Has your plan evolved?

"Doing something costs something. Doing nothing also costs something. And, quite often, doing nothing costs a whole lot more than doing something." – Ben Feldman

When you first set up your financial plan, you were in a different place. You may have had different priorities, fewer responsibilities, and a very different view of risk and reward. But as life shifts—through success, setbacks, or simply time—we grow. We evolve.

So here’s a question worth pausing for: Has your financial strategy evolved with you?

At Bespoke Financial Services, we regularly meet clients who have achieved significant financial milestones, yet their investment and risk strategies still reflect decisions made five, ten, or even twenty years ago. Not because they’ve made mistakes, but because of blind spots and busyness, they haven’t paused to ask if the plan still fits.

And often, their lives and financial plans no longer align as they once did. In fact, Carl Richards once said the only thing we know for sure about any good financial plan is that the moment we finish designing it, it's wrong. 

In other words… the moment life changes, we need to be able to make changes to our financial plans.

When risk tolerance becomes a relic

Risk tolerance is more than a number on a questionnaire. It’s a reflection of how you feel about money, uncertainty, and your future. But the way you approach risk at 35 is likely not the same at 55. The confidence you feel now, the wisdom, perspective, and stability you’ve gained, should be factored into how your portfolio is structured today.

Yet we often see portfolios that were designed for a younger, more conservative you… or occasionally, a more aggressive you! Either way, your portfolio may no longer match your current goals, comfort levels, or vision for the next phase of life.

We believe that it’s not just about asset allocation. It’s about alignment.

Have you outgrown your old strategy?

Sometimes the issue isn’t the market; it’s that your plan hasn’t kept up with your life. You may have:

• Reached a point of financial freedom but feel unsure how to start drawing on your investments

• Sold a business and are facing a new set of tax and legacy decisions

• Shifted your priorities toward giving back, living simpler, or retiring earlier than expected

These changes should trigger a recalibration of your strategy. Otherwise, you may be aiming at a target you’ve already outgrown.

The conversations that got you ‘here’, may not be the conversations to get you ‘there’. Financial planning isn’t a once-off task, it’s most effective when it becomes an ongoing conversation that evolves with you.

Conversations that are best led with curiosity, founded in trust and hold the courage to keep asking: Does this still fit where I’m headed?

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If you’re wondering whether your current strategy still reflects who you are now, or where you want to go next, we’d love to explore that with you. Let’s reimagine your financial life—together.