Part 3: How do we gather everything together in one place?

Once you’re past the initial hurdle of starting to think about retirement, then what? What are the questions you really need to ask yourself? And, crucially, the answers you need to arrive at?
 
We’re exploring the ten things you should be asking yourself right now about your future in retirement. Third things third: how do we gather everything in one place?
 
 

Needle in a haystack

 
Sometimes getting your finances into any sort of sensible order can feel like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole, only you can’t find the mallet.
 
It’s surprising how a sense of order can get away from you. It starts with filing bank statements on the stairs (to deal with later) and it ends with a financial picture that looks like a jigsaw that’s yet to be assembled.
 
Having clarity – a single, holistic and reliable picture of exactly where you stand financially – is essential. If you’re already decades into your working life then it’s likely that your total net worth is spread across many assets. You probably have some of it tied up in property, maybe more than one. There may be unknown quantities (and unknown login details) for pension schemes with current or past employers. Perhaps you have money dotted around investment products and savings accounts.
 
 

Financial decluttering

 
If you’re self-employed you’ll have money tied up in your business too. The more fragmented this picture becomes, the harder it can be to get a good look at what you have available.
 
There’s nothing wrong with presenting a journey of financial decisions that’s seen a few offshoots, false starts and detours along the way. It’s to be expected. But in the same sense that retirement planning is an opportunity to get your thoughts in order, so too is it your big chance to bring clarity to your financial picture.
 
It’s not uncommon for people to be put off getting their finances in shape for fear of opening a kind of Pandora’s moneybox. But that’s a bit like hoping that by avoiding your bank statements you’ll stop any payments going out. You won’t, any more than you’ll make your cheesecake healthier by not reading the box.
 
 

Dust off those skeletons

 
If you know there’s a skeleton or two in the cupboard, then now’s the time to lay them to rest. And we’ll help you to do it. With your Metis LifePlan we can help you shepherd sense back into your financial outlook, once and for all.
 
Stay tuned for question four: “What if we both go into care homes?”
 
If you simply can’t wait and want to read all about it right now, you can sign up to download the guide in full here.

Talk to us

 
We’d love to help. Whether you’re just beginning to think about retirement, your plan is already under way, or it’s finally time to stop putting it off.

Call us for an introductory chat and we’ll see where you’re up to. If you like what you hear, we can meet and go through your vision for retirement as you see it.

It’s free and you don’t need to come with a plan. That’s what we’re here for.