❤️ Even though we're financial professionals, we care about more than just the financial health of the families we serve.
February is American Heart Month, and the 2024 statistics from the American Heart Association underscore the importance of an investment in our heart health:
▪️ Cardiovascular disease accounts for nearly one-third of all deaths globally.
▪️ Every 34 seconds, someone in the U.S. experiences a heart attack.
▪️ 80% of premature heart disease is preventable through lifestyle changes.
Just as we advocate for proactive personal finance, we encourage you to stay vigilant with your heart health and prevention strategies. A strong heart is the foundation of a truly rich and fulfilling life.
February is recognized as American Heart Month, a crucial time to raise awareness and take proactive steps against heart disease. In our office, we experienced a significant wake-up call regarding how heart disease can affect financial planning.
I share this with heartfelt gratitude that it served as a wake-up call rather than an unintended crisis. I encourage you to take this moment to get an appointment to review your own plans in your calendar.
Here’s a story in Gene’s own words…
"While discussing the distinction between naming a beneficiary on an account versus leaving an asset to your estate or will, I recently realized I hadn’t followed my own advice. As I turned 70 that year and live with my wife of almost 50 years, our current Will still names our friends as inheritors of our home and guardians of our three children. My children are grown, own their own homes, and have families of their own, making it seem outdated to still have a guardian for them... it’s okay to laugh with me... Ha! Does time fly or is it just me?
If our Will needed to be executed unexpectedly, it would have caused unnecessary complications for our children. You might be asking, “Gene, was this wake-up call around the time of your heart surgery?” Unfortunately, yes. You’ve likely heard the saying about the cobbler’s shoes, right? While I strive to plan well for my clients, I had postponed my own planning. Such experiences, though potentially daunting, offer valuable insights and prompt a reevaluation of one’s priorities and perspective."
Although Gene leads an active lifestyle, one might be surprised to learn he had heart disease. In conversations with many clients, we’ve often found ourselves discussing this surprising reality. The truth is, various risk factors contribute to such conditions, and Gene has a family history of heart disease. You'll be pleased to know that after five bypass surgeries, Gene has gladly resumed all of his favorite activities and maintains a great relationship with his cardiologist! Ha!
What does this mean for our relationship with you? First and foremost, as our clients, your well-being matters to us. If this experience encourages you to assess your own health, and make that doctors appointment you’ve been putting off, we are delighted.
Secondly, this experience was a valuable lesson for us. Gene was granted a second chance, and his first priority was to organize his estate. We believe, especially during American Heart Month, that your health truly is your wealth.
In the spirit of American Heart Month we encourage you to:
- update your documents. If we met during the 4th quarter of 2024 our topics of discussion included updating your will, healthcare proxy, living will, etc.
- Make sure your beneficiary arrangements are aligned with your above documents and your overall wants, needs, and wishes.
- Once items 1 and 2 are accomplished, we encourage you to enjoy the peace of a well thought out and aligned plan. Here is a picture of me, setting the example, enjoying the peace on Cranberry Lake with my family knowing I had updated all the pieces of my plan.
#AmericanHeartMonth #HeartHealth #HealthyLiving