As mentioned, I am taking a night course at Fox Valley Technical College called "Retirement Planning Today". It is advertised as appropriate for people ages 50-70. The first session was several days ago.
I have an adversion for what Margaret calls bottom dwelling, skum suckers. The list is usually credit card companies, insurance sales people and real estate agents. When you deal with those types, put you hand on your wallet and squeeze tightly. Add financial companies offering seminars. They promise is to present unbiased retirement planning information. No sales pressure! Yeah, rigtht.
Well my financial planning course is offered by Company out of Green Bay that helps you with your financial affairs and just happens to sell annuities, mutual funds and insurance. It is owned by Mr. Nero who just bought the company. His motivation is pay off his new company. Helping him is a man who spent 29 years in the State Prison system. I assume he was a guard (at least I hope so). I think he is Nero's body guard. The third member of the teaching team spent many years in the commodity markets which is very speculative in nature. So we have a "strapped" business owner, a body guard and a gambler teaching retirement principles. Nothing to fear!
They promise at the outset to present information in a professional manner and that this would not be a sales seminar. They would however be available at the breaks and after the evening presentation. They would also be pleased to set up a one hour "one on one" session to help you review you personal retirement situation at a later date. Isn't that generous! The slick part of the "hustle" is that during the seminar, they gloss over important financial facts and spend lots of time on annuities and insurance products. I think they make most of their money on annuities.
The truth is that the 45 people attending the seminar are moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas that have spent years saving up for retirement (notice I didn't mention widows and orphans). The teaching team, namely the boss, the body guard and the gambler are there to help. It is definitely a "shark alert". It like swimming in a tank full of sharks. The predators are circling.
So as I am leaving the seminar after the first night, I make sure that other people get "button-holed" at the door and I avoid any eye contant with the sharks. Never make eye contact with a shark. I escape uscathed.
Maybe I'm paranoid. Mom says I am a suspicious soul. Maybe, but I still have my wallet.
I go back in the shark tank one more time. Since this will be their last chance to entice me into their confidence, I'll need to take along my shark repellant and a stun gun. Fear not, I shall survive.
Beware of shark attacks.
Love,
Dad
You know this may require a brave soul to help save those who are all huddled together hoping they won't get attacked.....