Can you believe that having been a Financial Adviser & Coach to so many clients over the past 24 years, asking myself this question a few years back has set off a chain of events I would not have contemplated before?
Guiding Clients on the Retirement Journey
In my career so far, I have assisted many clients on the wonderful journey into the next phase of their lives, which many call Retirement. Personally, I don’t like that word, it conjures up pictures of being put out to pasture so to speak. However, I digress. My observations have shown that most people when faced with a 30+ year long weekend do it fairly well, others thrive, and some just survive. We do a lot of work with our clients to get them positioned to be the ones that thrive. In fact, we brought Canadian retirement expert Barry LaValley to Mackay and Brisbane early in 2023 to speak to over 80 of our clients, and the public, who were contemplating retirement. Barry’s book ‘So you think you are ready to Retire’ is also a resource we give our clients to help them map out their next journey.
So, this year I turn 60. I know right, I don’t look a day over 70 😊. With my experience and expertise, you would think contemplating this next phase of my life would be a relatively easy process. After all, how hard could it be? My wife Sally stopped working a couple of years back and loves it. Well, for me it turns out that question is a little harder to answer and caused me to go into a bit of a spin.
You see I love the work that I do at Alman Partners. Our clients are amazing, in fact, many of them are very close friends and some feel like family to me. Our business is also thriving on the foundation of putting our clients’ best interests first in everything we do, and our team are the most capable, values-driven people anyone would want to work with in the world. So, I did what all good advisers should do, I took my own advice and read Barry’s book.
What I learned is this, I am not ready to retire! I have a lot more to give. What I did learn in the process is Sally and I want to be closer to our children, future grandchildren, and the 6 or so four-legged family members who all live in Brisbane. So after 32 years living in Mackay, we are set to embark on the next phase of our journey, moving to Brisbane, I expect the move will be in mid to late June when I will officially be working out of our Brisbane office.
The good news is I will now get to experience the life of many of our clients, as a FIFO worker coming back to Mackay one week a month. I am even going to get an Alman Partners’ High Viz shirt for my flights up and back.
As previously communicated, I am available for our clients as per normal, however, we may meet via Zoom every now and then. My advice team made up of Caitlyn Kent, Kelsey Dent & Teneale Laister are always here on the ground to assist you also. Lastly, we are a growing business, and we continue to thank you for all of the referrals you send our way.
Nurturing Your Retirement Journey: Access Resources and Personalised Guidance
If you are interested in Barry’s book, “So You Think You Are Ready to Retire,” or if you would like to discuss your own retirement plans, I encourage you to reach out to your Adviser. We are here to provide you with valuable resources and facilitate meaningful discussions to help shape your retirement journey. Your dreams and aspirations matter to us, and we are committed to supporting you every step of the way.
Stephen Lowry (CFP® Professional, DFP, AIF®) is a representative of Alman Partners Pty Ltd, Australian Financial Services Licence No: 222107.
Note: This material is provided for information only. No account has been taken of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular person or entity. Accordingly, to the extent that this material may constitute general financial product advice, investors should, before acting on the advice, consider the appropriateness of the advice, having regard to the investor’s objectives, financial situation and needs. This is not an offer or recommendation to buy or sell securities or other financial products, nor a solicitation for deposits or other business, whether directly or indirectly.