Wealth Comes in Many Forms
Many Gen X and Millennials equate wealth to income level, while others look at the “stuff” you have, like what car you drive or the size of your house, to gauge wealth.
Let us remember that our financial situations are some combination of math and emotions, so wealth means something different to everyone.
Early in my career and life, I thought stuff = wealth, and it took life to teach me that wealth comes in many forms.
What is Enough?
Determining what “enough” is in your life is one of the most significant forms of wealth you can ever achieve. What makes YOU happy? Even if I had the money, I would not drive a Bentley. I like cars, but I am not a car guy, so something like a Bentley or even a Ferrari would be lost on me.
If the Michigan Wolverines had not broken my heart on New Year’s Eve and beaten TCU to go to the National Championship Game in Los Angeles in 2022, I would have gotten on a plane and gone to see that game without giving a second thought to cost. Driving a super fancy car doesn’t matter to me, but being in the building when my team wins a championship is something I will never pass up.
I can recklessly spend money on sporting events because my wife and I have developed a set of financial values where we have concluded over time what makes us the happiest and what is and is not worth it to us.
I Don’t Look at My Accounts
I have many clients, and one of the greatest forms of wealth I see is when I am sitting with a client during our portfolio reviews that we do four times a year, and they tell me they haven’t looked at their accounts since the last time we met.
This type of wealth doesn’t come without years of planning and sacrifice, but can you imagine a better feeling than not having to even think about the money you have invested? Yes, the people who say this to me have built up considerable cash savings and have a predominant amount of their income coming from Social Security and pensions, but this is a level of wealth I am looking forward to achieving.
Unplugging
I love my job. I love my clients, my employees, and everything that comes with my day-to-day job. At this juncture in my life and career, I rarely, if ever, unplug completely, but what does it matter how much you make if you never actually enjoy it?
This year I went to Long Beach Island at the beginning of July with the whole family, and although I did check emails and return phone calls for about an hour in the afternoons, this was the first time I left my cell phone back at our rental house. I didn’t even bring it to the beach, and I spent all my time boogie boarding with my kids and relaxing with a good book.
Marital Bliss
Humans are meant to live in groups; it is how we are wired. No matter how strong the biological forces push us to live like this, being married is hard. Add some children and maybe a pet or two, and things get exponentially more challenging.
Removing fighting with your partner about money from the equation makes things significantly easier. This isn’t just the case while you are raising your children, but once they are grown and out of the house as well. Being on the same page as your significant other regarding savings and spending will save you much acrimony in the future.
Stock market calendar this week:
| TIME (ET) | REPORT |
| MONDAY, JULY 31 | |
| 9:45 AM | Chicago Business Barometer |
| 2:00 PM | Fed senior loan survey |
| TUESDAY, AUGUST 1 | |
| 9:45 AM | S&P final U.S. manufacturing PMI |
| 10:00 AM | Job openings |
| 10:00 AM | ISM manufacturing |
| 10:00 AM | Construction spending |
| WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2 | |
| 8:15 AM | ADP employment |
| THURSDAY, AUGUST 3 | |
| 8:30 AM | Initial jobless claims |
| 8:30 AM | U.S. productivity (prelim) |
| 9:45 AM | S&P final U.S. services PMI |
| 10:00 AM | ISM services |
| 10:00 AM | Factory orders |
| FRIDAY, AUGUST 4 | |
| 8:30 AM | U.S. nonfarm payrolls |
| 8:30 AM | U.S. unemployment rate |
| 8:30 AM | U.S. hourly wages |
| 8:30 AM | Hourly wages year over year |
Most anticipated earnings for this week:
Did you miss our blog last week?
About Amit: I am a first generation American, the son of a working-class Indian family, and I lived through my parents’ struggle to find their place in this country, to put down roots that would sustain them as well as their children in a new land. As they encouraged me to excel in school and fostered my hobbies and interests, I was keenly aware of the dynamic between them. I understood that there was a difference between where they came from individually and where we were now. They worked hard in their individual capacities, but they weren’t always on the same page about financial issues – and that can make or break a family’s future. I didn’t know it at the time, but this laid the groundwork for my passion towards financial services and helping families succeed.