by Bruce Helmer, President of Wealth Enhancement Group

No matter how efficiently you use money to pursue your goals, good health will help you enjoy the journey. For that reason, indulge me as I pause for a moment to think about health. With good health, a financial plan can be a tremendous asset in living life to the fullest. Without good health, a financial plan is a must to provide for loved ones when you cannot.

In my profession, I’m required to spend a good bit of time with my clients anticipating worst-case scenarios to ensure that loved ones are provided for in the event of disability or death. But it’s much more fun for me to help people plan the rest of their lives, instead of the life of their family without them. Pay attention to your health. The love you can give your family during a long life is far more valuable than any financial provisions you can make for them after you die. Plan to stay with them for a very long time.

One of my primary objectives as a financial planner is (and always has been) to enhance the lives of our company’s clients, employees, stakeholders and families. The goal of enhancing wealth is not to generate money you can clutch tightly until you die. Improving our personal financial situations gives us more freedom to choose our lifestyle and enhance our quality of life. We want to see people walk, golf, fish, play tennis, ski, bowl, travel and enjoy life into their 70s, 80s, and 90s. However, all the financial success in the world can’t help you enjoy life if you are physically unable to live fully.