor who's been doing it for fifty years what he thinks about change, and he's likely to tell you his way is the best way, always was, and always will be. I believe there is a close-to-perfect approach to meeting the goals of each client, and I spend great effort, in every instance, to find out what that is. Each individual, each family, each small business owner has their own attributes, and I am ever-present to the notion of finding a common ground.I always attempt to write about topics that transcend finance. Money is allegorical-how you save and spend both your time and your energy will often correlate with how you manage your finances. What I do not know about the future therefore also transcends economics, and so I approach everything with an open mind. Do you? © 2005 Matthew S. Clement, All rights reserved Matthew S. Clement is a financial planner and investment advisor representative with Financial Network Investment Corporation, member SIPC. He provides holistic wealth management and retirement planning to individuals and businesses. He can be reached in New York at (845) 942-8578, or by email: ClementM@FinancialNetwork.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Personal-Finance - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Students Investing in Their Future Need to Manage Their Finances Today With the A-level results coming out, the long wait for UK school leavers hoping to go to university will soon be over. All the hard work that has been put into achieving the grades required will now pay off and the fun and freedom that is student life can begin. I Want to Buy a Home - Now What? If you were to ask 100 women "What would you like to achieve financially?" Buying a home or apartment is usually one of the answers. Some women think that they can never own a home - which is not true! In fact, there are so many success stories of home buyers who never thought they would get there. Saving Dimes Can Go a Long Way On the other hand, there are those people who are saving dimes and every other cent. Perhaps its because they hate the clutter of change but want to get rid of it instead of letting it accumulate elsewhere or still rely on the fact that change has value and should be used accordingly. Understanding and Controlling Your Finances Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be able to have complete control over your finances?If you are like most normal people, you have a job. You go to your job every day. Why We Are Never Satisfied with What We Have I have to admit, I do it too. I complain. Reduce College Debt with Scholarships Six Scholarship judges were sitting around an ovaltable. Forms were piled into 50 boxes. Strategies for Success Holy Shenanigans! More STUFF?Loosing one's business due to lack of personal control is a sad thing. I've watched many people do just exactly that. Budgeting the Key to being Financially Stable Single Mother's in need of Financial GuidanceBudgeting is key to being financially stable. A budget is a systematic plan for the expenditure of a usually fixed resource, such as money or time, during a given period. Bankruptcy Laws Get Tougher - More Expensive If you've been thinking about filing for bankruptcy, your best bet might be to file now.A new bankruptcy law takes effect in November that will make it harder and more expensive for most families to file for bankruptcy and discharge their debts. The Origins of Check Writing People haven't always written checks to buy goods and services. But you know that right? So how did people transfer money from one place to another in times of old?In ancient times the most popular form of money exchange was the trade. How To Survive The Grocery Shopping Blues If you are the normal consumer, then you've probably experienced the Grocery Shopping Blues. Most supermarkets use this trick to their advantage to squeeze more money out of their customers and turn a tidy little profit for themselves. Credit Card Debt - Watch Your Credit Report and Your Bill Most consumers are aware of the importance of their credit report. This document, offered to consumers and lenders by the three major credit bureaus, offers a fairly complete list of financial transactions and debts incurred by a consumer. Save On Food - Ten Tips To save on food, be an opportunist. Buy what you like, but buy on sale. Risky Business: You May Not be as Daring as You Think I thought I was through with exams when I finished college. Then my financial adviser (a. Budgeting is Essential for a Single Mothers Success Today many women are struggling with debt and it's even harder if you are a single mother trying to support your family. According to the Census Bureau single mothers far outweigh single fathers. Single Mother Resources Directs You Towards Success As a parent you are bound to face a few challenges but as a single mother you are bound to face challenges almost everyday. Raising a child is not meant to be done alone however today it is occurring more often then traditional value holders would like to see. How to Attain Your Dreams on a Single Income If you recently became a single parent and see your dreams being washed away because you feel all alone, you aren't alone. There are single parents that face future endeavors alone like dating again, living on one income, and buying the home they've always imagined. Debt Management - Watch Out for Bank Fees! During the last twenty years, banks have offered a number of improvements in the area of being customer-friendly. The old 9 AM - 2 PM "banker's hours" are gone, replaced by a schedule that makes it easy for most people to visit when the bank is open. Single Mother and Learning how to Save Saving may seem easier if you were saving for a new car, or a vacation however when it comes to saving in general it may prove to be more challenging because you may not necessarily feel you are receiving a reward from it. However saving pays off, especially as a single mother. Developing a budget? Watch out for Those Budget-Bursting Gremlins If you've developed a household budget to get your spending back in line or to just reduce stress, good for you! Creating and sticking to a budget isn't easy by all means. But it represents the best way by far to manage your finances so you can relax and worry about other things.
|
Sponsors: Chicago Paving Contractor | Remanufactured VTL | Religious Statues | Search Engine Specialist
