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I’m a guy in my 60s and I make pretty good money. But several months ago, I realized I’ve never sat down and discussed how to save with someone who really knows the ropes. Wow, there are so many things to consider. Like the fact that our daughter, Joanie, is still in college. And we still have a mortgage on the house. And taxes. If it weren’t for all that, my wife Sandra and I would be able to put away a lot more. So what we can afford to put away, we need to make count. Not that I want to take on a lot of risk, mind you. But I’ve often thought: there must be ways to do better. I just don’t know what they are.

I asked a few friends and relatives who they use as a financial professional. Then I spoke to a few and asked questions about how they approach helping clients. I decided on Victor. He asked me a lot of great questions about my life, my dreams, my family. He really got to know me. And I got comfortable with relying on him for some guidance. Don’t get me wrong: I make my own decisions. But he’s given me some great input, and he’s knowledgeable about lots of financial products that I hadn’t considered before.

I learned I should think about my short and long-term goals. For instance, we’d like to buy a summer home over the next five years. And there’s always the possibility of unexpected expenses. So some of my money should be in taxable investments, like mutual funds, where I can access it whenever I want. But when it comes to long-term saving, tax-deferred investments can be a good idea. They help money grow faster because you don’t pay taxes until you pull money out. Which means, while you’re saving, you keep what you earn, and those earnings can generate even more earnings.

So we discussed some mutual funds Victor recommended. And we looked at increasing the contributions I’d been making to my company’s 401(k) plan. We talked about IRAs, Roth IRAs, and tax-deferred annuities. I even learned that, for a guy like me, annuities can include a death benefit that protects the money I put into it. So that money can go to Sandra or my kids if I unexpectedly pass away.

We also talked about life insurance. Because that can help preserve savings, too. After all, Sandra could use life insurance proceeds to cover expenses that, otherwise, she’d have to dip into savings for.

Now Victor and I are putting together a plan. One that will not only help my savings grow faster, but protect those savings in case of market downturns, unexpected expenses, or life events that, really, no one can predict or control. That makes me feel better about my future. It makes Sandra feel that way, too. I can see it in her eyes. Which is maybe the best reward of all for putting a sound financial plan in place.