You may have seen the #MillenialsForLife floating around but may be unaware of what exactly it is. That ends today! We are going to take a quick look into what this means. Millennials For Life is an initiative created by Anew Financial. Anew Financial is a life insurance agency formed to help educate individuals and families on insurance planning, with a focus on a millennial audience.
At present time, you fall in the millennial category if you are between the ages of 23 and 38. As millennials, we are in a very ideal situation when it comes to planning for our financial futures. There are 3 things that you need on your side to get the best results. You need time, money, and health. It is safe to say, that a millennial has at least two of the three (time and health) favoring them. This puts us in prime position to capitalize on resources and tools available to us. Literally giving many options and opportunities to set up a bright financial future, enjoyable retirement, and peace of mind for many years to come. Now, let's break down the 3 variables that play an essential role in your preparation for the future.
TIME
Time is a double edged sword. While it is great to have "time on your side", that sometimes allows procrastination to seep through the cracks of your game plan. Let's think about it, how many times have we put something off to only come back to it when it is too late, if at all? With ample time also comes an absence of urgency. Without urgency, there is a lack of motivation or commitment to do an action that you may or may not be enthused about. In this case, preparing for the future. Let's be honest. Most people millennial or otherwise, are not jumping up and down with excitement over planning for their financial future. Even though it is a very positive practice and "a necessary evil," it can involve some tough questions one has to ask themselves. How many times have we looked back on life and said if I knew what I know now, I would have done something different?
Regardless of whether or not you are using talking about implementing an insurance strategy or taking a more aggressive approach (any product, tool or strategy involving risk i.e stocks, 401K, variable annuities, etc.), time and your age are going to weigh heavy into your plan of action. For example, life insurance looks at several aspects of your overall health but your age will be a large driving force in determining what your coverage will cost. Simply put, as you get older the more the same coverage costs you. Very similar to renting an apartment, The same apartment in the dead of summer is going to cost considerably more than if you were to lease it in the winter. The good news is once you secure the insurance for yourself, you pay the same amount for the rest of your life or until it is paid up (depending on what kind of coverage you choose). Regarding investments, a financial advisor can be the first to tell you that while you are young you can afford to take big risks for larger rewards. This is because you have time to correct a mishap in comparison to someone who is near retirement ages.
We are all at different points in our financial journey but one thing remains true across the board, we have to start somewhere. Our belief is that professional guidance goes a long way in ensuring your ultimate goal of success. Whether you are looking to get advice on putting a budget together, plans for eliminating debt, or more long term goals such as managing a 401k, we recommend contacting ClearVue Financial Planning for further assistance.
MONEY
Money is the fuel you will need to make your financial plan work. The amounts you need will be based entirely on what your goals are and where you desire to see yourself and/or family. As a millennial, we have long and promising careers ahead of us. That is to say, if you aren't on track for where you need to be to eventually enjoy retirement, you will have opportunities and time to right the ship. According to where the job market and social security system are headed we will be responsible for creating our own retirement plan. Please read Self Employment In A Gig Economy: The Overlooked Truth for more details on this.
HEALTH
You have heard the saying, "Health Is Wealth". This is the truth! It impacts what those years leading up to and including your retirement look like. You only get one body. Be sure to take care of it. Fortunately, there is a lot of information and trending diets out today that promote good health. Alongside eating, exercise is key. By staying active, drinking plenty of water and eating a well balanced diet, your body will respond positively to it and will thank you in your later years.
While none of us knows what the future holds, we do know that if we are doing what we're suppose to by maintaining good health, we can avoid some health challenges. With good health you will have plenty of options as far as financial planning goes because your resources can be used as intended rather than be tied up in "avoidable" health expenditures. It will also determine what you can or can't qualify for with life insurance. Kale once a day, keeps your retirement plans in play!
CONCLUSION
As millennials, we have the chance to really set ourselves and generations behind us up for something special! We have access to information and resources that some of our parents and definitely grandparents did not have access to. Like the maxim states, experience is life's best teacher. The experiences don't always have to be our own. In fact, in many cases, it is ideal to learn from other peoples' experiences. Millennials can take the experiences that they have witnessed within their own family, friend and community dynamic, and do something different to create a different result! Let us be our own advocate for change in how we think about the future, especially regarding our finances. The proper utilization of life insurance will play a big part in what the financial health of our families will look like for many years to come.
Millennials For Life. #MillennialsForLife
