Financial Advisor Matthew Zagula discusses three straightforward strategies to help families grow towards a stronger financial future.

Pittsburgh, PA – March 7, 2012 – Matthew Zagula, President of First Financial Advisors and Bleier Zagula Investments, recently discussed how time impacts your retirement money, and offers ways to help build a strong retirement plan.

“I find that time, math and money rarely move in the same direction,” remarked Matthew Zagula. “It is quite strange because the whole idea of compounding interest and capital appreciation are based on a rate of return compounded over time. In fact, the math for appreciation is based on four variables: Present Value, Future Value, Rate of Return and Time.”

“Logically, time, money and math should be aligned and making retirees (and soon–to-be retirees) money – right?”, asked Matthew. “Well, Maybe. If you take risk with your money values can go up — but they can also go down. Market historians and verified data offer long term rates of return that are very attractive but when the economy gets rough, money can (and has been) lost, which is not helping folks and their families grow towards a stronger financial future.”

Matthew Zagula offered three simple strategies that can help those who are saving and planning for retirement stay on a responsible path:

• Diversify between many different types of assets – Avoid biases such as, “I only invest in mutual funds, or just stocks and bonds,” and do not build in a bias towards products you may not understand, such as: “I don’t believe in life insurance.” Allow yourself to be open to all possibilities – they all may have a lot of merit in a well-designed plan.
• Do not try to time anything. Instead build a great plan based on sound retirement planning principals and then stick with it. Allow time to work for you and do not allow your emotions to work against you and your money.
• Take the time to review. Keep track of where you are, what you have and where you want your retirement planning to go. That is the ultimate key to utilizing time and achieving planning success.

For more information on how Matthew Zagula can help, please call 1-800-723-0533.

About Matthew Zagula:

Matthew Zagula has been a coach to the nation’s top lawyers specializing in estate planning and elder law, an accomplished financial advisor to his clients, an author, radio personality and founder of several institutes dedicated to providing sound fiscal advice to veterans and seniors for just about the last 20 years.

Zagula’s experience in insurance and financial planning began with Guardian Life Insurance Company and extends through a position with Northwestern Mutual where he acted as a special agent for advanced cases.  Zagula has an extensive background in retirement and estate planning, and executive benefits.

Zagula has been and continues to be at the forefront of many training programs with some of the nations best Elder Law Attorneys and Financial Advisors.