Thinking about the future can be daunting, but putting it off doesn't help in the long run. As people continue to live longer than ever, it's vital to have a plan in place to make sure that in the future, you are financially covered.
Wealth management expert Michael Merlin and his book "Financial Longevity" are here to help. Merlin and his company, Merlin Wealth Management, strive to streamline this process to democratize high-quality financial education and planning for individuals at any stage of life. His main message? It's never too late.
Helping His Grandmother Understand Finance
While some people have boring stories about their foray into their chosen career, Merlin had an early and impactful starting point. As a Holocaust survivor, Merlin's grandmother had difficulties understanding finance — that is, until he explained it in an easy way she could understand.
From there, Merlin developed his mantra: Take the complex and simplify it. As the financial world gets increasingly difficult to figure out, Merlin strives to help his clients create simple plans, allowing them to live without worry.
Expanding Your Wealth Span With Financial Longevity
As lifespans increase, individuals are often unprepared for this longevity. Whether you live to 50 or 100, if your wealth doesn't match your life span, you're in for a rocky ride.
Merlin's book "Financial Longevity" makes financial planning easy with step-by-step instructions to "increase your wealth span and enjoy a bigger, more fulfilling future." The best part is its usefulness for financial pros and novices alike.
Giving Back to Financial Education
Merlin didn't write "Financial Longevity" to accumulate his own money, making the book even more genuine. All proceeds from "Financial Longevity" go to the Perpetual Path Foundation — a tax-exempt organization that creates financial education opportunities for students at all levels.
Ultimately, Merlin wants to provide wholesome, objective, and quality financial resources for young people just starting and individuals trying to develop good financial habits later in life. "Financial Longevity" gives Merlin a platform to level the playing field with useful, objective advice.
Personalized, Transparent, and Quality-Driven Asset Management
Merlin Wealth Management prioritizes transparency, quality in public markets, and personalized wealth management. Of course, this results in feasible plans for each individual and their family.
Merlin noted that the company has multi-generational relationships, allowing the team to work with two or three generations of a family. Merlin Wealth Management ensures that each family's financial planning aligns with their values and the type of businesses they have run or have run.
Starting Financial Literacy Young
People can start their financial literacy journey at any age, but the younger someone begins, the better off they'll be. Merlin is particularly invested in providing this kind of education to younger generations — so much so that he teaches an investment class at his son's high school.
His family also endows a teacher innovation fund at a local elementary school. On top of dedicating the proceeds of "Financial Longevity" to this cause, Merlin even started a successful financial education micro-credential at Kennesaw State University.
An Award-Winning Career
Throughout Merline's nearly 30-year career, he's led Merlin Wealth Management to recognition by Barron's, On Wall Street, Forbes, and The Financial Times. Merlin's philanthropic endeavors have resulted in recognition with awards like the Daniel Ginsberg Award from the Anti-Defamation League and a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Epstein School.
Ensuring That Institutional-Quality Investment Strategies Are Done In-House
Unlike many investment companies, Merlin Wealth Management does all investing in-house, offering a personal touch that's hard to find.
Merlin said, "I think that there's always been a misunderstanding, in my opinion, that if you don't have significant wealth, you can't get that customization." He added, "I just don't think that that's true. I think if people put in a little bit of work, there are so many great resources out there now where you can find information on individual businesses so that you can have transparency and be comfortable with the investments you own."
Of course, Merlin is leading that charge with the personalized financial services offered at Merlin Wealth Management and his how-to book, "Financial Longevity," which can be purchased here. You can also follow the Financial Longevity Instagram and Michael Merlin's LinkedIn.
