OUR FINANCIAL PHILOSOPHY.
THRIVE
These four pillars are foundational to FINANCIAL SUCCESS.
We believe that the idea of retirement is an outdated idea. The notion that we acquire a certain net worth by age 65 so that I no longer have to work. Who picked 65? What if I like to work or contribute? What if I want to enjoy financial independence when I am 50 instead of 65? We like to reframe this conversation. You get to say you have financial independence when you have created enough income producing assets to last the rest of your life. Most financial planning conversations are only about accumulation. We like to ask, accumulation for what, exactly? Lifestyle income is a better answer. Focusing on the desired outcome requires foresight. In our experience your financial independence is determined when you have accumulated enough income producing assets to support your intended lifestyle for the rest of your life. When that happens you become income independent. That is the place where you get to.. keep working, contribute, invest your time where you want, etc.
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Think for yourself.
What do you want?
What is true?
What are you going to do about it?”
RAY DALIO - PRINCIPLES
1: Control Risk.
We have all heard the phrase “high risk, high reward.” What if that’s not true? Risk can be identified, evaluated, and properly mitigated. In other words your intended reward can be achieved through understanding and removing unnecessary risk. We believe that financial independence is achieved by effectively mitigating risk. Financial independence, built on the foundation of stability and security, creates wealth. Unnecessary risk threatens that foundation.
Wealth is not built on risking stability and security. Contrary to popular belief, the wealthy actually have an aversion to risk. They control risk to achieve great reward. In other words, not all risk is created equal. Building and preserving wealth requires removing unnecessary risk.
2: Manage Taxation.
It’s not about how much money you save, or how much money you make. It’s about how much money you get to utilize. Understanding the impact of taxation on your money is critically important to how much of your money stays your money. It’s simple math: $100K taxed at 40% is not $100K to you. It’s $60K to you. Tax efficiency should be at the forefront of every conversation. There is a misconception surrounding Tax Deferral. For the vast majority of you reading this, tax deferral simply pushes taxes off. In other words, you are not saving money. You are only deferring taxation to a future date. Future taxation is a big risk. Let’s face it: how many of us think that taxes are going to go down in the future? Yeah, us neither. This tax deferral myth is easily debunked. We educate our clients on how to best manage taxation and help them implement Tax Exempt strategies to control future taxation.
3: Protect what you value.
If we don’t have a plan for the unexpected, then we won't be able to afford it. You may say, “If it’s unexpected, can I be prepared for it?” We believe the answer is a resounding “Yes!” Sound a little too optimistic? Not when you have the right perspective. Historically, traditional planning has not valued planning for the unexpected. We do.
Your ability to earn income is an asset, and that asset must be protected. Having financial capacity during difficult times makes all the difference to our clients. There are threats that many ignore, only to discover that avoidance is not a substitute for responsibility. Unexpected events, like short or long-term disability, illness (whether terminal, chronic, or critical), or premature death, can be financially devastating to families.
Despite the mild discomfort of these conversations, they are vital to our clients’ financial well being. In fact, we believe it is our responsibility to have these conversations with you. We don’t shy away from the tough stuff, and don’t believe you should either. At Financial Convergence, we help create income longevity that is protected from potential threats.
4: Income Independence.
We believe that the idea of retirement is an outdated idea. The notion that we acquire a certain net worth by age 65 so that I no longer have to work. Who picked 65? What if I like to work or contribute? What if I want to enjoy financial independence when I am 50 instead of 65? We like to reframe this conversation. You get to say you have financial independence when you have created enough income producing assets to last the rest of your life. Most financial planning conversations are only about accumulation. We like to ask, accumulation for what, exactly? Lifestyle income is a better answer.