The first round of the NCAA tournament is complete and as everyone scans over their bracket, some will boast that their pick for champion is still alive while others, myself included, are left to ponder how Kansas (the supposed best team in the country) could lose to Northern Iowa. Next Monday will be more of the same, but only 4 of the 16 alive today will remain standing by then. Out of 64 teams with high hopes and aspirations only 1 will hoist the trophy and be a national champion.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could take your bracket and make changes to it based on who is still in it? What if you could do that next Monday as well? Your odds of getting it right would be considerably higher. With retirement planning, you have the opportunity to do just that! Sit down with a financial advisor and look at what has worked in the past and what hasn't. If everything still looks on track, great! But if not, you can change your allocations based on what you and your advisor feel the markets have in store for the future. Make periodic appointments to meet with your advisor and see if there are some things you can do to make sure your portfolio is on the right path and tailor-made for your goals.

Having the ability to be flexible and adjust gives you a much greater chance of reaching your goals. Certainly a lot better than 1 out of 64.

Steve Hicks

(This article contains the current opinions of the author but not necessarily those of Brighton Securities Corp. The author's opinions are subject to change without notice. This blog post is for informational purposes only. Forecasts, estimates, and certain information contained herein should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. References to specific securities and their issuers are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended and should not be interpreted as recommendations to purchase or sell such securities).