A Cohesive Approach to Retirement

Watching the way the financial market moves kind of reminds me of watching sports.

I understand it to a certain degree, can comment on it and make conversation about it, but I’m not really ready to be a player in any high-stakes game. Or a coach.

In my financial life, I’m trying to keep it simple. “Follow the money,” said a wise person. I first heard it from Mark Cuban, but I’m thinking the saying has been around for a while.

In the past, I’ve sometimes sought to “follow the dream.” I think another wise person recommended that as well. That is fine, but it seems that sometimes, there are dreams for which I am not creating enough money.

So, I want to blend these two old, wise thoughts into something like “Follow the money so that it enhances the dream.”

Really, what I want to do is have my money make more money.

Investing. Putting my money into something that makes me more money. For visionaries and entrepreneurs, the possibilities are endless. They start a business, and they live it.

Another avenue is to take your money and invest it into other people’s ideas, or into commodities.

The amount of speculating that one can do is endless, as is the spectrum of risk that can be taken. The high risk investments are popular because they offer the possibilities of some of the biggest payouts. The so-called safer investments are popular because they offer a feeling of security, especially after years of dutifully socking away whatever it is you can spare. Then, little by little it grows and you turn around to see that you’ve saved quite a bit.

But, the so-called ‘safe’ money pile doesn’t grow the way that piles proffered by deft timing, great intel and the cojones to go for it in the world of higher risk stock market sometimes do. Those are the sensational stories people tell about tech millionaires and web billionaires.

So, what is one to do?

For me, it’s about both sides of the ball. Risk is as necessary as secure bets. In the financial world and in other parts of our lives, I think we have to take risks sometimes, and play it very safe others.

So, when I found Matt Jackson, who is an Investment Advisory Representative of Retirement Wealth Advisors, Inc., and realized that he not only plays both sides, but also celebrates both of them for their virtues and avoids them for their shortcomings, I knew I had a good, solid advisor.

He understands insurance investing as well as he does mutual funds, the stock market and commodities. He’s curious and imaginative, and that has led him to learn a lot about his profession and to dream up ways to innovate his services.

He’s come up with a pretty good plan. You see, with some investment offices, they’ll push all higher risk stock market kind of products. With others, they’ll be all about insurance, and the so-called safer investments. This is less because they are big believers in either side, and more because they only have the certification to sell one or the other. Jackson knew that this was a limitation for a financial provider, so he is certified in all of these areas and can explain and set anyone up with any and all of these products.

“It comes down to risk tolerance,” Matt said. “Some investments are riskier than others. There are times in life to take those risks, and there are times to rein it in. All we do is find the risk tolerance that fits you, and combine it with what will fit your long term financial plans, and we usually have a really good time doing it.”

Solid Wealth Advisors are TRI-102.5′s Local Financial Specialists and can help you build and protect wealth. They are located at 2020 Lowe St. Suite 202 Fort Collins, Colorado. For more information, visit www.solidwealthadvisors.com or call 970-229-1616.