The first three pillars of wealth are good cash flow, an estate plan, and risk management.



1. Cash flow is the fountain of wealth. It doesn't matter if the fountain is big or small, what's important is what you do with what you have. If you are a good steward of money, money will grow for you so that you're not dependent on a job. You should have at least three months gross salary in emergency savings- more if you carry a lot of debt or have a lot of assets. It's very easy to blow a very good investment plan because the car broke down and you didn't have enough emergency funds to fix it.

2. Estate plan is a basic will, powers of attorneys for health care and financial care, and a medical directive. Think you are too young to start that-think again. You will leave your family and your assets a mess without these documents. They are easy to download and some you can do yourself such as writing down your own will.

3. Risk management is a way to protect what you have while you are accumulating assets and making them grow. Okay, so no one likes insurance but it is a necessary evil. Get the right type for your situation and get only what you need, can afford. The rest you will have to bear the risk.

4. Goals and objectives aren't just a pie in the sky want or desire. Your goals should be achievable and measurable. Use one of the many free capital needs analysis calculators on the web to find out what you need to save and what return you need to grow money to meet your goal. Still can't make your dream come true? Then- change the dream. Take more time to get there or save more or lower your expectation. It's better to shoot for something achievable and if you have more than that, hooray for you.

5. Investments aren't as scary as they used to be. Now with low cost (ETFs) Exchange Traded Funds, you can easily and inexpensively invest over many asset classes and styles---- and you don't need large sums of money to get started either.

6. Retirement Plans are the easiest way to invest right away since contributions can be taken right out of your paycheck. Those contributions will also reduce your tax liability. Always use tax deferred retirement plans as a first investment to get started. It's easy and painless.

7. Tax Planning is another key to wealth. The main three strategies are tax deductions, tax deferrals, and tax credits. Make sure that you are using those to get your taxes down. Remember it's what you keep after tax, not what you make. Keep a lot.

A journey starts with a step. These steps are will help you grow your money while lowering your taxes and increase your net worth. We are all in a hurry to get to the pot of gold, but by taking your time to complete each step you will be assured of meeting your financial goals and empowered with what you have learned.