Satisfaction with Long-Term Goals

Met with another financial planner yesterday, and started to wonder what's wrong with myself. If there's nothing wrong with myself, there must be sonething wrong with such people. But still they let me consider other things which I, myself may not meditate on. Still, financial planner/policy pusher is such a dreaded profession.

She was better than the previous one because the last one was trying to sell one policy to me while this 'self-proclaimed neutral party' is not linked to any particular agency. Flowery language started to flow, 'financial freedom', 'making the money work harder', 'being your partner to reach the life-goals', etc. I started to think of their limitation: yeah, they may be neutral but they are limited to the policies offered by the various agencies, and if it is so easy to achieve financial freedom, why am I not convinced.

I remembered the last Halloween, when Julia showed me pics of Marc (CTC fren) and some other gal taken in Zouk (yeah Zouk if I'm not wrong), it didn't seem so long for the last year to fly by but 12 months ago I couldn't have imagined what I would go through. And come Halloween 2010, I'm rather sure I'll say the same thing. So what's your Mid-Term goals? I was asked...

'so what's the general response?' I enquired. Because, 'Getting married, buying a flat, starting a family, etc' will depend on what happens in the near future anyway.

Yeah, I'm rather short-sighted.

I stumbled again at the question with Long-Term goals. So at what age do you want to retire? How much money would you require after that?

I had to ask about the general response again. And according to her answer of some 'standard response', I had to confirm that the general public isn't living in reality, I quoted a figure and looked at my watch.

The only thing I could agree with was the need for an insurance plan in the event of permanent disability or dreaded disease. Yeah, it worries me that I may have to burden my parents or anyone else in the future but apart from that, I can't agree with her.

Even on the subject of 'Death', does being filial mean leaving behind a sum of money to my parents? I can understand the issue about leaving behind a fortune to bring my kids up as a form of responsibility but not about leaving behind for my parents. Perhaps I was pampered but my Dad had never once indicated that he was 'investing' in me, that I'm obliged to 'repay' them. And it is going to be my stand if I have kids in the future. Am I the few who think this way? Should I also believe that I am more filial by leaving behind more for my parents in the event of my unexpected death? I don't know.

Long-Term goals. Another thing which I don't understand. Imagine knowing that I will need XXX dollars which works out having to save XXX amount per month till I retire at XXX. Will I still find joy in my life with everything mapped out till I retire? Knowing exactly how much I can spend for my annual holiday or ... Phew, I need a break.