Reaching our financial goals in today’s market can sometimes make us feel unsteady. Just when we start to gain solid footing on our investments, we see the waves start to rise. We read about rising interest rates, impending recessions and growing inflation, and can’t help but wonder, “Am I going to be okay?” and “Am I going to have enough money to retire?”
While it’s tempting to panic and pull your investments, Jed Levene urges clients to stay focused on their goals, not the latest headlines. As a Certified Financial Planner and Managing Director of Rockwater Wealth Management, Jed has studied the financial markets and how they’ve grown over the past decade, despite major political shifts and natural disasters. He says, even in the face of the biggest modern crises, these bear-like market falls are always momentary when compared to long-term bull-like growth.
“The good times will always outweigh the bad, no matter how scary it may seem,” says Jed. “If you pull out your money whenever a crisis looms, you’re likely to miss out on some of the best opportunities for your investments to grow.”
The problem is that many of us don’t have the financial know-how or emotional wherewithal to know how and where to invest, and how to minimize our taxes while growing our nest egg. “For many, understanding the market is like taking a statistics course in a foreign language,” says Jed.
That’s where the right investment advisor comes in. At Rockwater Wealth Management, you’re equipped with a plan rooted in time-tested investing principles. Your plan is one that matches your goals and desired outcomes, not the latest fad or hot stocks; one that comes with a dedicated advisor who is constantly evaluating your plan to help you make sure you’re hitting your goals.
“Studies have shown that having an adivsor on your side can add up to three percent value to your plan,” says Jed. “We’ll take the emotions out of your investments, keep you focused on the plan and help you keep your eyes above the financial waves.”
Fear and greed
Some investors make the same mistake with their money over and over again. At the top of the market, they can’t buy fast enough. When the market bottoms out, they can’t sell fast enough.
They break the number one rule of investing by buying high and selling low. Most people just call this bad investing.
To be clear, the solution here is not to simply throw your hands in the air and give up: fear and greed are human emotions that you will likely grapple with the rest of your life. The solution is to recognize that, in aggregate, investors tend to be very bad at timing the market. So why even bother?
Instead, try this:
- Ignore what the crowd is doing.
- Base your investment decisions on what’s needed to reach your goals.
- Stick with the plan despite the fear or greed you may feel.
Build a better plan
Whether you want to ensure you have enough money to retire, buy that vacation home you’ve been dreaming of, or pay for your grandkids’ tuition, Rockwater Wealth Management is there to make your retirement planning a simple, stress-free experience.
“Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as a perfect portfolio,” says Jed. In fact, the performance of your portfolio hinges on several different factors, many of which are out of your control. “However, as the stoic philosophers would say: if we focus on the things that matter, paired with the things we can control, we are probably headed in the right direction. Anything else is simply an exercise in frustration.”
Commonly asked questions:
• How much do I need to retire?
• Will I run out of money?
• Am I overpaying for fees on my investments?
• How do I make sure I am not overpaying taxes, now and in the future?
• How do I build a financial plan?
Visit RockwaterWealth.ca to book an initial 15-minute call with Rockwater Wealth Management and get a free, personalized one-page Financial Plan with answers to those questions.
TEXT SHELANNE AUGUSTINE | PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN | INFOGRAPHICS CARL RICHARDS, BEHAVIOUR GAP
