It's Time for SPRING CLEANING

Make a Clean Start for the Future

Ah, spring! When fresh breezes blow, the sun shines brightly and an investor’s attention turns to an important annual ritual – the focused re-assessment of personal finances.

I call it Spring Cleaning – a dedicated amount of time to focus on your portfolio, your plans and how your life has changed. This annual meeting has been the source of much success at my practice. It helps me understand how I can help. It draws me closer to your goals.

A Time to Learn

When I work with my clients on Spring Cleaning, we often discover just how much their lives have changed since we last met. Families change. Jobs change. Houses are bought and sold, loved ones seek help with college, and health becomes a topic, too, as parents age and concerns increase.

But I’m learning that in many of my spring meetings with clients, the financial conversations themselves are changing. We used to talk about picking hot stocks; now we’re talking about income streams during retirement. We’re discussing the future and what it might look like. And that gets us talking about risk.

A Time to Assess

Certainly any time I hear about a “life event” during the year – a wedding, a birth, a funeral, a retirement – I know that it’s time for a clear look at my client’s whole financial picture. This is especially helpful for those who want to leave a lasting legacy for their families or communities, because it gives us the kind of long-term perspective that makes a real difference.

Our spring meeting will have one focus: assessment of your portfolio in light of the way you want to live. We’ll look at your financial situation and determine whether your allocations might be better utilized. We’ll discuss 401(k)s, IRAs and pension plans, too, to make sure your portfolio is aligned with your investment objectives.

There could be real value in rebalancing, so we’ll take a look at your current allocations, time horizon and long- and short-term goals. Expect to discuss risk tolerance; if you’ve moved from wealth accumulation to pre-retirement conservation, it’s time to talk about income strategies that can give you confidence over the next 30 years – you’ll be glad to know that there’s a solid strategy for individuals who fall anywhere along the risk tolerance spectrum.

It might be time to review and update your risk and return objectives. And our spring meeting would be a great time to do that. We’ll discuss how approaches like the managed accounts and Raymond James Consulting Services could add value for you. These solutions provide different portfolio models for a range of different goals.

A Time to Thrive

As your life evolves, your portfolio can too. After all, one of the advantages of the approach we’re taking is that your investments can reflect your life – and how you want to live it. Make an appointment for Spring Cleaning today. I’ll look forward to talking with you.

Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs) may not be appropriate for all investors. While diversification may be achieved within an individual SMA, it is recommended that clients utilize multiple SMAs with varied investment disciplines to achieve greater diversification. It is important to review investment objectives, risk tolerance, tax objectives and liquidity needs before choosing an investment style or manager. All investments carry a certain degree of risk and no one particular investment style or manager is suitable for all types of investors.

This was prepared for informational purposes only. It is not an official confirmation of terms. It is based on information generally available to the public from sources believed to be reliable. No representation is made that it is accurate or complete or that any returns indicated will be achieved. Changes to assumptions may have a material impact on returns. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Price/availability is subject to change without notice. Municipal bond interest is not subject to federal income tax but may be subject to state, AMT or local taxes. Additional information is available on request. This is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy a new issue security. For further information on a new issue, including a prospectus, please contact your Raymond James salesperson.