SET UP YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS READING MORE

A lot has been said lately about financial planning; a relatively fledgling profession in its own right. Much of what the new financial planner does was formerly the exclusive province of the insurance salesman, the investment adviser and estate planning attorney. Unfortunately "estate" is a word which conjures upimages in most people's minds either of the holdings of millionaires -- especially groomed gardens and iron gates -- or is associated with death.

Financial planning brings to mind counsel for the person with money; so much that he needs help in deciding where it should be placed. The average man lets hiscreditors dictate where his money should go. So much to the landlord or mortgage, so much for groceries, clothing, doctors, etc. He has no need for planning for surplus. He is exactly the person who can benefit most from financial planning! I find it unfortunate that this profession has come to be known as estate and financial planning because that title tends to scare away the people who most need such services. Perhaps it should be designated the "Goal implementation" profession; the art of helping a person establish and achieve his goals in life. Whatever your present position and age you can set and accomplish your goalswith proper planning and discipline.

If you faithfully pursue the worksheets provided at the end of each chapter you will have a better understanding of your present position in terms of what you really want out of life; what assets you have to work with and information from which to evaluate your strength and weaknesses. Most of you will need professional help in more than one area in forming a plan to get from your present position to where you hope to be. If you have filled in the forms, given careful consideration to the questions and diligently gathered the information required, the cost of professional services (attorney, financial planner,accountant, etc.) should be considerably reduced. You will have anticipated the professional's need to gather data and thereby made the job easier for him and less expensive for yourself. A minority of you may want to invest the time required to implement a plan on your own.

The fewer assets the more important each becomes. There is no room for waste due to unfamiliarity with tax codes, investment procedures or trust provisions. Trying to handle your financial and estate planning totally on your own is a perfect example of being "penny wise and pound foolish!" It's just not that easy!

But wait! Don't throw this book away and rush out to the nearest attorney, accountant, or financial planner. It's not that easy either!! In fact what prompted me to write this book is the fact that so many people seem to be extremely docile with their lives and savings. Talk shows on radio and television, magazines, newspapers, seminars, advertising -- almost everywhere a person turns someone is telling them "How to..." "How To" books are the easiest to sell nowadays and you're right, that's exactly what this book purports to be; a "How to Think for Yourself" book because there is no other way to succeed. I haveheard, along with you, all the gurus contradicting one another in a constant stream; "Buy gold/Sell gold," "Get out of the stock market/Hang in there," "Buy term insurance/Buy whole life,"

Among doctors an eye, nose and throat man might not be up on the latest treatment for high blood pressure. A criminal lawyer may have little knowledge of the latest change in tax law. Even narrowed down, if you consult an ophthalmologist with your eye problem he certainly will not know everything there is to know about eyes.He will have a knowledgeable opinion; a judgment. Do you then have to become an expert to recognize one? Remember that old kid's saying, "It takes one to know one!"? Well, that is the ideal and as impractical, impossible and ridiculous as it sounds, I am nevertheless advocating an approximation of it. You must be willing to research a subject enough to know the question to ask, the suggestions to make and have enough confidence in your own intelligence toevaluate arguments set forth on both sides. I defy you to think of an issue about which no one holds anopposing opinion! Do not be led blindly by last week's magazine article or this week's talk show guest.

If you want to take charge of your own life then you have some work ahead of you. You may even have to replace some television time with reading for nine months or so, but you'll become a more confident and self assured human being.

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