Hello pf,
I am having second thoughts about a financial decision, and I could really use a second pair of eyes and brain cells on this. I appreciate anyone that's bored enough, or interested enough that reads through this and helps me out. I'll cut to the chase... I'm 28, with a bit of money in the bank and no debts or investments. I met with a financial advisor that was recommended to me by satisfied family members. I didn't have no expectations, but I was hoping she would maybe help me get a better mortgage offer than I'm able to get myself (I'm in the market for an apartment). We did talk mortgages, but the two sessions I've had with her were more geared towards overall financial well-being and future planning. This is not what I signed up for originally.
Now, she has designed a savings plan which also contains an insurance component, to guarantee my monthly income stays at the same level in cases of poor health/serious accidents/disability/etc. I've had my doubts about that, as the word insurance just screams wasted money to me, and I've been able to make her strip the insurance component to its bare minimum. We've agreed on another meeting today where I would sign the thing.
The insurance is tied with a retirement savings component, and apparently they are inseparable. Even if nothing happens to me, I'm supposed to collect the money spent on insurance back when the time comes. That whole insurance+retirement "account" is set to appreciate with a ~7,5% interest rate, and the monthly contribution is set at a manageable 6,5% of my current salary, with the insurance component being like ~2,5%. I need to contribute to that account for at least 10 years before I break even. After that it just grows, and I can pull out at any time.
One more thing I'd like to add is that I'm not a go get it done type of person. Some would even call it lazy, and I couldn't argue with that much. Had I not met with this advisor, the money would probably just continue sitting in a bank account collecting 0.1% (yearly!) interest for many, many, years to come.
I have not asked for this, but she's pretty adamant that I need it, to plan for the future. Especially when I get that 30 year mortgage I'm hoping for. Well, this makes me uneasy. I'm being offered something I didn't ask for. And I don't want to say I'm being forced into anything, but I do get the feeling that this particular person won't work with me unless we have this "security" plan up and running first.
TL;DR
Planning on buying a place this year, need mortgage. Wasn't doing any real financial planning, or investing. Met with an advisor that suggested a plan to stick to. The plan's retirement savings component is coupled with an income insurance component in case of health deterioration. I've cut the insurance to a minimum (2,5% of my monthly income), but that's as low as it goes. Can't cut it completely. I'd be losing money if I withdrew from that account first ten or so years, after that I can pull out at any time and take what I put in plus interest.
Questions
Does any of this raise any red flags in your guys' minds? Am I crazy for not caring about income insurance and the security it provides should anything happen? Am I crazy for not liking spending 2,5% of my monthly income on such insurance? I'm positive I'm being offered better financial management, and investment opportunity than I would get myself in the foreseeable future. Should I shy away from it just because it's a financial advisor offering it?
Thank you very much in advance for any and all opinions!
Submitted April 12, 2018 at 06:08AM by g0ris https://ift.tt/2JFCBzN
