Time is Precious

BY MICHAEL SICURANZA

This blog is going to be a little more personal than normal.  I’ve been a financial advisor for my entire working life – now spanning over 25 years.  I’ve seen my client’s triumph like retirement and selling of a business and their sorrow – like losing a loved one.  The last six months, however, I’ve seen several of my longest tenured clients pass.  Clients that took a chance on a young financial advisor to help them live a great life.  Clients who knew me before I was married, or had kids.  Client’s who knew me when I still had hair (a little bit of hair anyway).  I’m not going to lie, these last few have hit me hard.  All were cut short too young and have families that need to pick up the pieces in their absence. 

Financially, all will be ok as we have prepared for a catastrophic situation like have just occurred.  We will, as a firm, take care of the all financial details so they can grieve in peace.  At some point after the sharp pain of loss goes away and becomes just a dull ache, we will begin to discuss anew -  ideas of what the future and new normal means.  We will be that guide that helps show that loss doesn’t need to be the end even if it’s not quite the beginning we all hoped for.

Financial planning for me has always been about balance – balance between the today and the future.  We need to prepare for the future but not at the expense of living today.  I’ve always used the story of the Grasshopper and the Ant as the perfect analogy for my financial planning philosophy.  The Grasshopper – played, played, played and when winter came, had nothing to eat because he never planned.  The Ants worked, worked, worked for a future that may or may not have came.  As I’ve told many of you, we need to be both grasshopper and ant at all times.  Living a great life doesn’t always mean waiting.  If there are things you want to do sooner or later, lets have that conversation.  Let’s make it happen.