Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just ‘ask Siri’ where to start when saving for retirement? Apple’s voice-controlled personal assistant would process your question, use her search tool to sort through pages on the net and immediately proceed to spit out a garble of information for you to sort through.
But would she really give you the advice you need to get started? Probably not. Instead, it might be a better idea to have her look up a financial planner near you.
Curious about my own financial wellbeing, I sat down with Blake Barnett, Partner, and Senior Planner at FFG Retirement Counseling to gather some information about my financial future.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
“The way we approach taking control of your finances is breaking it down into three simple categories,” said Blake Barnett, Partner/Senior Planner at FFG Retirement Counseling. “First, there’s the money you need to access now; second, there’s money you want to be able to use in 10 years (Soon); and third, there’s the cash you want to put away for the long term (Later).”
Barnett and Partner, Sean O’Reilly, want to take the overwhelming feeling of organizing your financial ‘junk drawer.’ By taking steps to categorize your finances, they can gain a better understanding of where the money is and why. “Then we can give you a firm foundation for the planning of your financial future,” he added.
MY FINANCES ARE VERY PERSONAL.
“We know that your money is very personal and we want to help people prevent some of the emotional mistakes they can often make with their finances and portfolios,” he said. “Laying this crucial foundation helps us utilize a set of unique tools and processes to better align client’s money with their goals.”
It starts by taking a snapshot of their client’s lives. In doing this, FFG advisors can best understand what drives the spending and saving habits of those they meet with. It’s a personal and confidential approach their clients can appreciate. “Sometimes we know more about some people than most pastors do,” added Barnett.
LIFE TAKES UNEXPECTED TURNS. HOW DO I KNOW I’M SECURE?
After a unique financial plan, Barnett can start to formulate a picture of what assets they currently hold and what gaps may come up along the way. “I have found many people “wing” retirement and can easily take wrong turns,” he said. “That is why I recommend creating a plan that can track your progress as you go, so when detours come up, they can be immediately addressed.”
So back to the initial query, ‘How do I start saving for retirement?’ Barnett has some advice. “I like to think about Retirement as if I was taking a road trip,” said Barnett. “The first thing I would do is go online and map a course to my destination.” Taking the first plunge, with professional guidance, will help you map out your financial pathway.
“At FFG Retirement Counseling we help reduce our client’s money worries so they can focus on what’s truly important in their lives.”
Mention hearing about FFG Retirement Counseling on CRCO and get a free financial consultation. They are also offering readers a 10% discount for Planning Services through September 30, 2019. Call today at 720-650-6966.
FFG Retirement Counseling: 5975 S Quebec St Ste. 130, Centennial, CO 80111
