It is the most enduring feature of North American financial planning. The entire continent has seen liberal inward migration for the last 500 years. Even Aleutians have originally come across the Baring Straits. Every continent and race finds at least a nook in contemporary USA.

The last 100 years have seen folk enjoy the fruits of sacrifice by immigrant ancestors. The numbers of nouveau riche do not match those who have built portfolios on inherited wealth. Is it time to focus today’s financial planning on our descendants? Financial planning decisions will look very different if we move away from the near term.

A switch from speculation to risk management seems to be the order of the day. This is essentially a return to the pioneer days of the United States. Immigrants did not look for immediate returns. They acquired and developed assets which would increase value with time. Visions of better futures for coming generations must have dominated financial planning in those days.

Savings, selected stocks, bonds, refinance of expensive debt, and realty, are five areas that can orient financial planning beyond our lifetimes. We plan to work on each of these five topics for our April 2008 publications. Your inputs on our choices of subjects matter most. Do please join our forum and suggest matters which you think we should study. You can write for us as well if there is a facet of financial planning in which you have a special interest.