It’s never too early for financial planning, believes John Dougherty, a longtime local financial adviser and author of the common-sense-language book, “Your Survival Guide for Financial Success.”
It’s also never too late, said the owner of Spring Hill-based Dougherty and Associates, a firm that’s been helping people with their financial affairs for more than 30 years — many of them seniors.
Asked to provide some tips seniors can use and things they often miss when managing their financial affairs, he was more than happy to help, and it’s clear he has a soft spot for seniors and the challenges they may face. In fact, when asked about the most serious issue seniors face, his answer was surprising.
“They don’t eat right,” he said.
But what’s that have to do with finances? Well, nothing, yet everything, he supposes.
He tells the story of calling on a widowed senior women at her home to discuss financial planning. She asked him if he’d like some iced tea, but he insisted she stay seated and that he would fetch it from the refrigerator. He opened the door and saw a couple of frozen dinners, a slice of pie and little else, save for the tea.
His point? The whole reason for accumulating money in one’s working years is to ensure a better quality of life in retirement. The woman in his story wasn’t hurting for money, and…
