Continuing Education

A few weeks ago, I received a reminder that my continuing education was due for my Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ designation.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 16 years since I first earned it. At the time, I pursued the designation to better understand the experience, as my team was exploring including it in a new advisor development program we were leading.

Back then, many of the concepts felt familiar because I worked closely with financial advisors every day. But a lot of the topics weren’t personally relevant, yet things like Medicare, IRA distributions, and estate planning. I was far from retirement, and my parents hadn’t even retired.

Fast forward to today, and I’m incredibly grateful for the continuing education, refresher reading, the testing, and the opportunity to revisit these topics with fresh eyes.

As attorney-in-fact for my aunt and alongside several family members navigating retirement with retirement now visible on my own horizon, this knowledge has shifted from “helpful” to essential. While we rely on trusted advisors and experts, I’ve found myself in situations where a working understanding truly matters.

Over the past year, I’ve had to navigate areas like:

Durable Power of Attorney.

Health care directives.

Medicare and Social Security.

Probate.

Beneficiaries.

Sixteen years ago, I took the designation seriously and learned the material. But if you’re not living it or using it regularly, it’s hard to fully appreciate its weight and importance.

Have you ever had that experience, learning something that felt interesting but not urgent; only to realize years later how grateful you were that you invested the time?

Maybe that’s the lesson: learn in the flow of life. You never know when today’s curiosity will become tomorrow’s necessity.

Jason