BE SMART, NOTCH YOUR INVESTMENT GOALS

Today, clients have more investment options to choose from. Technology has made it more possible. Now, all it takes is finding ways to achieve your financial goals. Sticking to SMART (specific, measurable, ask, responsible, and transparent) can be a huge help in setting and attaining all your investment targets.

Be SPECIFIC. Professional investor Benjamin Graham once said that failure to plan means planning to fail. It is significant to jot down your goals. Investing is complicated in nature; hence, indicating all the items you need to tick off or risk getting lost along the process. If you can, label those investment goals like "Retirement Plan" to help you stay focused.

MEASURE. Devise a way to monitor your progress to figure out how much further you need to score your financial goals. This is easier when you have a graphical reference or you calculate what you need to allocate for the following years. It pays to prepare your to-do list to ensure investing becomes more manageable.

When in doubt, ASK. Never presume you know anything and everything about investing. No one is expected to become an investment guru overnight, either. You should get a sound opinion from an expert or professional to gain more knowledge about investing. Enlighten yourself. Read books. Ask questions.

Also, be RESPONSIBLE. While technology enables any trader to set up deductions or dealings automatically, it is not advisable to just set and forget these investments. Remember the market goes up and down. Not to mention the movements are erratic. It is important to review your financial plan, as well as evaluate and modify it, if necessary. Again, trust Benjamin Graham to tell you failing to plan is tantamount to failure.

And be TRANSPARENT. It is a major no-no to keep your plans from immediate family members. For instance, if you are planning to create an education fund for your children, they should be the first to be familiar with your current financial situation. Make sure immediate family members know your plans in the event something not so good takes place.