How Do You Get Clients to Care About the Future?

We then factor in a life expectancy, for example age 90, and run cash-flow projections for up and down markets, to see if there's a shortfall or if the clients are on track with what they need to achieve those goals.

Pointing to research can be a helpful planning tool as well.

What about people, such as the spouses or children of the clients who hired you, who say that the world is too uncertain for planning far ahead to be practical?

For someone who says that planning that far ahead is impossible, I would argue that the later they start planning, the less time they will have for making any adjustments if there is a shortfall.

I prefer they put together a plan at an early age and revisit that plan every few years to see if they are on track for their "pie in the sky" scenario.

The sooner they start planning, the more options they will have to eventually reach their goal.

The later they start planning, the more likely they are to be forced to work later in life or to live a different lifestyle than intended.

What if people are very stubborn?

Oftentimes, I compare planning for retirement to studying for a test or writing a paper.

Would you rather write the paper in the weeks leading up to the due date or feel the stress of having to stay up all night and turn the paper in the next morning?

If you are failing to plan, you are planning to fail.

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