Bold Moves Can Be Exciting, But Often FruitlessBy Ken Mahoney

Take a long-term approachEver been on a crash diet? Even if you lost the weight, you probably put it back on afterwards, right? As in all worthwhile changes in life, your financial well-being will come about through long-term planning and by taking lots of little steps on a consistent basis over time. Bold moves are exciting, but often fruitless in the end. It’s never too late to learn new behaviorsEven people who lay out careful financial plans encounter new factors – like changing tax laws – that force them to revisit their plans.

Take a step back and consider the state of your finances today. Do you have a balance between cash, growth investments, and savings? Do you know what your needs will be a year from now? Ten years? Will you be prepared? Are your estate planning documents available, should your family ever need them? Past mistakes can be rectified and future mistakes can be avoided. No matter how jumpy the market is, you can be secure and relaxed. You just have to teach yourself to be that way.

Start todayThere’s never a better time than the present to get your financial house in order. Make it a belated New Year’s resolution. Whether your financial health is tip-top or you’ve been under the weather, it’s never too late to make improvements. Once you have financial well-being, you’ll never want to be without it