Financial Safeguards vs. The Unexpected

In life, the unexpected is expected. Having the appropriate financial safeguards in place can enable you to be resilient in the face of uncertainty.

As an example, do not overextend yourself when purchasing a home. Make sure you know all the costs of homeownership when considering a purchase.

If you own a home and are nearing retirement, consider the flexibility offered by a reverse mortgage home equity line of credit. Consider that, even if you don't need the money right away, the amount of available credit will grow over time and can help to weather a market downturn or pay long term care costs.

Another prescription exists to help with the anxiety of an uncertain future. Acts of generosity strengthen our bonds to others. This can relieve the fear and anxiety that comes from feeling disconnected from people and life, from the "hallucination of a separate self."

We are all guilty of wanting to know the answers NOW, rather than going through the process of discovering them for ourselves. Am I making the right decisions? Am I moving in THE right direction? I love the advice: give yourself permission to experiment. Consider your life as a piece of art. With each step you take, something happens you can never plan for.