Planning for every season

April 01, 2011 at 08:00 PM
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"No man can taste the fruits of autumn while he is delighting his scent with the flowers of spring."
- Samuel Johnson

Spring is here after many of us are eagerly awaiting the first tulip bud to poke through the frozen ground. It is a sure sign that the ice has melted away and we can begin to enjoy the season's warm sunny days. The problem is, if we were hibernating all winter, then no bulbs were planted for flowers to bloom. As the seasons change, what did you do to make sure you would have a full garden?

When planning for your garden, much like when planning for your future, there are many options to consider. Generally, you can choose from two types of plants: annuals and perennials. Annuals only live one season. They bloom and spread their seeds, then die. Perennials continue growing year after year. Whether they stay green or their leaves go dormant, under the ground their roots are alive and thriving.

As advisors, we can help our clients decide if they are annuals or perennials, then choose the right financial seeds to plant. We need to make sure they are considering what they want the garden of their lives to look like and planning for the seasons of change.

Leaving a legacy behind
Some of our older clients may be annuals. If this is the case, they are thinking about their legacy and what they will need in the future. We can help them select the right products and services to care for those they leave behind. Tools such as life insurance will ensure that their loved ones are taken care of. They look to us to protect the seeds they have set and to ensure a secure future for their loved ones.

Planting seeds for yourself
For those clients who are perennials, which many of the boomer generation will be, we need to help them plant seeds that will continue to give back to them. The tools we select should establish a solid foundation which they can then build upon. These clients are looking for guaranteed income and the assurance that they'll have access to quality care should they need assistance in their own homes or move to assisted living.

Spring is here, so now is the time to remind our clients to think about what seeds they have planted and what still needs to go into the ground. It is a great time to help our clients establish some financial roots so that as they enter the fall of their lives they have taken the necessary steps to make sure their flowers will bloom again next spring.

For more information and resources to help your clients, please visit www.mdrt.org.

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