We at Johnson Wealth Management hope you had a wonderful 4th of July weekend. We know it has been an eventful year-and-a-half. If COVID restrictions lifted where you are located, we trust you were able to gather with some of those you love. You may have broken out the ‘ole grill too.
Independence Day is far more than a barbecue. It was commemorated to absolve the colonies from Britain and become free and independent states. The Declaration of Independence grounded this announcement in an even greater vision:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
A stunning, history-altering statement empowered with the human desire for liberty and God-given rights. Sadly, the pens of the men who wrote that sentence were held by the same hands that enslaved African men, women, and children. While there is still more hard work to be done in our country and in each of our own lives to work out the implications of that grandiose statement, we have many reasons to be grateful as Americans.
Financial planning itself is a pursuit of freedom. Not having to live paycheck to paycheck. The freedom to work and play as you wish. The gift of endowing a future generation with more options and an easier start than you may have had. Using your wealth to form communities that enable others to pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in a more significant way.
What financial decisions are you making now that might free you (or others!) up tomorrow? Do you need to pay down debt? Do you need to up your contributions to your retirement accounts? Or maybe it’s time for you to start spending. Add on to the house, go on a big trip with your family, or give to your community.
There is no perfect financial plan. There will also be many challenges that come up along the way. Keep working on your plan to free yourself from various financial encumbrances and enjoy your life and benefit the lives others. Live grateful and don’t take the life, liberty, and happiness you have for granted.