What’s the secret to financial confidence through preparation? It’s not luck. It’s the cushion that comes from planning ahead.
A client I recently spoke with illustrated this perfectly. Her calendar was packed: a nephew’s bar mitzvah, a family reunion, summer plans in New York. Her husband, a tech executive, was traveling across the U.S. on business. And the markets? She hadn’t looked.
“I know we set things up to do what they’re supposed to do,” she told me, calm, confident, clear. “I’m in for the long haul, and don’t want to get caught up in day-to-day variations.”
When Calm Comes from Clarity
That’s what a strong investment plan looks like. It doesn’t require daily check-ins or emotional rollercoasters. It works in the background… steady, invisible, reliable.
She wasn’t ignoring her investments; she simply didn’t need constant reassurance. We had already built a structure designed to function in all market situations, with regular check-ins to make sure everything stayed relevant. So, we fine-tuned: moved $100,000 of cash into a CD and sold a few positions that had dropped to avoid unnecessary taxes. No panic. Just maintenance.
Planning for the What-Ifs
But just as things seemed settled, a curveball arrived: her husband’s company, one of the biggest names in tech, was undergoing another round of reorganizations. As a result, being laid off was a real possibility.
“I keep telling him,” she said, “even if it happens, it’s not the end of the world.
She wasn’t being flippant. Their account had stayed mostly untouched. With a solid emergency fund of 6 months expenses, and a well-diversified portfolio, they felt confident in their ability to weather any storms .
As we finished our call, she mentioned the idea of buying an apartment for her kids…someday. No rush. Just thoughtful planning.
She didn’t need more charts or tips. She had financial confidence through preparation, which gave her clarity and calm.
If you want that kind of confidence in your finances, schedule a free Cross-Border Financial Evaluation at www.profile-financial.com/call. We’ll see if and how we can help.
Douglas Goldstein, CFP® is the director of Profile Investment Services, Ltd. www.Profile-Financial.com. He is a licensed financial professional both in the U.S. and Israel. Call (02) 624-2788 for a consultation on how to set up your American assets to meet your financial goals. Securities offered through Portfolio Resources Group, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC, MSRB, FSI. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not those of Portfolio Resources Group, Inc. or its affiliates. Neither PRG nor its affiliates provide tax or legal advice.
Published June 18, 2025.