The Most IMPORTANT Question to Ask about Your Retirement Plan

The Most IMPORTANT Question to Ask about Your Retirement Plan

I believe I can safely say that, at the end of the day, the number one reason we save money for retirement is so we can enjoy decent lifestyles, each of course depending on how we may define decent. Somewhere within that definition of “decent” is the expectation that by following a particular investment strategy, the seed money we are socking away will grow or multiply.

That seems to be what all the folks I have spoken with expect – and that’s a totally reasonable expectation. I mean why would I go with a retirement savings plan that’s not going to help me grow my assets? You wouldn’t put money in a plan I recommended if you didn’t strongly believe and expect that it would increase your assets, would you? So here’s the thing. I submit that after all the bells and whistles, ins and outs, explanations and reasons you might receive about a particular plan, the most important review question must be this: Is your plan making money for you - or the other way around?

While some financial experts may make it seem like we all lose money (and make money) together, that’s totally bogus. There are investors just like you who don’t lose any money when the stock market dips. In fact, there are those whose assets grow every year, regardless of what happens on Wall Street. I guess what I’m saying is that there are alternatives, so don’t hold back from asking the right tough questions.

At some point, we have to put aside all the charts and projections and get down to the basics, don’t we?

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Contact a professional at Laser Financial Group who has the real-world experience to help you answer the most important question you can ask about your retirement plan. Set up your complimentary, no-obligation consultation and learn about your options for creating a retirement plan that's tailored to your needs and goals. Call us TODAY at 877.656.9111 or visit us on the Web at LaserFG.com.

Celebrity Advice: Is It Really Worth ALL the Hype?

Celebrity Advice: Is It Really Worth ALL the Hype?

In this day and age, financial advice is pretty easy to come by. One could therefore make the assumption – at least logically – that retirement investors should see an uptick in their success ratios, as far as hitting their financial targets. Yeah, I know. That’s not even close, in reality.

Of course, many reasons may account for this sad phenomenon, but in my humble opinion, one of the main culprits is that many Americans confuse what I call “celebrity stuff” for  solid advice that actually works. What do I mean by that?

So-and-So has their own radio/TV show or has written several finance books/articles. So by implication, he/she must therefore be top notch, in terms of giving advice that will actually deliver the tangible results you desire, right? Of course, that’s not necessarily the case. But let’s face it, how do most of us compare – and rate – two different sources of financial advice (or just about any kind of advice, for that matter)? Well, they’re on TV/radio or writes for such-and-such magazine, so whatever they say must supersede the advisor who doesn’t have such a gig.

By the way, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that these “celebrity advisors” always offer bogus advice, per se – or that those who’re not celebrities are always better. I’m simply suggesting that you might want to stick with professionals who have real-life clients (not fantastical hypothetical clients, but folks just like you) who followed their advice and are actually enjoying the kind of lifestyle you envision. Doesn’t that just make sense?

The thing we all need to grasp is that anyone (and I mean ANYONE) can present theory very well. But as far as I know, theory hasn’t delivered a single retirement check just yet. In other words, you’d be better off focusing on the guy/gal whose feet are at the pedals, actually delivering tangible results, instead of someone who just looks on from afar and tells you what they think might work – or what they get paid to tell you they think might work.

Just so you’re aware, I’ve authored a few personal financial books and reports. I also write regularly for quite a few magazines, newspapers, and online platforms as well as regularly appearing on radio shows and TV, too. Actually, I’ve recently been exploring the possibility of hosting my own financial radio show in the DC area – so I couldn’t be possibly against those who do such things.

At the end of the day, however, do you want to manage your hard-earned money based on the views of someone who’s just really good at talking the talk or someone who’s actually walking the walk? I think you get my point. Does your advisor have tangible results you can really count on?

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Contact a professional at Laser Financial Group who has the real-world experience to get you where you want to be. Set up your complimentary, no-obligation consultation and learn about your options for creating a retirement plan that's tailored to your needs and goals. Call us TODAY at 877.656.9111 or visit us on the Web at LaserFG.com.

Should "Luck" Be a Major Factor in Your Retirement Strategy?

Should “Luck” Be a Major Factor in Your Retirement Strategy?

I think most of us would agree that “good luck” is a lovely thing. However, I strongly contend that if your retirement strategy is based on good luck, alone, you should be extremely worried. Of course, I will explain myself.

But first let me define what I mean by a luck-based strategy. A strategy based on luck is one that will deliver your intended results only if luck is on your side. In other words, you just don’t know how things might turn out – everything is totally up in the air. This plan will work if the stock market does well, but if it doesn’t, you’ll find yourself in a huge pile of trouble. And guess what – we NEVER know ahead of time what the stock market will do. So why on earth would you want to base your entire retirement plan on Lady Luck?

The saddest thing is that many Americans have settled for this mediocre and unrealistic approach to retirement planning. The fact of the matter is that if all your sharp-suited financial guru can do for you is leave the certainty of your retirement plan totally up to luck, then you don’t need him/her. I think you’d agree with me that a worthwhile strategy should take into account (and have a built-in defense mechanism, so to speak) what will happen when you’re not so lucky.

Here’s a fact: whenever the stock market plummets, people with luck-based strategies lose portions (or everything) they’ve saved. However, those with realistic, common-sense strategies don’t lose a dime, because their strategies are structured to deal with the fact that sometimes the markets go down, too. To which of these two groups of retirement investors do you (or should you) belong? Would you want to have anything to do with a medical doctor who told you (either explicitly or impliedly) that if you’re lucky, the prescription they gave you would work?

Just for the record, I usually wish folks “good luck” on things like exams, dates, or other such important events, but obviously they’d better know the material for the exam or behave themselves properly on the date, right? Would be pretty dicey for them if their entire strategy was based only on my wish for their luck!

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Why leave things up to luck? Contact a professional at Laser Financial Group to set up your complimentary, no-obligation consultation and learn about your options for creating a retirement plan that's tailored to your needs and goals. Call us TODAY at 877.656.9111 or visit us on the Web at LaserFG.com.

Do You Know Your Advisor’s Specific Biases?

Do You Know Your Advisor’s Specific Biases?

Let me be the very first to admit that I’m biased. Oh, yes, I definitely am! I know that a lot of guys and gals in my industry claim they’re not biased, and you’d therefore benefit by consulting with them instead of us, the biased financial professionals. But you don’t take that claim seriously, do you?

Dictionary.com defines bias as a particular tendency or inclination. In other words, it’s simply a mindset, viewpoint, or tilt.

At our firm, as a nonnegotiable matter of policy, when we meet with potential clients for the first time, we explain our biases. It may initially sound strange to people, but they always thank us – even when they don’t sign on as clients. The philosophy behind this “weird” policy, if you will, is that we understand we’re definitely not supposed to be all things to everyone. I mean, even if we wanted to be, that wouldn’t happen in a million years. While many in our industry proudly claim that status, we wholeheartedly admit that we stand for certain things, which naturally means we oppose other things. That’s just how reality works.

So let me ask you this: Is there even the remotest possibility that any professional in the personal finance industry would not have any bias of any kind? Not on this planet, I’d say. 

Here’s the more important question: Do you know YOUR advisor’s biases – or the biases of whomever/wherever you’re getting your financial advice? Or are you in one of those situations where you’re receiving the subtle message that they don’t have any?

I hope that’s not the case for you because, to be blunt, if your financial counselor, the radio/TV financial guru you’re listening to, or the financial magazine/articles you’re reading tell you that he/she/they don’t have any biases, you need to see that as the brightest red flag. Apparently, he/she/they are either clueless or dishonest – I’m not sure which is worse.

Here’s the thing. Bias is not a dirty word! We all have them. So before you decide to follow anyone’s guidance to plan your retirement, of all things, make sure that you know – and understand – exactly what their tendencies, inclinations, mindset, and viewpoints are! It’s for your own good – and you’ll thank me later.

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Contact a professional at Laser Financial Group to set up your complimentary, no-obligation consultation and learn about your options for creating a retirement plan that's tailored to your needs and goals. Call us TODAY at 877.656.9111 or visit us on the Web at LaserFG.com.

Is Your Employer's Turnkey Retirement Plan REALLY the Right One For You?

Is your employer's turnkey retirement plan REALLY the right one for you?

A couple posts ago, I laid out seven questions I believe are necessary to ask in order to ensure that you’ll end up with a retirement strategy that will deliver for you at the end of the day.  As you can see, these questions aren’t anything exotic. In fact, I daresay that there is nothing “special” about any of them.  And that, in most cases, is precisely the problem.

From my observations and continual interactions with folks, it seems that many Americans are looking for some kind of a secret sauce, so to speak. Here’s THE retirement secret sauce:

You’ve got to be realistic, factual, and thorough!

That is it, my friend. Really! A week ago, I discussed figuring out how much income you will need for retirement. Obviously, without knowing exactly where you’re supposed to be, how can you know whether you’re on the right track or headed in a completely different direction?

Once you’ve established your target, the next question becomes: Is the plan or strategy you’re pursing going to get you there? One of the worst mistakes I’ve seen people make in this regard is assuming that any savings program they can find – especially if it’s offered by their employer – will be good enough to deliver their intended retirement income. Pardon me if I repeat myself, but that’s the most terrible mistake you could ever make. And the reason for that is simple: One-size-fits-all plans don’t always fit everyone, do they? And what if you turn out to be the misfit?

No, I’m not trashing your employer’s plan. I simply don’t have enough information to do that, and that’s not my style anyway. However, I am strongly cautioning you against automatically assuming that your employer’s plan will deliver your intended retirement dreams – because in most retirees’ situations, that hasn’t been the case. 

Think about it. When you call to inquire about your plan, do you speak with a different stranger every time? If you’re using your employer’s turnkey retirement plan, the plan wasn’t designed SPECIFICALLY for you by someone who spoke with you, understands your goals, values, desires, and other critical information about you. And the plan wasn’t designed by someone you could hold accountable if the assumptions that went into its design turned out to be dubious.

Doesn’t sound like your retirement plan after all, does it?  

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Contact a professional at Laser Financial Group to set up your complimentary, no-obligation consultation and learn about your options for creating a retirement plan that's tailored to YOUR needs and goals. Call us TODAY at 877.656.9111 or visit us on the Web at LaserFG.com.

Rule of Thumb: A Good Way to Make Nonessential Estimates BUT a Terrible Way to Plan Your Retirement

Rule of Thumb: A good way to make nonessential estimates but a terrible way to plan your retirement


How much income, as compared to today would you need in retirement? I know, I know. That’s such a basic question. But if that’s the case, then why do the vast majority of Americans think they’re doing fine until they actually retire? The simple answer: most get this figure all wrong!

To understand how it happens, let’s explore how most folks answer this seemingly simple question: They follow the “rule of thumb,” which in this particular instance says something to the effect of: “You’ll probably only need about 70, 75, 80, 85, 88 or some other percentage of your pre-retirement income.”

Now, as you may or may not know, a rule of thumb is any broadly applied principle for calculating a value or making a determination that is NOT intended to be strictly accurate or reliable in every situation. For instance, the rule of thumb is that a two-year-old child will double his height as an adult. This may be fine for guessing at nonessential questions, but it’s not the surest way of planning for a huge – and inevitable – life change, is it?

That’s why if I were planning for a wonderful, peaceful, and financially stress-free retirement, I’d follow a more realistic approach – like this one:

• First, make a list of your present expenses.
• Then ask yourself this question: If you were retired today (as in right this moment) what sorts of things would you want to be doing? What kind of lifestyle do you envision?
• To keep things really simple, don’t even bother trying to figure out what the prices will be down the road – use today’s costs.
• Next, record your answers and the price tags attached to each of them.

You don’t have to be a math wizard – or even enjoy math – to see the value in this exercise. All you need is a pad and pencil to realize that if you intend to do anything other than sit in front of your TV all day, every day, the rule of thumb is just setting you up for a nasty surprise. Here’s another thing you might find insightful. Have a chat with a few retired folks about the relationship between their pre-and-post-retirement income and find out whether any rule of thumb worked for them.

This stab-in-the-dark method of retirement planning might be working quite well for some people. However, I’ve not yet been fortunate enough to meet anyone in that category over the nearly two decades I’ve been in this line of work. So do me a favor, and please let me know when you meet one.

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Contact a professional at Laser Financial Group to set up your complimentary, no-obligation consultation and get your questions answered so that you can start planning your surprise-free retirement TODAY! 877.656.9111 or LaserFG.com

7 Piercing Questions Successful Retirement Investors Aren't Afraid to Ask

7 Piercing Questions Successful Retirement Investors Aren't Afraid to Ask

Achieving a financially comfortable retirement requires more than simply socking money away. Here are the seven top questions (not in any particular order) that every investor must constantly ponder if they plan to ensure a surprise-free retirement:

1. What kind of lifestyle do you intend to have in retirement, as compared to today?
2. How certain are you about the potency of your present investing approach to deliver your intended lifestyle? Remember – the certainty of you retiring is 100 percent!
3. Do you have a plan that was specifically crafted for you by someone you trust and can hold accountable or do you talk with a new stranger each time you inquire about your money?
4. Do you know your advisor’s specific biases? Everyone has them!
5. Is luck playing any role in your retirement strategy?
6. Does your advisor(s) have real-life clients who are enjoying the kind of results you expect to have when the rubber finally meets the road for you?
7. Is your plan making money for you – or from you?

Food for thought!
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Contact a professional at Laser Financial Group to set up your complimentary, no-obligation consultation and get your questions answered so that you can start planning your surprise-free retirement TODAY! 877.656.9111 or LaserFG.com