Relying on common financial thinking or myths...is quite often followed by people planning their financial affairs by developing stated needs or goals . These financial targets become the focus...and there are several problems with this approach.

You are x years old. Exactly, how much will you "need" at retirement?  You see, it is an unanswerable question...isn't it?

If anyone approaches you trying to plan your life, based upon a goal that is incorrect, using a time x money x rate of return formula, then that person is moving you onto a dangerous path.

How long will your retirement last? What kind of tax law environment will your retirement face? What will inflation be? What will the stock market do? What types of new inventions will you want? And what will wear out during retirement? These are all unpredictable and unanswerable and therefore should never be part of...or be a basis for...any form of financial solution. College is the same way. Where will your children go to college in 16 years? Will they go in state or out of state? 4 years, 5 years, grad school? Any scholarship money? Will they go abroad and travel in Europe? Will they join fraternities or sororities? What will the cost of college tuitions be? Will they go to summer school locally?

With all of those unanswerable questions to consider, millions of Americans have played the dangerous game of using a goal based college funding approach to discover that they have taken too much risk, been without the necessary level of protection and been far off the mark when college time actually arrives.

And sadly, the same is very true in the event of the death of the primary bread winner. The Living Balance Sheet understands that identifying the exact amount a family will need in the event of the bread winner‘s death cannot be determined accurately and seems contrary to the basic purpose of insurance. LBS believes that all forms of insurance should be designed to fully replace the value of what might be lost, the entire car, the same home, the real ring...and full replacement of a person's life value. I will never take you down a path of guesswork that generates minimal protection advice. Is this making sense to you?