Once you have finished your working life you have a right to enjoy the fruits of your labor. This means that if you have been diligent in putting money aside regularly, participated in your company’s financial savings plans, and you were careful throughout your work life to plan intelligently, there ought to be a healthy sum of money for you to live out your days in relative comfort. Unfortunately, there are dark forces in this world that would interfere with carefully laid plans. If there were agencies that we could trust to see to it that our money was safe, that would be a comfort, but there are not. Reading the newspapers on any given day will show that there are those in this society intent upon stealing from all of us if we gave them the chance. It is up to us to create a financial nest egg over time. But, it is also up to us to safeguard what we have built. Here are some helpful suggestions to help you keep what you have created for your retirement.
1) Realize that you are the only guardian of your money. There are no financial institutions that want to help you keep your money. They are in business to make themselves rich, not make you rich. Big corporations are targeted by financial criminals but so are the little people – like me and you. Be aware of anyone wanting you to invest with them.
2) Check out thoroughly every "great deal". There seems to be on every street corner a guy who has the ultimate "can’t fail to make you rich" scheme. You may be tempted to invest your savings on occasion but be wary of any deal that seems too good to be true. In fact, many have learned the hard way, that what looks like something that is too good to be true is just that.
3) Take time to think about any investment. If the deal is good, then it will be good next week. There is absolutely nothing that is so good that you must jump in immediately or lose out.
4) Know your salesman. If it’s one thing that salesmen are good at it’s making the sale. They will do whatever is necessary to get you to sign on the bottom line and to give them your money. Be aware that the salesman has a company that he or she is answering to and that they must bring in the money or lose their job. That kind of pressure can cause anyone in that position to lose their sense of integrity and – you can lose a bundle.
5) Ask the advice of someone you trust and who has been down the road that you are thinking of traveling. Make sure that the advice giver has nothing to gain. Carefully listen to the advice, take a few days to carefully consider your options, then decide what to do.
6) If you are at retirement age and your nest egg and accounts look like they will stand you in good stead, leave things alone and go with your original plans. Do not make the mistake of thinking that there’s always a better deal around the next corner.
7) Do not try to keep up with the "Joneses". They are probably trying to keep up with you. Work the plan that you formulated years ago, if it works for you, and appreciate the nest egg that you have created through hard work and sacrifice; you’ll be happier and you will sleep well at night. And so will the ones you love!