Simplicity over Complexity
2026 marks my 20th year in the financial services industry.
The more experience I gain, the more I’m compelled to embrace simplicity over complexity whenever possible.
Successful financial planning is about doing less (not more) with greater purpose (better & more efficiently).
Phase One
A large part of financial planning comes down to answering six vital questions:
- Will my family be financially okay if something happens to me and I pass away?
- (Life insurance)
- Will my family be financially okay if something happens and I can’t go back to work?
- (Disability insurance)
- How will I fund my children’s education?
- (Education planning)
- How will I fund my retirement?
- (Retirement planning)
- What happens if I need care later in life?
- (Long-term care planning)
- How do I efficiently leave assets to my loved ones?
- (Estate planning)
Answering these six questions generally gets to the heart of about 90% of a sound financial plan. Of course, every family has additional nuances, derivatives, and variances to these questions, but it’s an incredible start.
Phase Two
Mapping out a plan to address these questions. We love to do this collaboratively and on a whiteboard.
Phase Three
Meeting annually to update the plan, improve, and make course corrections along the way.
(When should your financial plan change? When your goals change. Your goals determine the plan!)
Phase Four
Holding ourselves accountable when times get tough.
In my 20 years, markets have changed.
Tax laws have changed.
Products have changed.
What hasn’t changed: Families who address these questions, build a disciplined plan around the answers, and review it consistently—they tend to be just fine.
Keep it simple.
Stay intentional.
Adjust when your goals change.
Stay disciplined. Trust the process.
–Nic
