In the sea of financial planning wisdom, there are too few messages about the importance of mindset. Gone are the days when simply saving money was enough to get you to retirement. With pensions practically a thing of the past, it takes more than just a big piggy bank to afford retirement.

Saving strategies aside, changing your mindset from that of a consumer to thinking like an investor, or even an entrepreneur through a side hustle, can give you the security you’ll need to ensure a comfortable retirement.

Many people believe that investing wisely is the key to taking your retirement planning into the 21st century, but is it really enough? Smart financial advisors recommend multiple income streams to ensure you can retire comfortably. Even with a healthy retirement savings, it is wise to look for ways to diversify your income sources.

Enter: the side hustle. Your side hustle (i.e. a second job, side business, or income-generating investment) boosts your income while minimizing risk that you’ll run out of money down the road. Your salary isn’t guaranteed, but with a side hustle (or a few), you won’t put your retirement in jeopardy if you lose your job or change jobs.

If an advisor focuses just on the certain amount you need to save by age 55 to retire, they might not have your best interests in mind. In reality, there is no magic number. No one can predict how much you’ll need or even tell you where you need to keep your money. That’s why it’s so important not to limit your retirement planning to simple money saving techniques.

If you are ready to take the next step toward planning wisely for your retirement on the road to reaching financial independence, start by sitting down with us. As your Personal Family Lawyer®, we will walk you step by step through creating a plan that will help you achieve your financial goals. Ask about your Money Map Planning Process or start with a Family Wealth Planning Session, which will give you absolute clarity on what you own, and what will happen to all of it when something happens to you, so you can make informed, empowered decisions for the one’s you love. Before the session, we’ll send you a Family Wealth Inventory and Assessment to complete that will get you thinking about what you own, what matters most to you, and about your wishes in case you become incapacitated or when you die.