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Guarding Your Wealth for Senior Citizens
A Sure-Fire Investment: Invest Yourself in Those You
Love
Grandparents have opportunity, responsibility to
pass on a heritage
By Jeffrey D. Voudrie, CFP
 Nov. 23, 2007 - As we celebrate Thanksgiving, now
is the time to start considering end-of-year returns. It is also time to
analyze our investments and decide if changes need to be made. Here is
one sure-fire investment that you need to consider as you evaluate your
portfolio and calculate your wealth.
The returns of the market indexes are an important
yardstick when measuring the performance of your portfolio. But there is
another measure of return that is harder to define but vastly more
important. It’s the measure of your wealth.
Wealth is a term defined by Madison Avenue as
having it all: the luxury car, vacation home, fine furniture, etc. Wall
Street defines wealth as being a multi-millionaire with a private
helicopter and a Park Avenue address.
There’s a different definition of wealth that helps
us focus on what is truly important in life. It affects us all,
regardless of the size of our bank account. The Bible defines wealth as
simply having more than you need. Based on this definition, if you’ve
got leftovers in the refrigerator, you’re wealthy!
Our founding fathers understood this definition
well. Just look at the very first Thanksgiving held nearly 400 years
ago. The Pilgrims had fled to the shores of this unsettled land to
escape persecution and find the freedom to worship God as they saw fit.
Their first year was extremely difficult. Disease wiped out over half of
the original settlers. It’s hard to imagine the emotional and physical
challenges they faced daily.
Yet as they gathered their hard-won harvest in the
fall of that first year, they took the time to give thanks to their
Creator. I’m not sure I could be so thankful if I were in their
situation. But they knew that even in the face of hardship and grief,
they were blessed. They had more than they needed.
The Pilgrims aren’t the only ones who have led
thankful lives. More recent generations have struggled through hardship
of their own, including two world wars and the Great Depression. People
living in those times knew what it was like to do without. Yet they were
thankful for living in the greatest country on earth.
How times have changed! The only reason we miss a
meal nowadays is because we’re on a diet. Many buy new clothes just to
have the latest color or style. The national savings rate is at an
all-time low and spending is up.
What lessons can we learn from our founding fathers
and our grandfathers that will help us achieve a better balance in our
own lives?
First, we have to stop defining wealth by our
quantity of material possessions. It’s an old saying, but there are many
things that money can’t buy: love, health, family, and friends. When is
the last time you measured the value of those kinds of “assets”?
Second, we need to refocus our investments. I don’t
mean investments of money, of course, but investments of ourselves: our
time, our attention, our love.
I’ve been doing just that. Last year, I made the
decision to give up my nice office in town and start working from home.
This wasn’t done for financial reasons, but from an inner conviction
that I needed to spend more quality time with my wife and children.
I also believe it’s important that children know
and learn from their grandparents. With access to airplanes, telephones,
emails…and even video, the only thing that separates us is our
priorities.
Grandparents have a unique opportunity, and a
solemn responsibility, to pass on a lasting heritage to their
grandchildren. Family traditions, a strong moral base and wisdom gained
from life lessons are all far more valuable than a college savings
account.
All of us need a little reminder every now and then
to not let the urgent activities of life overshadow the important ones.
What better time than Thanksgiving to pause and reflect on our many
blessings, while also looking ahead at how we can live more meaningful
lives.
It’s never too late to invest yourself in those you
love. The benefits will last a lifetime. If you’re looking for a
sure-fire investment, look no further than family and friends. I can
guarantee that the returns on your investment in their lives will far
exceed those of the best-ranked mutual fund!
If you have a specific question or would like more
information, give me a call toll-free at 1-877-827-1463 or you can also reach me by email at
jeff@guardingyourwealth.com.
I will answer your financial question FREE.
About Guarding Your Wealth:
“Guarding Your Wealth” is a
nationally syndicated weekly personal finance column written by Jeffrey
D. Voudrie, CFP. Mr. Voudrie is the President of Legacy Planning Group,
a private wealth management firm that employs sophisticated proprietary
strategies designed to protect and grow its clients' investments. Visit his website,
www.guardingyourwealth.com to read past articles under the Guarding
Your Wealth Article Archive that may not have appeared in
SeniorJournal.com.
Guarding Your Wealth for Seniors, on
SeniorJournal.com, is
a collection of columns by Voudrie that deal with issues of particular
interest to senior citizens.
Click here
for all columns.
In addition to being a nationally
syndicated columnist and Certified Financial Planning Practitioner, Mr.
Voudrie provides personal, private money management services to select
private clients
nationwide.
Looking for an energetic expert who
is passionate about financial and wealth management? Mr. Voudrie is an
excellent speaker who will excite and inspire your audience. Mr. Voudrie
is available for a limited number of speaking engagements, television
appearances and radio talk shows. For bookings, email
jeff@guardingyourwealth.com.
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