Published in the July 8-21, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Marisa Otto
Marisa Otto
Last weekend, Morgan Hill residents — like Americans across the land — celebrated the Fourth of July holiday with fireworks, picnics and a reflection on all the liberties we possess in this country. But if you’re going to enjoy the freedom to do the things you want, especially during your retirement years, you’ll want to take the steps necessary to achieve your own “Financial Independence Day.”
Here are a few suggestions for helping you reach that goal:
Liberate yourself from debt: For most of us, a certain amount of debt is unavoidable. But the greater control you can gain over your debts, the better off you will be, because any dollars not spent in paying debts can be used to save and invest for your future. So look for ways to cut down on your spending and think about postponing some purchases until you can pay for them in cash. It may not be easy, but it’s possible. And by putting this “found money” to work immediately in quality investments, you may motivate yourself to keep a lid on your debt level.
Unlock the power of time: As the famous physicist Albert Einstein once said in wise humor:
“The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest.” Einstein, who knew a thing or two about the nature of time, clearly recognized its importance in investing. In fact, as an investor, time may be your greatest ally. The more years in which you invest, the more dollars you’ll put in, and the longer you’ll have for your investments to potentially grow. Even if you’re just starting out in your career and can only invest a small amount each month, you’ll be starting to accumulate the amount you’ll eventually need to enjoy the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned.
Release your investments’ growth potential: To attain financial freedom during your retirement years, you will need to invest for growth — it’s that simple. So include an appropriate amount of growth-oriented vehicles in your overall investment mix. Ultimately, this mix should be based on your risk tolerance, time horizon and specific long-term goals.
Free your investments from “clustering”: In the investment world, as in many other areas of life, you can have “too much of a good thing.” For example, if you own a particular investment, such as a stock, that has done well, you might think that it’s a good idea to own more of the same type of stock. But when investing, duplication can be dangerous, because if a market downturn affects one asset class particularly hard, and much of your portfolio is tied up in that asset class, you could take a big hit. Instead of “clustering” your dollars around a single asset or two, you could diversify your holdings by owning a mix of stocks, bonds, government securities and other vehicles. While diversification can potentially help you reduce the impact of volatility on your holdings, a diversified portfolio can’t guarantee a profit or protect you from loss.
Achieving any type of freedom in any kind of endeavor takes time and effort. That’s certainly the case with financial freedom.
Consistently make the right moves over a period of many years and eventually you can finally declare your fiscal independence. Once you reach that goal, you will conclude that your diligence and dedication were well worth it.
Marisa Otto, CFP®, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones U.S.A., can be reached at (408) 778-4400, at [email protected] or visit www./edwardjones.com.
