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One of the most important elements of a good financial plan is regular saving. Unfortunately, it is one of the biggest stumbling blocks as well, with 57% of Americans reporting they had less than $1000 in savings in a 2017 survey. To make matters worse, 1 in 3 American has no retirement account, and only 1 in 4 Americans has over $100,000 in their retirement account.
These are concerning figures, particularly now. As interest rates keep rising – short term treasuries at their highest in nine years – and the market continues its climbing streak, you’re missing out if you are not putting savings to work for you .
Why aren’t more people saving when, according to a recent you.gov survey, “saving more money” was the 4 th most popular New Year’s resolution for 2018?
One factor our clients have cited that kept them from saving in the past is discouragement due to past failures. The solution is to make sure your goals are SMART goals: goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and linked to a Timetable.
It is important to set S pecific and R elevant immediate, short, and long-term savings goals that you can visualize – like a beach vacation, a bigger home, or a child’s graduation ceremony. Tying savings goals to images that align with your life and your values can make them more emotionally compelling and easier to keep in mind.
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Equally critical is to make your goals M easurable and set a T imetable: how much you are planning to save each month, or by a certain date. Don’t set figures or dates that are impossible; make sure they are A ttainable as well.
Just like physical fitness, financial fitness is best achieved by setting specific, achievable, and measurable goals. A defined goal, whether it’s “save 5% of each paycheck” or “add extra hours to save for a vacation,” gives you a much better shot at success rather than a simple “I should be saving more.”
A huge part of good financial planning is goal setting. A good financial planner can help you calculate the long-term benefits of saving more and on a regular sustainable basis. It’s particularly important that your financial planner is a fee-only Fiduciary : that means there will be no “additional charges” or investment recommendations with commissions for the broker that could throw off your savings calculations.
And if you’d like help defining financial goals and evaluating whether you are saving enough to achieve them, please feel free to contact me for a free introductory call. We are always on call to help you realize your highest financial potential.