It may sound funny, but there aren’t too many people in the world that I’d like to change places with. I have an enjoyable career and a loving family that puts up with me and my silly humor.
Of course there have been difficult days, but most of the time life is pretty darn good. Many people work their entire lives, then retire and seek a job or passion they enjoy.
I’m fortunate in that I’ve been living that feeling for years. Today, on Mother’s Day, I tip my hat to the wonderful women in my life.
I’ve been blessed with a strong and supportive wife. In those rare instances when I’m down, she makes certain I got back on track. Early in my career, when we were building our firm, she never complained about the long hours away from home and the unpredictable income.
It was difficult with three young boys, but she made certain they were well behaved and studied hard for school. I could just come home and play with the boys, but she did most of the difficult tasks.
Those young boys grew up and today they’ve brought some wonderful young ladies in our family. All are great examples of working women who multi-task a career and motherhood.
The women at my office also pour their hearts and souls into making certain all is in good order for our clients. They understand how important our clients are, and are equally proficient at keeping their own households in good order.
I know because I’ve been there, and watched their families blossom. I’ve enjoyed going to their children’s graduations, and I’ll soon be attending my assistant’s daughter’s wedding. In short, I’ve been very fortunate in that outstanding women surround me in both my personal life and at the office.
Over the years of working with families, I’ve tried to emphasize the importance of both spouses having a firm grasp of the family finances. That’s because at some point in life, hopefully after years of marriage, it’s quite likely that one spouse will be handing all the money.
It’s not a male or female thing, but more often than not, I find that one spouse is more financially engaged than the other. The ultimate financial scenario will be much more manageable if both spouses are involved and working toward a unified goal.
Getting the children involved can also be beneficial. One way is to teach them the importance of saving early. For example, my son, who is also a financial advisor, and his wife keep a piggy bank handy for their two-year-old son, who really enjoys dropping coins into that bank.
Recently, he and his parents went to great grandma’s house to celebrate his second birthday. How fortuitous it was that he brought his piggy bank with him.
But when great grandma gave him a $5 bill, my grandson had no interest. It was far more fun to pick up pennies and drop them into the bank! Fortunately, great grandma just happened to have a handful of coins at the ready.
On that note, I want to thank all the caring and generous mothers in my life. I hope that they and all the other mothers out there have a very, very special day.
E-mail your questions to kenmorris@lifetimeplanning.com. Ken is a Registered Representative of LPL Financial. Ken is Vice-President of the Society for Lifetime Planning. All opinions expressed are those of Ken Morris. LPL and Society for Lifetime Planning are independent companies. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investing involves risk including loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss.