I’ve been hearing a lot lately about bed bugs making a comeback.  So I decided to do a little research on them to see just how big is a bed bug, because I wanted to know if I could even see them.  I found out that these little guys are pretty annoying and can drive you crazy in a hurry.  It turns out that you can see them, but you really have to look for them because they are pretty small.  Here’s a few pictures just to give you an idea.

As you can see, bed bugs are very small, but they are visible to the naked eye if you are looking for them.  However, the irritation and discomfort that bed bugs cause is very easy to see and feel.  Chances are that you’ll know you have them before you ever see them.    Here’s what the bites can look like:

Bed bug bites are very painful and itchy, and are often mistaken for mosquito bites or pimples.  They also can look very different from person to person, which is another reason why they can be so hard to diagnose.

I also learned that once you find out you have bed bugs, they are very costly to get rid of (upwards of $1500).  The extermination process is different from getting rid of other pests like spiders or cockroaches, etc.  And it is highly recommended that you hire a professional to do the job.  Other alternatives are:  1.  Throwing your infected beds, couches and chairs out the window and hoping that the bed bugs all go with them, or:  2.  Living in misery with your bed bugs and all their bites as they feast on you each night.

For more information on bed bugs, how to diagnose them, and how to get rid of them, visit www.how-big-is-a-bed-bug.com

OK, so by now you’re probably squirming in your chair and maybe feeling a little something crawling on your leg, back or neck.  Now that I’ve got your attention, what the heck does this have to do with personal financial planning?

Many of us have little FINANCIAL  bed bugs crawing around wrecking havoc on our personal financial plans.  They can be small and hard to notice, yet they can cause enormous amounts of pain and suffering for you and your family.  The key to getting rid of them is knowing what to look for, and knowing what the symptoms are, and only then do you have a good chance identifying the problem and getting rid of it.

Here’s a short list of just a few of the financial planning bed bugs you might have:

• Investment fees that are too high
• Advisor fees that are too high
• Paying more than you should in taxes
• Paying more than you should for health insurance
• Over spending your bank account
• Not saving enough for retirement
• Not having the appropriate estate planning documents in place
• Not having enough life insurance
• Having too much money at risk in a volatile market

Like I said, this is just a short list to get you started, and I could go on for pages.  Having any one of these problems can and will greatly disrupt your retirement income plan.  Just like with actual bed bugs, getting rid of financial bed bugs often requires the help of a professional.  A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNING (TM) professional is well equipped to help you identify exactly what is causing your financial pain, and then getting rid of the problem.

If you have been feeling uneasy about your financial situation, or wondering if you might have some of these hard-to-see problems, please call us today.  We will be happy to give you a no-obligation consultation of your situation, and make a diagnosis.  Sometimes just having a second opinion from an expert is all you need to confirm what you already suspected.  Most times we can also find many other problems that you never knew you had.  Having a professional on your side who is committed to helping you rid your financial plan of anything that is throwing it off course is invaluable.  A competent advisor such as this will help you create, and stick to a plan that will ensure your success.  Call us today for an appointment at 1-866-983-4222.