INDUSTRY INSIGHT
YOUR FINANCES
SPONSORED CONTENT
Equip Yourself
for a ‘Good Life’
P
reparing for a lifelong financial journey requires an
understanding of the possibilities, potential resources, and
identification of contingency plans. The journey likely will
require navigating a series of obstacles through varying
conditions. You don’t have to sacrifice a Good Life today for a Good
Life solely in retirement. How can we live a Good Life now and in the
future? Today we unpack six critical actions required to equip yourself
for a Good Life, financially.
1. Gird Yourself with a Comprehensive Financial Strategy
2. Design and Articulate a Realistic Set of Financial Goals
3. Stand Firm in the Face of Diversity and Threats
4. Build a Defense System to Protect Your Resources
5. Craft a Commitment to Developing the Practices Required
6. Accumulate Resources and Be Opportunistic in Changing
Environments
In life no route map is provided. However, we can learn financial
truths and practices to stock ourselves with the greatest possible
probability of success. As you acquire new skills, you will become
Who We Are…
• As fiduciaries – serving your best
interests and avoiding conflicts of
interest
• As financial strategists and
coordinators – helping you design
and take the actions needed to
take the best possible care of your
total financial situation
• As astute observers of
markets, politics, technology, and
demographics – helping you
assess the impact of global forces
on your assets, your community,
and your peace of mind
McKinley Carter
Wealth Services
100 Bradford Road, Suite 400
Wexford, PA 15090
724-940-4400
mc-ws.com
McKinley Carter Wealth Services, Inc. (“McKinley Carter”) is an SEC-registered investment adviser. For additional information about McKinley
Carter, including fees and services, send for our disclosure brochure as set forth on Form ADV using the contact information herein. Please read
the disclosure brochure carefully before you invest or send money.
comfortable making financial decisions. In time, you can begin to look
ahead and understand how to adjust accordingly.
So, how do you define a “good financial life”? Your specific
description will be unique to your priorities, values, and desires. Our
experience is that most people could use some help articulating and
testing realistic financial goals. The most common goals include basic
living expenses, automobiles, travel, education, weddings, home
renovations, vacation home, charitable intentions, and/or a major
purchase.
There likely will be times in which your financial security or
expectations will be threatened. Having a well-grounded and rational
approach will help you stand steady, be prudent, and act boldly and
confidently. Financially there are threats in which we can diversify our
risk and others that are non-diversifiable. We must design a fortitude
to protect our resources from harm.
There are also times when it seems like we are on a downhill coast
and others where the climb will never end. Rarely is our financial
life a smooth, level journey. You will be tested to call upon different
experiences and strategies. We can find ourselves unsure as to how
many resources are necessary for the entire journey and how we
should manage our reserves for the uncertainty.
The Final Mile — Unfortunately, or fortunately, none of us knows
where or when we will reach our finish line. However, we will need
to successfully navigate such key financial matters as Financial
Autonomy, Tax Planning, Estate Objectives, Debt Management, Career
& Business, Investments, and Risk Management.
Your professional advisor can spot financial blind spots and help
you successfully circumnavigate the landscape.
We invite you to learn how our leadership, expertise, and support
empower families, businesses, and non-profit organizations to take
great care of their total financial situation. In so doing, we help you
navigate economic and financial uncertainties, attack the unknown
obstacles that are inevitable, and pace yourself to maximize your
resources for the entire journey.
For a more detailed explanation of each of the six important
actions to equip yourself, we invite you to visit www.mc-ws.com/blog.
This Industry Insight was written by Brian T. Gongaware,
CFP®.
Brian is a Principal of McKinley Carter, serves as Director
of Advisory Services in the Wexford office, and is also
a Certified Financial Planner™ professional. He uses his
deep expertise in client relationships and investment
management to help clients identify their financial goals
and needs, and design appropriate financial and investment
strategies.
NORTH ALLEGHENY
❘
FALL 2018
11