I am the granddaughter of Dutch emigrants who taught me from an early age about the importance of making wise financial decisions and planning for the future. My grandfather was disciplined in knowing where they stood financially and projected into the future to be prepared for what was ahead. Planning came naturally to him; he was an engineer. My grandparents lived a comfortable and active retirement in the early years and were prepared for the changes brought on by aging. Tough decisions were made as their health deteriorated, but their needs were covered for their lifetime. In the end, they were able to leave a modest legacy for my mom and my aunt.

My grandparents inspired me to become the professional I am today. They worked hard and with integrity to do the right things for themselves and their family. They could manage their finances on their own for a long period of time, but also knew when they needed professional guidance to address areas of complexity, such as Estate Planning. Grandpa would not recognize the complex financial world we live in today. He lived during a time when most people received a pension to provide for retirement income. With pensions on the retreat, we now must invest and plan for retirement income. The complexities of investing for retirement income in a global market may have been something he would outsource. Either way, I do what I do because of my grandparent’s example. The legacy of their wisdom has put me in a position to serve my own family and legacy dreams. Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma.