Look at the Big Picture

You see a doctor for a health checkup and a mechanic to keep your vehicle in top shape. Likewise, it is important to work with a financial professional to conduct an annual review of your investment strategy, making sure it evolves as your life changes.

Look Inward

Before you review your investments, examine where you are in your life. Births and deaths, new jobs and lost jobs, marriage and divorce and injury and illness can all change your investment strategy. Then, review your financial goals. Have they changed? For example, you might want to retire earlier than planned, which may mean you need to put away more money or change your investment strategy. Or you could have encountered health problems, which may have temporarily slowed how much you invest.

Look Outward

Next, look at the big picture. Are you invested appropriately, given your risk tolerance and time horizon? Economic and market conditions can alter even the most thorough investment strategies. Should you invest more in an existing retirement account, or consider supplemental investment vehicles like an IRA or Health Savings Account? Will you soon experience a life change that will alter your investment strategy?

Finally, review your portfolio. Is it still addressing concerns you may have had about inflation and interest rates? Have your investments shown any style drift or do they still follow the same strategies? How have your investments performed in relationship to their benchmarks? How much have taxes affected your portfolio’s returns? How much do you pay in fees?

Get Answers

By knowing which questions to ask, you can work with your financial professional to make the necessary adjustments. If you know you own an investment that has drifted from its original strategy, look for a replacement that better meets your challenges. If you see a big increase in an investment’s fees, you might compare them to those of a similar investment.

Or you may want to explore options to increase your potential net income once you reach your goals, such as a Roth IRA. Put these and other concerns in writing so you are prepared to ask the questions that are essential in any investment review.