As advisors often experience, introducing change to clients can be a struggle, especially when money—an emotionally charged topic—is involved. Financial decision-making is not always, or even typically, rational and reasonable. Although most of us think we’re capable of making rational choices, only part of the mind has the capability to analyze a problem and come up with a rational solution, and this process can be slow and inefficient.

Do you have clients who are overspending in retirement? Chances are, you do. Perhaps they can’t say no to helping their kids, or they understandably want to enjoy their money before their health fails. Or they might be motivated by any other of the common reasons for “bad” financial habits. Whatever the cause, there are a number of straightforward techniques you can use to help encourage positive change when talking to clients about sticking to their retirement plan. 

While we often focus on “risk tolerance,” when the markets head up or down precipitously, managing your clients’ risk perception is actually the key. Of course, to do so, we must first understand the difference between risk tolerance and risk perception. In a nutshell, the reason why people’s risk tolerance can change drastically during times of market volatility has to do with this notion called risk perception. Research from the CFA Institute shows that risk tolerance is a fairly stable “personality trait”—which stays the same unless someone has a life-changing experience. Risk perception, on the other hand, is an emotional, temporary judgment of the severity of a risk during a certain time frame.

With the holidays behind us, it’s a good time to explore why we spend money. Heading into year-end, the stock markets were plummeting, wiping out most, if not all, 2018 gains from our equity-based savings accounts. Yet when I walked into my groovy neighborhood gift shop to buy a holiday hostess present, people were lined up for their Curio Spice Aegean Sea salt and Somerville greeting cards for $4.50 a pop. What gives?

People consider filing for bankruptcy for a number of reasons. Perhaps they or a family member experienced a prolonged medical issue, and costs have far exceeded what their insurance will cover. Or maybe their small business failed, and they don’t have enough assets to pay off their creditors. Nearly 800,000 people filed for bankruptcy in 2016, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Although these individuals must seek an attorney's advice to file, they may well consult a financial advisor like you first. Would you know how best to advise them on their options?