WORD! One of the best posts I've seen on here! :thumbsup

Go watch boiler room

Any good investment guy should be able to lay out a wide range of lower risk investment choices for you, and be able to supply you with rate-of-return performance quotes of each one. Many people will divide up their investment and put it into a mix of several areas rather than dumping all of it into say, the NYSE.

No, there are a few places to invest in that have done well for people in recent years. Although I will say this.... like hershie pointed out earlier, many people's RSP's and mutual funds have taken a bad hit over the past year, including some of my own. It is times like these that a lot of people wish they had gone more for a guaranteed term depost at a much lower interest rate, but I am thinking long-term, not next year or the year after. Over the course of 20 years there are bound to be a few years where cerain investments lose money. However, when I am 50 or 55 I want to have enough invested to live off of in a very good manner if I choose to do so, thus I will stick it out and keep moving forward.

I have no idea what that means.

I didn't walk away from it, I SOLD it. I was on the road 3 out of four weeks a month and got sick of traveling. My client base was quite spread out in many different small northern towns. It's much easier to work from home in porn for more money. I can always buy another block of business at any time if I want back in - there are always agents wanting to retire and sell off chunks of their client base.
All I can say to that is that it's obvious that your agent doesn't travel in the same circles as real agents. I was court of the table MDRT (2nd level MDRT, not the first) - you can tell him that. I never bothered with it though and didn't even put it on my cards. I had a CFP too but the designations never really meant much to me. I also rarly went into clients homes - I rented office space in the towns I worked in.

my clients were mostly northern self employed business people. Farmers, construction workers, contractors, etc.
most had gross incomes of several million dollars and net incomes in the six figgure range.
I never pretended to be able to do their taxes - I worked with CAs and tax lawyers- not CGA's, - who knew what they were doing.

i do both - I save a cetain small percentage and BLOW every last penny of the rest living life to the fullest.

I like this guy's service though, and the fact that he does come to my home. And about cold calls, well maybe it's different in the country, I don't know, but even the hardiest agents and brokers sometimes feel the need to add to their client base.

And further to the tax thing.... Well, I'm not at the stage where I need a $200+ per hour certified accountant (I've had higher rates quoted to me), and my guy is very knowledgeable in this area as well, especially in the area of write-offs for small business. That is good enough for me, just what the doc ordered actually, and I can always hire an accountant in the future if needed.

Same invitation goes for you, anytime you want to move in with me, your always welcome!

WG

That makes sense.

Further to: the part about visiting people's homes vs working out of an office.... your former situation would warrant the offices of course. No question. I am very happy with my investment guy though, especially because I don't have to interrupt my workday to go visit his office to sign a few papers, he comes to me. In the city you can get away with it, but I can see that working a client list out in the wilds you would want them to come to you.

These bottom feeder investment counselors, bankers, advisers whaterver only think of filling up their pocket first. All of the capital ventures we were recommended by these cock suckers produced negative returns and on some we had to pay out more than our initial investments.

Better spend your money in things you enjoy than burning it away with these investment planners.

49, i mean 50

nobody is interested in my <s><font size=1>bank scam</font></s> investment plan? :(

Again, I'm talking about putting money aside in something that pays better than a lousy savings account at a bank, which has squat for an interest rate. I am NOT talking about risking money playing the markets.

Put it this way.... to those that still have "jobs".... most companies offer their employees a retirement fund as part of their benefits package, right? Well, as a freelance webmaster you HAVE NO RETIREMENT FUND except for what you put together yourself. This is what I'm saying.... there is no way in hell that what I'm talking about is a BAD idea. If you're not thinking about your future well-being and you are a full-time webmaster, then you should start now. If you don't, well, you may be out of luck at some point.

I'm planning on buying a sail boat and sailing away :glugglug

Real Estate

damn right man :thumbsup