The Life Cycle of Wealth: Decision-Making Through Four Phases of Life
()
About this ebook
For those who have attained financial independence, this text offers you important insights into the challenge of providing for future generations. For those still in pursuit of independence, The Life Cycle of Wealth provides a clear view of the road ahead, a concrete approach to managing risk, and an overview of the financial professionals available to guide you. For all concerned, The Life Cycle of Wealth delivers a holistic view of personal finance and a method for developing a long-term strategy to fund your purpose for life.
The Life Cycle of Wealth gives you an unprecedented look at the natural process of developing wealth over a lifetime, and the challenges involved with passing it on.
Instead of the usual tips about ‘What to do when…,” The Life Cycle of Wealth teaches you to think strategically, so you can align your plans with your values, and your actions with both.
Once you read it, you will reference it often. Again and again, The Life Cycle of Wealth will deliver truth to your financial life, so you can make great decisions that lead to achieving real wealth in your lifetime.
This book offers both knowledge and wisdom in a timeless, simple fashion that leaves you inspired to move forward with confidence and to pass your wisdom to future generations.
Aaron Kolkman
Aaron Kolkman is a retired securities principal and developer of The Life Cycle of Wealth model. He previously worked for three major U.S. financial institutions before founding a portfolio risk management firm during the 2008 financial crisis. Kolkman is a recognized leader in aggregate portfolio Mean Variance Optimization (MVO) techniques to support financial planning. His Minneapolis strategic planning team incorporates all phases of The Life Cycle, with an emphasis on written estate strategies. Kolkman holds a B.A. in Psychology, a M.S. in Finance, and a Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis. He is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and an ACCREDITED ASSET MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST. Kolkman is the principal of Fidere Media, LLC, and co-author of THE RISK MANAGER - a conservative economics, planning and portfolio management blog for families. He is a member of the Committee for the Fiduciary Standard, the International Association of Advisors for Philanthropy, and the Financial Planning Association. A native of South Dakota and Nebraska, he now lives in Plymouth, Minnesota. In his free time, Aaron loves spending time outdoors with his family: boating, camping, and biking.
Related to The Life Cycle of Wealth
Related ebooks
Plan Your Financial Future: A Comprehensive Guidebook to Growing Your Net Worth Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSomeday Rich: Planning for Sustainable Tomorrows Today Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRisk Less and Prosper: Your Guide to Safer Investing Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Wealth Building Secrets Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Money Multiplication Manual: Learn These And You’ll Always Thrive In Abundance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAdvising Ultra-Affluent Clients and Family Offices Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWealth Management in Any Market: Timeless Strategies for Building Financial Security Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Handbook for Investment Committee Members: How to Make Prudent Investments for Your Organization Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMastering Money and Wealth Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnpack Your Financial Baggage: How to Battle the Misconceptions of Retirement Planning Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPersonal Finance, Budgeting, And Money Management: Mastering Your Financial Future! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBehavioral Finance and Investor Types: Managing Behavior to Make Better Investment Decisions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Nonprofit Investment and Development Solutions: A Guide to Thriving in Today's Economy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThriving in Turbulent Times: A Comprehensive Guide to Personal Financial Management During Recessions Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsModern Finance For Ordinary Folks: You Do Not Need A Ph.D Or Nobel Prize To Understand The Jargon Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to Retire with Financial Dignity and Peace of Mind Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Millionaire Fast Track Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Value of Debt: How to Manage Both Sides of a Balance Sheet to Maximize Wealth Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFinancial Foundations: A Guide to Financial Success for Aussie Millennials Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInvesting 1.0.1 with Purpose: Taking the Mystery out of Investing Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCompound Interest Made Simple Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Intelligent Portfolio: Practical Wisdom on Personal Investing from Financial Engines Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDon’T Let Your Clients Eat Dog Food When They’Re Old!: A Financial Professional’S Guide to Retirement Cash Flow Management Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTop Hedge Fund Investors: Stories, Strategies, and Advice Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStrategic Risk Management: A Practical Guide to Portfolio Risk Management Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Achieving Financial Freedom: A Roadmap for All Investors Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBreak Rank, Make Bank Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMaster Your Money: The Path to Financial Freedom Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPractically Investing: Smart Investment Techniques Your Neighbour Doesn’T Know Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5From Legacy To Dynasty: How To Create Generational Wealth Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Management For You
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, 20th Anniversary Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 360 Degree Leader Workbook: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Get Ideas Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Principles: Life and Work Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Third Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 12 Week Year (Review and Analysis of Moran and Lennington's Book) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Company Rules: Or Everything I Know About Business I Learned from the CIA Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of The Laws of Human Nature: by Robert Greene - A Comprehensive Summary Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The First-Time Manager Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win | Summary & Key Takeaways Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Emotional Intelligence Habits Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Multipliers, Revised and Updated: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Spark: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Leadershift: The 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Managing Oneself: The Key to Success Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Moved Your Cheese: For Those Who Refuse to Live as Mice in Someone Else's Maze Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Improving Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Motive: Why So Many Leaders Abdicate Their Most Important Responsibilities Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Revised and Updated: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Life Cycle of Wealth
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
The Life Cycle of Wealth - Aaron Kolkman
Copyright © 2018 Fidere Media, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
1 (866) 928-1240
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
ISBN: 978-1-9736-4071-4 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-9736-4072-1 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-9736-4070-7 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018911533
WestBow Press rev. date: 08/22/2019
CONTENTS
I. Funding Your Purpose for Life
Money as a Resource to Pursue Life Goals
II. The Life Cycle of Wealth™
Money as a Universal Language
III. About the Cycle
Understanding The Life Cycle™ Model
IV. Phase I – Prepare
The Infrastructure of Your Financial Life
V. Phase II – Produce
Using Your Income to Fund Your Assets
VI. Phase III – Prosper
Using Your Assets to Fund Your Income
VII. Phase IV – Preserve
Structuring and Funding Your Legacy
VIII. Managing Risk
Recognizing the Pitfalls in Your Plans
IX. Optimizing Your Assets
When Diversification is Not Enough
X. Finding your Fiduciary
If Cash is King, Cash Flow is Queen
XI. Creating Recurrence
The Multigenerational Wealth Challenge
OVERVIEW
I n the digital era, wealth-building strategies, money management techniques, and how-to
financial planning tips all compete for our attention. Instead of trying to navigate the nuances of personal finance based upon the loudest message or a catchy slogan, take a step back. Recognize that success in life requires excellent decision-making, which includes two ingredients: knowledge and wisdom. Having knowledge means having information needed to make decisions. Having wisdom means having a mature perspective from which to make those decisions. With respect to personal finance, The Life Cycle of Wealth ™ does provide some important technical insights, though it primarily provides the uncommon wisdom needed for excellent decision-making.
Decision-making for who exactly? Throughout this text, the words you
and your
are used to simplify content, but with the intent to communicate your family
on two levels –1) the core family (i.e., household) and 2) the entire family tree. Further, the concepts offered are designed to facilitate conversation on both familial levels, which is critical when strategic decisions happen (Chapter III, About the Cycle). Also, wealth
and money
are considered synonymous, so wealth is considered in financial terms with two primary components: 1) a balance sheet and 2) cash flow. A balance sheet refers to assets owned personally – business interests, real estate, personal property, invested assets, etc. – and debts owed personally – mortgages, liens, student loans, credit lines, etc. Cash flow refers to personal income recognized, and expenses incurred for a given period. Importantly, the interaction of these two financial statements is critical: if the balance sheet is the foundation for your family’s financial life, cash flow is either a builder or a destroyer of that foundation (Chapter X, The Power of Cash Flow).
If your balance sheet and cash flow comprise your wealth in financial terms, then being wealthy
must mean reaching financial independence – the point at which you have the freedom to make life choices without financial constraints. Such independence happens when a family’s balance sheet is stable enough to provide for at least the current generation. Further, this independence means that cash flow is positive or neutral – even if a major source of that income is the balance sheet. For those who have attained financial independence, this text offers you important insights into the challenge of providing for future generations. For those still in pursuit of independence, The Life Cycle of Wealth™ provides a clear view of the road ahead, a concrete approach to managing risk, and an overview of the financial professional(s) available to guide you. For all concerned, The Life Cycle of Wealth™ delivers a holistic view of personal finance, and a method for developing a long-term strategy to fund your purpose for life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AaronFINALCROPPED.jpgA aron Kolkman is a retired securities principal and developer of The Life Cycle of Wealth ™ model. He previously worked for three major U.S. financial institutions before founding a portfolio risk management firm during the 2008 financial crisis. Kolkman is a recognized leader in aggregate portfolio Mean
Variance Optimization (MVO) techniques to support financial planning. His Minneapolis strategic planning team incorporates all phases of The Life Cycle™, with an emphasis on written estate strategies. Kolkman holds a B.A. in Psychology, a M.S. in Finance, and a Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis. He is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and an ACCREDITED ASSET MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST™. Kolkman is the principal of Fidere Media, LLC, and co-author of THE RISK MANAGER™ - a conservative economics, planning and portfolio management blog for families. He is a member of Kingdom Advisors and the Financial Planning Association, and served on the Committee for the Fiduciary Standard, during 2009-2010. A native of South Dakota and Nebraska, Aaron now lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In his free time, he loves spending time outdoors with his family: biking, boating, and camping.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
The AAMS®, or ACCREDITED ASSET MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTSM marks may be used only by persons who have received written authorization from the College for Financial Planning to use them.
DEDICATION
Dedicated with gratitude to my family tree: generations past, present and future.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks be to God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit – for Your amazing grace, and for lighting my path that I might live with purpose. May any glory that comes from this work be Yours.
Thank you to the many family members and friends who gave time and energy in support of this project. You have been generous beyond measure. I pray this work would be a blessing to you and others around you.
Thank you to the