Have you ever heard someone use the expression, “in a perfect world”?  It usually precedes a thought about a particular situation.

Of course, in a general sense a perfect world may look like one that has peace, harmony and abundance for all living things. But in our own “worlds”, what would be perfect beyond good health and loving relationships?  In a financial planning aspect, it most likely means security. Having the security in knowing that we can retire comfortably and not outlive our money. This sense of security may also include having plans in place should something go wrong health wise for yourself or your loved ones.

When I am discussing the transition parts of planning, which is moving from the accumulation stage to the distribution phase, I like to note that there is no reason to take unnecessary risk if you have enough assets to generate the income you need to maintain your lifestyle into retirement.  Social media and the airwaves are flooded with ads about how to maximize everything from tax efficiency to high levels of income in retirement. It appears that most of the strategies the ads are displaying may not be suitable for most investors as far as the level of risk is concerned.

If we ask ourselves what would be a perfect world for us to retire in to and how would we get there, what would be the answer?  I’d say that the answer may look good on paper but there is no strategy that will guarantee perfection.  However, this does not negate us from using all strategies available to us, to help us feel as secure as possible.

Peter Janowsky