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My recent trip to Amsterdam was great in many ways. I explored a new culture with an old friend and had time to reflect on how to live a great life here at home. My first step: to (finally!) get a ‘smart’ home. If you saw this blog post I wrote back in May, you know that I’ve been living in technology hell for quite a while. My tools were outdated and, quite honestly, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I had a problem I knew I couldn’t solve alone.
Thankfully Jason, my tech guru, was just a phone call away. After I landed in Southern California, I scheduled time for him to come to my house and do some serious diagnostics. What he found was a collection of technology—some great, others not so great—that wasn’t even being put to use. I had an Alexa that I barely used. I had decade-old TVs that weren’t connected to the Internet. I had a fancy tuner that, while it was once all I needed for great sound quality, couldn’t do the job anymore. As technology had advanced, my trusted tuner had quickly become a dinosaur. While I listened to Jason explaining all of the things we could do to make my home smarter, I realized it was time for this old dog (me!) to learn some new tricks.
I gave Jason the green light to transform my house, and we had a blast doing it together. He installed three new Amazon Fire TVs that I control with a Firestick and an Alexa voice remote . I have a Nest thermostat to control the temperature in every room of my house and Lutron switches to control my lights. Jason used some of my old beloved equipment—my favorite speakers—to support the new technology, so now all I have to do is tell Alexa what to play, and I have better sound than ever. I’m finally on my way to achieving my dream of true technology nirvana.
Being me, I have to compare my own technology planning to my world of financial planning . Just as I resisted solving my technology problems, many people resist doing what’s necessary to transform their financial lives. Why? I hear the same reasons over and over again from our clients who finally took the plunge after years or even decades of procrastination:
"I was embarrassed to show someone else the details of my money.”
"I knew I had a problem, but I didn’t know the cause. I didn’t know what I didn’t know!”
"My brother told me I should do it myself.”
"I thought it was just about investing .”
"I had no idea what to expect from a financial advisor.”
"I didn’t know how to find a financial advisor I could trust.”
"I didn’t realize how much professional help could change my financial life.”
Every reason is valid. Luckily, they can all be solved with just a little bit of knowledge.
If you’re embarrassed about sharing your finances, know that financial advisors have seen it all! Our mission is to help you gain greater confidence and reach your goals—not chastise you for past mistakes. It’s okay to ask for help when you know you have a problem. Even better, ask for help when you see a financial opportunity… or expect there may be one lurking in the unknown. Yes, an advisor can help with that, too.
When working with a financial advisor, every firm’s approach is different. At Klein Financial Advisors, we use a consultative process that focuses on your own goals, priorities, and values, and gives you a clear roadmap to get you from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow. Don’t be intimidated by the process. A good advisor will hold your hand every step of the way. Just know that we are here to do one thing: help .
If you don’t know how to find an advisor you can trust, I recommend reading the Pursuit of a Financial Advisor Field Guide from NAPFA , the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. From decoding advisor credentials and walking through compensation models, to outlining the elements of financial planning and understanding the importance of the Fiduciary Standard, the Field Guide is packed with the information you need to select the right advisor for you.
Related: Exploring the Dream of Retiring Abroad
How much can working with a professional help change your financial life? Just ask anyone who has taken the plunge. The change is often dramatic—sometimes in riches, and almost always in the newfound financial confidence that goes hand in hand with having a personalized, long-term plan.
Financial planning is vastly more important than creating a ‘smart home,’ but it can be just as fun and satisfying. Like any new venture, there will also be benefits you could never anticipate. My new smart home came with a bonus: a new friendship. Jason is a quintessential millennial, which makes him quite a contrast to my usual circle of friends. When Jason saw my scuba gear in the garage, he told me diving was something he’s always wanted to do, but never acted on. I shared the name and number of a great scuba coach in the area. In the 12+ hours we were planning, shopping, and working together, we shared great restaurants nearby, pondered the challenges of living alone, and even ‘tested’ out one of my new TVs by watching videos of dogs riding on Roombas (yes, that’s a thing, and yes, we laughed our heads off!). The experience made me realize how much I miss hanging out with younger people and how enriching those relationships can be.
Perhaps my next personal challenge will be to foster intergenerational relationships . (You can read more about how others are making it happen in this article in the Harvard Business Review .) If you’re not already working with a financial advisor, I hope you make that your own next mission. Trust me; an old dog really can learn new tricks. And the benefits are well worth the effort.