Whn I was a kid, my parnts would take me to this place called “Darien Lake”.
It got bought out by 6 Flags a while ago, but I loved going there because it was an amusement park built on a freakin lake and also because I liked the rollercoasters.
They even had an all wooden one which left you feeling like you just got beat up.
Always felt safe riding the rides because of the safety harnesses and whatnot. I mean, I still got scared putting my hands up in the air on the big drops but who doesn’t?
Anyway, my trip down memory lane got me thinking about those risk questionnaires that financial planners make their clients take.
If you’ve ever invested any money, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.
They ask questions like “how would you react if the market dropped 40% tomorrow?”
To me, those kinds of questions always seemed stoopid because people take them while sitting in the comfort of their own home or while sitting in plush leather chairs sipping on a cappuccino.
And when you’re nice and comfy, listening to soft music in the background, you can’t really feel what it feels like to actually lose money. You just “know” it intellectually, on paper.
If you REALLY want to know how you’d react to a sudden loss of your fungolas, take a fistful of $100 bills with you on a rollercoaster and just open your hand up and let them go on your first drop.
When you get off the ride, see how you feel about it.
If it freaked you out that you just lost $500 in less than 2 seconds, then you probably need a safety net.
Speaking of which, my custom whole life insurance plans provide a humdinger of a safety net for those “oh sh*t” moments when you think you might need it.
If you want me to take a look at your insurance plan, join my email list (if you’re not on that list, you’ll be pushed to the back of the line).