The ABCs of Investing
At FMS Financial Services, we use the ABC Planning Process to make financial choices easier to understand. This framework organizes options by their potential for growth, access to money and degree of protection—helping you clarify your priorities and understand the trade-offs involved. From there, we help develop an appropriate mix, put the strategy into action and review it as your goals and circumstances change.
The ABC Planning Process
Find the Right Mix for You
The ABC Planning Process helps organize financial choices by the role they may play in your plan. It is designed to make the trade-offs among growth potential, access to money and protection easier to discuss.
What Is Your Greatest Priority?
Each category reflects a different balance of potential growth, access and protection.
Cash & Liquidity
Potentially lower returns
Generally liquid
Bank and credit union assets, CDs, savings accounts, money markets, government bonds and fixed annuities
Protected Growth
Potentially moderate returns
May offer partial withdrawals
Fixed indexed annuities, whole life and universal life
Risk Growth
Potentially higher returns
May offer partial withdrawals or liquidity
Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, variable annuities, options, REITs, managed money and UITs
Put the Plan Into Action—Then Review and Adjust
Your strategy may use more than one category. Together, we consider your goals, time horizon, comfort with market risk, income needs and the amount of access you may need. The mix can be reviewed as your priorities and circumstances change. Once the mix is selected, we help put the plan into action and review it regularly so it can continue working for you.
Illustrative planning framework. Product features, liquidity, risk and guarantees vary by product and issuer.