The Strange Dichotomy of Helpseekers

One thing I love about my chosen occupation is that every family I talk to has their own unique needs, goals, preferences and hangups.  But that being said, a large percentage of potential clients that come to me and my firm for help fall into one of two categories. I'm pleased to report that I actually get a reasonably large number of contacts from young families with children that are trying to balance retirement goals, college savings, home purchases, and some debt (credit cards, student loans etc).  And as a Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner, I can coach them on strategies that will give them the best opportunity to grow their net worth over their long-term plan. On the other spectrum, I get couples that are within a year (or less) of their retirement, and it's sometimes a mad rush to figure out their spending habits, rank their needs, wants and wishes, structure the portfolios in the best way possible and make sure that their Plan is reasonable based on their particulars. What I see too few of are couples who are about 7-10 years out from retirement who are in the perfect position to prepare for their golden years.  This time of life is far enough away from retirement that it's very possible to catch-up on savings goals (if necessary), start thinking about what their lives will be like in retirement, and ease their transition into the next phase of their lives without abrupt changes. So if you are or know anyone in their mid-to-late 50s that hasn't spend the time to sit down with a fee-only Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner and really focus on retirement goals, get yourself or your friend in to talk with a CFP® and get ready for a rewarding and fulfilling post-work phase of life. If you don't know any planners in your area, I recommend visiting NAPFA to find a qualified professional.