Freedom rings and July 4 has arrived. We celebrate the Declaration of Independence, signifying our desire to discontinue one relationship and begin anew. We continue to have opportunities to make changes (hopefully improvements) in our lives, personally and financially. Those changes require faith, hope, and trust in something better.
While July 4 is the official day, the actual vote took place on July 2. John Hancock was the first and the only individual to sign the document on the 4th. The rest of the signatures came in the following months. Short of the history lesson, that is a reminder that you do not need a particular calendar date to make a change.
The Second Continental Congress chose five men. The Committee of Five was tasked to create a new governmental model. Though Jefferson initially rejected the notion he should work on the Declaration, John Adams argued and convinced the young Jefferson that he should pen the document. Over the next seventeen days, his work gave life to those looking for a better tomorrow. Do you have a committee to help make decisions? Spiritual, health, and wealth are all areas where competent counsel can improve our outcomes.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Those beliefs are what make America thrive.
For some, pursuing happiness means financial independence. For others, it is the freedom to make choices in where to invest your time. Different options and decisions have various costs, and to a degree, your financial capacity will shape your ability to make those decisions.
History shows a rocky road traveled by our founding fathers and not one that provided a safe and happy landing for their futures. The same is true for many of the financial decisions we make today, where the impact may affect our spouses and children more than ourselves. That is true both positively and negatively. The point of the message is to pursue a better path.
“Your financial journey resembles a plane ride. You begin by checking your bags, boarding the plane, and sitting on the tarmac, wondering what your endpoint will offer. At some point, you find yourself flying high amidst the clouds. Eventually, you must buckle up and prepare for what hopes to be a smooth landing in a new destination,” is how Dean Huddleston, Senior Financial Advisor for the Financial Enhancement Group, explains. “If you never arrive, the trip wasn’t successful.”
You get on that “plane ride,” mustering all the confidence and information you can obtain. You place your trust in your fiduciary advisors or yourself that you will arrive safely at your destination. What our forefathers created provides you the opportunity to make choices and to select your team of advisors ultimately.
May we all pursue a better way of life for our families and our country. Thank you, President Jefferson and the other four Committee members.
Joseph A. Clark is a Certified Financial Planner and Managing Partner of The Financial Enhancement Group, and an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Contact Joe at yourlifeafterwork.com or 800-928-4001. This article was co-authored by Dean Huddleston. Securities offered through World Equity Group, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services can be provided by the Financial Enhancement Group (FEG) or World Equity Group. FEG and World Equity Group are separately owned and operated.
