Advisor Resources For Financial LIFE Planning

In a recent Forbes post, “The Stuff In Life That Financial Planning CAN’T Prepare You For,” I suggested that we all, and perhaps especially financial advisors, need training in being better humans, and that it makes us better advisors when we do. Here are links to some of these resources and trainings that I have personally benefited from:

Books For Underlying Knowledge

These are books that, I believe, will provide a systematic learning path for better understanding the human elements of decision making in general, and financial decision making, in particular. They are listed in a purposeful order, but I encourage you to jump in wherever your interest takes you:

The Undoing Project, Michael Lewis

This is a great place to start, because Lewis is a master storyteller, and this mini-biography of the lives and work of Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, the OG behavioral economists, gives you an opportunity to be introduced to the field in an approachable, narrative form.

Misbehaving, Richard Thaler

Of course, it was actually Richard Thaler, the Nobel prize-winning economics professor at the University of Chicago, who coined the term “behavioral economics,” helping merge Kahneman and Tversky’s cognitive and mathematical psychology into “the dismal science,” effectively turning it on its head. Thaler provides an excellent history of this relatively new field that, along with The Undoing Project, might just prepare you for the next recommendation…

Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman

This is the Bible of behavioral economics, summarizing the major lessons of Kahneman and Tversky. It’s not a “light read,” but it’s important and powerful.

Nudge, Thaler and Sunstein

This volume, by the aforementioned Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, now provides us with our first real-world example of applied behavioral economics. And apply it they did! In fact, this work has likely influenced your life, in at least some small way, whether you know it or not. For example, if your 401(k) is opt-out rather than opt-in, or if it has an automatic escalation option, you have Nudge to thank for it.

Switch, Chip and Dan Heath

Yet for all of its virtues, a first look at behavioral economics doesn’t feel much less dismal than its predecessor, in part because it makes us feel, as humans, like a big pile of mistaken biases and behavioral patterns. In a few powerful ways, Chip and Dan Heath invite us to see strength where others might see weakness.

Behavioral Finance: The Second Generation, Meir Statman

In fact, if you want a more positive take of behavioral economics and finance, look no further than Meir Statman, the Glenn Klimek Professor of Finance at Santa Clara University’s, look at the 2.0 version. (The link above gives you access to a free PDF of this book via the CFA Institute.)

Drive, Daniel Pink

Now we start to move beyond the more technical to the more applicable, beginning with Daniel Pink’s very readable look at human motivation. Why is this so pertinent for financial advisors? Because we’re in the business of helping people discern, articulate, and activate their motivating priorities in life, of course!

Start with Why, Simon Sinek

Sinek explores the core of motivation–what motivates us, and what motivates others to action–in his breakout book. Or, you can get a pretty good summary via his 18-minute Ted Talk.

The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg

Of course, once we have the motivation, we often need help putting it to work, hence a deep dive on the science of habit formation. As advisors, it’s helpful to understand that people aren’t just financially “dumb”–they (we) are all just creatures of habit.

Atomic Habits, James Clear

Clear picks up where Duhigg leaves off, giving us a roadmap to powerful, positive habit formation. Again, as advisors, we’re in the business of helpful habit formation.

You Are What You Love, James K. A. Smith

If Duhigg and Clear help us evolve from discipline to habit, Smith takes it to another level, through to the final evolutionary stage–welcome ritual. This book definitely falls into the “spiritual” category, as Smith’s philosophy is primarily drawn from a Judeo-Christian worldview, but I do think it is ecumenically applicable.

Books for Practice Management

Now let’s get to work:

There Is No Good Card For This, Kelsey Crowe and Emily McDowell

The first book I mention is not explicitly oriented toward the practice of financial advising, but it is no less applicable, because the great human unifier is pain. No Good Card is a crash course in how to say you’re sorry and effectively helping people navigate challenges in life. It should be a prerequisite for every financial advisor, because every single one of us will face this tragic privilege in our work.

The Financial Wisdom of Ebeneezer Scrooge, Kahler, Klontz and Klontz

This oddly-named book is a great place to start when you consider the implications of psychology within the context of financial formation. It’s a quick, easy read that sets off a series of lightbulb moments, making it a great client gift as well as an advisor introduction.

Lighting the Torch, George Kinder and Susan Galvin

It’s unfortunate that this book is so hard to get your hands on, because it is an excellent articulation of the Kinder EVOKE® method of life planning, something you’ll see more about in the recommended trainings below.

Facilitating Financial Health, Kahler, Klontz and Klontz

If Scrooge is the prelude, Facilitating Financial Health is the masterclass, a literal textbook for financial advisors, therapists, and executive coaches (and priced as such). The best compliment I can give the book is a comment I got from another advisor to whom I had recommended it: “This should be required reading for every financial advisor.” I agree.

Practice Management Articles

I’ve written many, many articles about financial life planning, but here are a few that speak to some of that which I’ve learned from the books above and the trainings that you’ll see outlined below:

Behavioral Economist Richard Thaler’s Message To Advisors, Money

One of my favorite interviews ever was Professor Thaler, the co-author of Nudge and the author of Misbehaving…and the dude who coined the term, “behavioral economics.” I don’t think he’d take my call after winning the Nobel prize.

Riding The Elephant: Mastering Decision Making In Money And Life, Forbes

This article focuses on the big takeaway from Kahneman’s work, Systems 1 and 2, AKA, the Elephant and the Rider.

3 Questions That Will Get Your Finances–And Life–On Track, Money

George Kinder’s legendary “3 Questions” can change your financial planning practice…and your life.

Solving For The Qualitative Deficit In Financial Planning, Forbes

This book summarizes a host of the thought leaders referenced here.

Adopting A “Coach Approach” To Overcome Financial Planning Inaction, Kitces.com

This is a long-form article listing some of the biggest takeaways from my professional coach training (below).

Trainings To Attend

These aren’t the only trainings available, just the ones that I have experienced, personally, and am happy to recommend. Here again, I’ve listed them in an ascending order that I hope will serve you well wherever you are on your vocationally journey:

The Seven Stages of Money Maturity®, Kinder Institute of Life Planning

This two-day training is an excellent introduction to becoming a true practitioner of financial life planning, as taught by George Kinder. And I’d wager you get about four days’ worth of personal and professional impact for the two days it requires.

Fundamentals of True Wealth Planning, Money Quotient

Money Quotient is a true gem in the Pacific Northwest, a community led by Carol Anderson and Amy Mullen that has created teaching and tools that have been helping advisors put the life in financial life planning for many years. I’ve taken their 3-day fundamentals training, not once, not twice, but three times–and I’ve learned something new every time!

EVOKE® Life Planning Training, Kinder Institute of Life Planning

This is the legendary five-day intensive course where Kinder, or one of the other excellent trainers at the Institute, teaches you the entire client-ready EVOKE® method through an experiential intensive. I’ve yet to talk to a trainee, myself included, who didn’t consider it to be truly life changing–and if you stack the two-day with the five-day and the Life Planning Mentorship, you can also acquire the Registered Life Planner® designation, if you choose.

Core Essentials Fast Track Professional Coach Training Program, Coach U

Having dedicated many hours to learning about life planning within the sphere of financial planning, I was inspired a couple years ago to see what the world outside of financial planning had to say about life planning. I decided to drink from the fire house, taking Coach U’s 6-day Essentials class that is a precursor to gaining ICF certification as a professional coach.

As I mentioned, I don’t consider this list to be comprehensive, and therefore, I’d love to hear of any of the books, articles, and trainings that would be on your list!

Should I Take My Investment Gains Off The Table?

A friend called me the other day to ask a question that I know many share and that many financial advisors are hearing, especially from those who are currently in retirement. Here’s how the conversation went, along with a few notes specifically for financial advisors to help in the similar conversations you’re having with your clients:

Q: “Tim, my portfolio has done well enough in just the first quarter of the year that we’ve more than covered the income we need from our investments for the whole year. Should we just cash out and take our investment gains off the table?”

A: First, I understand how you feel. We’ve had so many years where gains were hard to come by and a few in which it felt like the bottom was going to fall out. It’s stressful, even in the best of times, so the temptation to take your winnings off of the table in a year where your income goals have already been met feels not only rational, but right.

And yes, you certainly could do exactly that.

Financial advisor note: Our clients are the hero of their story, we are only a guide. They are the boss, and we are the hired help. So in any circumstance, the client must feel free to exercise whatever instinct occurs, because they are literally in control. Furthermore,  we take an important step in any form of coaching by reminding the coachee of their autonomy. A client might be inclined to expect their advisor to put up a fight when they suggest they’re considering cashing out of their portfolio—and they’re probably right to anticipate as much—but recognizing the very freedom they already possess often frees them to make the decision we’d prefer.

taking chips off the table
Taking Chips Off The TableYURI SMITYUK/TASS

The Crazy Stuff We Do With Money—Explained

I’ve got some good news. You’re not crazy. 

That’s the message of one of my favorite books of 2020, “The Psychology of Money,” written by Morgan Housel and inspired by a popular blog post he wrote in 2018. It’s a compelling read and the book offers many great lessons, but I thought this particular encouragement was worthy of the fresh slate afforded us all by the start of a new year:

“We all do crazy stuff with money, because we’re all relatively new to this game and what looks like crazy to you might make sense to me. But no one is crazy—we all make decisions based on our own unique experiences that seem to make sense to use in a given moment.”

money crazy
GETTY

Author and financial planner Rick Kahler echoes this sentiment, suggesting that “every behavior around money, no matter how illogical it seems to you or others, makes perfect sense when we understand the underlying thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.”

What difference does it make if we just keep screwing up? Can we increase our accountability to ourselves? Here are four steps you can take to help you understand these insights—and screw up less:

The Elephant In The Room: How The Financial Industry’s Shunning Of Emotions Fails Its Clients

I don’t think professor Richard Thaler is going to return my calls anymore. Sure, he was gracious enough to give me an interview after his most recent book, Misbehaving, a surprisingly readable history of the field of behavioral economics, was published. But now that he’s won a Nobel Prize, something tells me I’m not on the list for the celebration party.  

(Although, if that party hasn’t happened yet, professor, I humbly accept your invitation!)

But I’m still celebrating anyway, because Thaler is a hero of mine and I believe that the realm of behavioral economics–and behavioral science more broadly–can and should reframe the way we look at our interaction with money, personally and institutionally, as well as the business of financial advice.

Behavioral Economics In Action

The Elephant and the Rider

Of course, even if you’re meeting Thaler for the first time, his work likely has already played a role in your life in one or more of the following ways:

  • Historically, your 401(k) (or equivalent) retirement savings plan has been “opt-in,” meaning you proactively had to make the choice–among many others–to do what we all know is a good idea (save for the future). But our collective penchant for undervaluing that which we can’t enjoy for many years to come led most of us to default to inaction. Thanks largely to Thaler and Cass Sunstein’s observations in the book Nudge, more and more companies are moving to an “opt-out” election, automatically enrolling new employees in the plan with a modest annual contribution.  
  • Better yet, many auto-election clauses gradually increase an employee’s savings election annually. Because most receive some form of cost-of-living pay increase in concert with the auto-election bump, more people are saving more money without even feeling it!
  • Additional enhancements, like a Qualified Default Investment Alternative (QDIA), help ensure that these “invisible” contributions are automatically invested in an intelligently balanced portfolio or fund instead of the historical default, cash, which ensures a negative real rate return.  
  • Some credit card awards now automatically deposit your “points” in an investment account while some apps, like acorns.com, “round up” your electronic purchases and throw the loose virtual change in a surprisingly sophisticated piggy bank.

No, you’re not likely to unknowingly pave your way to financial independence, but thanks to the work of professor Thaler and others, many are getting a great head start without making a single decision.

What is most shocking to me, however, is the lack of application–or the downright misapplication–of behavioral economics in the financial services industry.  

Danica Patrick On Finding The Motivation For Financial Responsibility

I recently asked race car driver Danica Patrick if she thinks there is any validity to the adage that more money simply creates more problems, as the near epidemic documented in professional sports would seem to indicate.

I wanted to know whether she has seen this firsthand, and whether it has been a challenge for her.

Danica Patrick (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)

“I can see how some would have difficulty managing the money they earn — especially if they do not have an existing mindset geared towards savings,” Patrick said.

“But for me, more money presents more responsibility,” she added.

We were talking because she’s advocating on behalf of Life Happens, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of life insurance. But to Patrick, it all flows from a mindset about personal responsibility and holistic self-care.  

“You have to take care of your body by working out and preparing for the future to make sure that it’s healthy,” she told me.

“Later, you do things to prepare yourself mentally, to make sure that you can handle all situations and have peace of mind and have perspective and know what’s important. So then why wouldn’t you also take that approach with what it takes to operate in the society that we live in–money?”

Good question, Danica. It seems so logical, yet year-after-year, I’ll bet two of the resolutions most often broken are related to maintaining health and finances.

So why do we have so much trouble doing these things that we all seem to agree we should?

Well, for one, we’ve learned through the fields of behavioral economics and finance that knowing what to do isn’t the issue. Knowing what to do is a System 2 process, as Daniel Kahneman teaches us. System 2 is our brain’s intellectual center that processes information.  

Doing what we know, however, is a System 1 process. This is our emotional processor, where the will resides. System 1 is notorious for resisting our well-conceived plans, but it can also be a powerful ally, as it’s where resiliency is fueled.

Jonathan Haidt gave us the analogy that System 1 is like an (emotional) Elephant while System 2 is the elephant’s (reflective) Rider. When the two are in conflict, we all know who wins; but when the team is aligned, they are a formidable force.

The Rider is in charge of what to do and how to do it, but the Elephant only cares why.  

The big challenge when it comes to getting and staying healthy, physically or financially, is that the vast majority of information out there is System 2 stuff–what and how. Think: “Lose 50 pounds!” or “Make a million dollars!”

But System 1 is the boss, the “decider,” and the source of resolve.  

When Patrick decided to become a race car driver, she chose the course her life would take with System 1. Then she used System 2 to chart that course.

When people said she was too small (read: a woman), she appealed to her System 1 to stay the course while plotting with her System 2 how she’d prove them wrong.

When it comes to your health, you know you should get more sleep, watch your diet and exercise, right?

When it comes to your financial life, you know you should spend less than you make, pay your bills and invest for the future, right?

But why?

Well, let’s start with an easy one, the one Danica Patrick is advocating for: life insurance.

Why do you need life insurance?

Well, maybe you don’t. If you’re independently wealthy and/or no one relies on you financially, then you don’t need life insurance. (There are a couple reasons why you might still want it, but they’re outliers and probably don’t apply to you.)

If, on the other hand, you’re like most of us–still on the path to financial independence  with people in your life who would suffer financially if you left this Earth tomorrow–you probably do need life insurance.

Patrick saw a twenty-something friend in racing lose his life on the track–that was more than enough motivation.

But perhaps you’ve heard some version of this “why” story, and it didn’t inspire the Elephant to apply for a life insurance policy. It’s likely because the very next thing that happened involved the Elephant getting spooked by all of the “whats” and “hows” of life insurance.

There are so many life insurance companies and so many more life insurance salespeople, all so highly motivated to sell you too many types of policies, that the end result is way too much information.The Rider might enjoy the mental gymnastics, but it simply tires the Elephant out.

So if you recognize the need for life insurance but you’re overwhelmed by the information overload, let me offer a simple life insurance plan that will take care of most:

Multiply your salary by 15 and buy that much 20-year term life insurance.  

Why? (Since I’ve argued that is the operative question…) Well, it’s likely your salary that needs to be replaced if you’re gone, and a multiple of 15 should create a sufficient pot of money that, conservatively invested, will replicate your income for a good while. 

Why term life? Because if you’re healthy, even though 15 times your income is a big life-changing number, the premiums tend to be small enough that they won’t change your lifestyle. That’s not the case with most forms of permanent life insurance.

And why 20-year term? Because for most, their need for life insurance will expire before they do (thankfully!). For most, 20 years in, the kids are out of the house and retirement is close. If you’re just starting a family, you might want to extend some of your coverage to 30-year term, and if you expect to retire in 10 years, get 10-year term.

And if you still need some additional motivation to get that Elephant moving, a final word from Danica Patrick:

There are only so many things in life that we can control – do everything you can to position yourself for success by being fit. When you’re taking care of yourself, whether it’s your health or what you eat or your finances, it’s about self-worth. Never doubt that you are worth it and invest in yourself and your future both physically and financially.”

Adaptation Devaluation: Why A U2 Concert Is Better Than A New Couch

My favorite discovery in the field of behavioral economics confirms what we already knew deep down, even if it contradicts “common sense”–that experiences are more valuable than stuff. I recently put this finding to the test:

Concert of a Lifetime

“You’re crazy.”

Those were my wife’s words when I called her from the road, rushing to discuss what I termed “the concert of a lifetime.”

I’d just learned that living legends U2 were touring in support of the 30th anniversary of their most celebrated album, “The Joshua Tree.”  

(Photo by Andrew Chin/Getty Images)

The greatest live band of a generation playing the soundtrack of my youth from start to finish.

Andrea was on board with going to the show–she’s a big fan, too. But what invited her claim of insanity was my insistence that we take the whole family to Seattle to see the show. We live in Charleston. South Carolina.

You Won’t Get Fooled Again: Understanding the Availability Heuristic in Investing

Originally in ForbesYou’re no fool. But let’s imagine for a second that a major public figure said something—something false—over and over (and over) again. Regardless of its questionable veracity, is there a chance you’d be more likely to believe the proclamation simply because you’ve heard it often and recently?

Like it or not, the answer is an emphatic “Yes.”

You and I are more likely to believe something is true when it’s readily available—that is, when we’ve heard it frequently and, especially, when we’ve heard it lately. This phenomenon is dubbed the “availability heuristic,” and even though it was discovered and named (by Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman) more than 40 years ago, it likely hasn’t caught on in the broader public awareness because its title includes the word “heuristic.”
Nonetheless, the availability heuristic’s power to persuade is not lost on marketers, salespeople, lobbyists and politicians. They use it on us all the time. But let’s explore the errant biases in investing, in particular, that while readily available often lead to sub-optimal outcomes.

Active vs. Passive

The debate rages (and no doubt will continue to do so) over whether active stock pickers are able to beat their respective benchmark indices. The implications seem simple: If fee-charging money managers aren’t persistently outperforming their benchmarks, we likely should not be paying them for underperformance, right?

How Money Destroys Relationships

Originally in ForbesMoney destroys relationships because people can’t compete with money. Money, after all, doesn’t disappoint you, or express disappointment with you.

It’s not that money is inherently bad or evil, but it’s not inherently good or righteous either. Money is simply a neutral tool that can be used well or poorly. It only has the value—the personality and the relational standing—that we give it.

One of the few criticisms I have of the movement to explore the psychology of money is its use of the phrase “your relationship with money.” Unintentionally, this gives money entirely too much credit by implying personhood. Indeed, if you have a “relationship” with money, you’re likely elevating it unnecessarily, and maybe even subconsciously devaluing those in your life who actually have a heartbeat.

How did we get here, to the point where we’ve personified—and in some cases deified—the “almighty” dollar?

Simple Money Is Here

A No-Nonsense Guide to Personal Finance

Unfortunately, personal finance has been reduced to a short list of “Dos” and a long (long) list of “Don’ts” typically based on someone else’s priorities in life, not yours.

But personal finance is actually more personal than it is finance.

Learn More and Get Your Copy of Simple Money

That’s why what works great for someone else may not work as well for you. Money management is complex because we are complex. Therefore, it is in better understanding ourselves—our history with money and what we value most—that we are able to bring clarity to even the most confounding decisions in money and life. As an advisor, speaker and author, I’ve made a career out of demystifying complex financial concepts into understandable, doable actions. In this practical book, I’ll show you how to

  • find contentment by redefining “wealth”
  • establish your priorities, articulate your goals, and find your calling
  • design a personal budgeting system you can (almost) enjoy
  • create a simple, world-class investment portfolio that has beaten the pros
  • manage risk—with and without insurance
  • ditch the traditional concept of retirement and plan for financial independence
  • cheat death and build a legacy
  • and more

Learn More About The Author

The problem with so much personal finance advice is that it’s unnecessarily complicated, often with the goal of selling you things you don’t need. Tim Maurer never plays that game. His straightforward, candid and yes — simple — prescriptions are always right on target. Jean Chatzky
financial editor of NBC's 'Today Show'

Here’s what others are saying about Simple Money:

“Reading this book is like having your own personal financial advisor.”—Kimberly Palmer, senior money editor at US News & World Report; author of The Economy of You

“You can’t manage your money without thinking about your life—and the system that Tim proposes can make a radical difference in both.”—Chris Guillebeau, New York Times bestselling author of The $100 Startup and The Happiness of Pursuit

“Maurer teaches us how to literally redefine wealth in a way that will both honor your life values and priorities while simultaneously reducing your stress.”—Manisha Thakor, CFA, director of wealth strategies for women for the BAM Alliance; writer for The Wall Street Journal

“Amen! Amen! Amen! Simplicity is a gift . . . and this book offers it by the truckload!”—Carl Richards, New York Times columnist;  author of The One-Page Financial Plan

Read more praise for ‘Simple Money’

How To Know When To Get Out Of The Market

Originally published CNBCHas the market’s recent volatility worried you? Me too. It’s inevitable. Apparently, it’s how we’re wired. But better understanding that wiring can give us a clear decision-making framework to help us know if and when to get out of the market.

The field of behavioral finance has demonstrated that the pain we derive from market losses impacts us twice as much as the pleasure we feel from market gains. For this reason, investors are well served to name and address these emotions instead of setting them aside as they (unfortunately) have been taught.

We’ve all heard of the cost/benefit decision-making model, but “cost” and “benefit” are intellectual constructs too distant from the actual emotions that drive our decision-making. We need to address the gut—the “pain” and the “pleasure” associated with a tough decision. The following four-step model seeks to merge the head and the gut. And while it’s applicable in virtually any either/or scenario, let’s specifically address the decision to stay invested in the market or to move to cash:

Market Decision Image Cropped

1) The pain of staying invested is that I could lose even more.