The Little Things Matter

At the beginning of quarantine, I had decided it would be a perfect time to start a new hobby, trying to perfect the art of smoking meat. Barbecue is about as American as it can get, and as I started my journey as an amateur pitmaster, I soon came to the realization that the little things mattered most in cooking high-quality barbeque. Whether it was one ingredient used in a rub (be careful not to overuse cayenne), the type of wood used in the smoker or to wrap the meat in tin foil or to splurge for butcher paper, these decisions made all the difference. The same can be said for your investments and financial plan, though with your personal finances the stakes are infinitely higher.  

As I smoked my first brisket in April of 2020, I began taking notes so that I could keep track of the little things I changed and experimented with. The same should be done in your financial plan. From the changes in your investment allocation to the evolution of your long-term financial goals, the little things will have the most profound impacts over time.  

Small, monthly savings over long periods of time allow you to build a sizable nest egg for your future. But those small investments over time need to be carefully watched just as a brisket needs to be carefully watched over its 12 hours on the smoker. Checking in with your investments periodically to make tweaks to its allocation for rebalancing is necessary to ensure success. But if you check in too often and make unnecessary changes, this can negatively impact your performance. If you get spooked by negative market movements and make a move to less risky investments, do you know exactly how that impacts your long-term success? This is where having a skilled financial planner and investment manager can make an invaluable difference in your long-term financial success.  

Whether it be deciding if your investment portfolio needs to be rebalanced, when you and your spouse should start taking Social Security benefits, determining tax withholding, creating a tax-efficient distribution strategy for your nest egg, deciding on which Medicare supplement policy works best for you, or making sure your estate planning documents are in place and up-to-date, these “little” decisions will all impact how successful your retirement will be. We help make sure that our clients are making informed decisions on the little things so that they can focus on enjoying the life that they have built.  

If you and your life savings are being ignored or feeling taken advantage of, come join our family. We are a family-owned financial planning and investment firm that promises to treat you like family. No products. No hard sell. No gimmicks. Just honest advice based on four decades of experience.

If you have any questions for me or are interested in getting an unbiased opinion on your finances, please give us a call at (440) 235-2100 or email me at cameron@michaelbradyco.com.