Several weeks into the New Year, the media coverage and social media is yet again very focused on all our New Year Resolutions from keep fit regimes, menu planning, house decluttering and financial planning. All of which are very positive.
Most of us at the very least, tend to have a mental note of things we can at the very least do better in the coming year and they generally include our own health and wellbeing and our financial wellbeing and how we can spend less/organise our finances better.
Eoin McGee’s very popular TV programme How to be good with money returns to RTE 1. It is excellent programme. There is an appetite for such planning and money management skills training.
We would urge everyone to have a financial plan, and cannot stress the importance of saving enough, be it for the rainy day (short term emergency fund) or long term savings and pensions needs. It is certain that pension provision by means of the State pension will decrease in Ireland, hence the need for all of us to ensure we have our own pension pot.
As part of a financial review of your circumstances, you should also consider the important areas of protecting your wealth and planning for unforeseen circumstances should you be unable to work due to illness or accident. After all if you are unable to work how would all the bills continue to be paid.
Furthermore in the event of untimely death, whilst we all hate thinking about it, it is crucial that life cover provision is in place so that our families are looked after financially should the unthinkable happen.
As Financial brokers, a core part of our business is helping our clients protect themselves and their families in those instances. We are passionate about making sure you have adequate provision in place in the event of illness, accident or in the worst case scenario death.
Protecting your salary is vital should you become unable to work due to illness or accident. An Income Protection Plan can help alleviate the stress in that situation, at least financially, by providing you with an income after a period of time. In addition providers of such plans can offer invaluable assistance in phased return to work, re-training for a new occupation, counselling etc.
Statistically serious illnesses are commonplace. The good news is that statistically serious illness claims remain as such and do not turn into Death Claims. Thus showing that for that period of any illness, financial aid is critical in terms of the needs of the claimant at the time and again alleviating the financial stress on the family, during that period where the claimant is unable to work.
Against all our wishes, there are also those who do not survive an accident or serious illness and a lump sum benefit for the family left behind, particularly for young children with their whole lives in front of them is vital. We all want to be able to afford our children the best opportunities and education possible.
None of us want to think about such matters especially not in dark, dreary January. However if it’s the time of making those New Year’s Resolutions, then I think protecting our family in the event of accident/illness or death, should be top of our list of priorities. If you wish to discuss any of the above please contact us at 053 9233640.
This is an opinion only and does not constitute advice as individual circumstances will determine all financial advise given.
