From the time we are five we start working. Whether it’s learning the alphabet, studying for a final, making minimum wage, or having a successful career, we are working. Maybe we can relax on the weekends or take a day off, but overall we spend most days of our life doing some type of work.

Retirement is the time in our lives where we can return to a life that is not based primarily on work. We work our whole lives to get to this point. In retirement, we can relax and spend time doing what we love; we can spend more time with family, or travel, or pick up a new hobby. Now of course, it is not as easy as just quitting your job, saying “I’m retired” and enjoying a life of leisure. It takes a lot of thought and planning to make sure that you are in the right place to retire. Retirement may seem a long way off, or you may hope for it to come next week. Either way, it is time to start thinking about and planning for your retirement.

Planning to not work takes a lot of work. At Financial Strategies we work for you. Finding a financial planner is key to having a successful retirement. However, even finding the right financial planner can be a lot of work. How do you know who will advise you with your best interest in mind?

Many advisors are Fee-Based. This means that the advisors are paid both through the fees paid by the client, and through commission by selling a certain product. This type of advisor truly doesn’t work for the client. They work for whomever signs their paychecks, typically an insurance company, brokerage firm, bank, or mutual fund company. Their goal is to help themselves or their firm.

Financial Strategies prides itself on being a Fee-Only firm. That means that the only compensation the advisors receive is directly from the client. This creates an honest connection between the client and the advisor because the client knows exactly what the advisor is being paid. Any advice given by a Fee-Only advisor is given with the client’s best interest in mind.

At Financial Strategies, Inc. the client fees are the firm’s only form of compensation. The client is the boss. Although insurance companies have offered to pay the advisors at FSI to send them clients, we have always declined, feeling that it is our ethical responsibility to act and advise only in the best interest of our clients.

So, if you are considering retiring in your future, as most people are, look for a Fee-Only advising firm like Financial Strategies. Ensure that the people working for you are truly working for you and your needs. Our certified financial planners would love to work for you so that you can finally stop working.