My wife, Hannah, and I have known for a while that we wanted to start a family after being married for a certain number of years. After our wedding and purchasing a home, we knew we had to keep this goal of ours in mind as we made decisions. We were intentional about enjoying the stage of life we were in, while making choices that would set us up for success in achieving our next goal, even though it was a few years away. Last month, we were blessed with our first child and what a joy it has been seeing this goal finally come to fruition!

As we reflect on the road that has led us to this point in life, there are choices that we could have made that would have been fulfilling and brought us joy in the moment. However, if we had made some of those choices, there would have been consequences and challenges that we would be experiencing now that this new life event has occurred.

With financial planning, it is always important to be looking ahead and determining what we need to do (or not do) in the here and now so that we can set ourselves up for success in the future. Although, it is also important to keep in mind that always looking forward and not soaking in the current moments can also be unhealthy, if taken to an extreme. Ultimately, I believe taking steps and mapping out a plan for what is to come will improve your probability of success in achieving future goals.

Maybe you have a clear vision of what you are looking forward to on the road ahead and are taking the necessary steps to get there. On the other hand, maybe you are like my wife and me and are in a place of starting to think about what to plan for next after your previous goal has come to fruition. Regardless of your scenario, our team here at Master’s wants to be your guiding partner in the journey.

What life events do you see in the road ahead that we can help you plan for?