My business partner and I recently shared a cup of coffee to see what we’d learned in 2011. It was definitely a year filled with educational opportunities. Bob and I know, it’s not so much what you learn, but how 
you put those lessons to work. So, here are three important lessons to take into the New Year:
1. Nobody cares more about your money than you. Much of the financial service industry is broken. Corporate greed continues to dispense big bonuses, and advisor greed continues to prey on the trust of individual investors, as evidenced by the recent headline from Reuters’ “Wells Fargo Investments, LLC Fined $2 Million for Unsuitable Sales to the Elderly.” Investors need accountability for their investments and retirement by demanding 100% transparency from their advisors. Trust is great, but seeing is believing when it comes to your money.
2. Political dysfunction is robbing your retirement. After a year of political wrangling, the stock market is right where it began. Even as I write, the arm-crossed rhetoric of Washington and the eyes-wide-shut attitudes of Europe continue to drive “the markets.” The buy, hold and hope habits of long-term investors must change to: Buy what you know and know when to sell. Don’t invest in “the market.” Instead, gain ownership in solid companies that have proven track records of paying (and increasing) dividends.
3. Change is the new “normal.” Without change, a baby boomer would sit in front of a black and white TV, watching one of five channels, and waiting for a neighbor to get off the party line so he could call a friend. Investors can’t wait for interest rates to return to the double digits of the ’80s or for the next tech-bubble to push the markets higher. Individuals must create investment plans based on today’s realities.
So, as we turn the page to 2012, enjoy personal memories — but to the markets, say: “Lessons learned.”
IN ADDITION to being President and Senior Advisor of LaPorte-based Osborn Wealth Management, Drummond Osborn, CFP, is also a self-proclaimed retirement activist. As his firm focuses on conservative portfolio management and values-based retirement planning, he and his partner continue their personal crusades to educate and enlighten individuals on preparing for and enjoying retirement. For questions/comments, contact him at 1-800-889-7401 or at Drummond@OsbornWealthManagement.com.
