Grant and Sarah are planning on retiring within the next two years. Paul and Linda, already retired, are thinking about making a move. Whether you are about to retire or are already retired and considering a change, you should consider:
Over the next several years, governments in advanced countries will likely continue to struggle with mounting debt burdens and the associated rising costs of servicing that debt. It is also noteworthy to remember that total government debt continues to increase every year because of deficit spending.
So how does the Law of Large Numbers apply here? Simply put, at some point the whole debt situation could defy the ability of a government to control a national economy and the response to ever increasing debt burden costs. Here is a definition from Investopedia:
Do you know the real rate of return on your investments? Generally, Canadians measure the success of their investments based only on the rate of return. While it provides a good snapshot of whether an investment is doing well or not, it is not the only criterion for a true picture of success. A good portfolio is based not only on the return, but also by the tax implications of the investments.
You have probably heard the phrase; too much month left at the end of the money. Paying for housing, groceries, fuel, utilities and various child rearing expenses, although very necessary, can put a huge strain on a family when outlays sometimes exceed your income. Fortunately, this is usually only a temporary hiccup in most people's lives.
Clients often call when markets are looking a bit shaky, or newspaper articles are predicting the next market correction, recession, bubble, etc.
The challenge with reacting to such events or news is that the external circumstances rarely have anything to do with your specific situation and plan. Your mission, should you choose to embrace it, is to build assets through savings and investment returns so that you reach your targeted savings value needed to support your lifestyle and cash flow needs in retirement.
Despite what many people think, the number one financial dream killer isn't portfolio losses, or financial emergencies, or unemployment, and not even natural disasters. The number one reason people fail to reach their financial goals is procrastination - putting off the inevitable until the cost of your dreams or goals become prohibitively expensive.
