Many investors tend to overlook – or are unaware of – how the placement of assets in accounts can impact returns over time. Determining your appropriate asset allocation is the most critical step in designing your investment plan. Once that is determined, it is important to locate assets in a way that can minimize taxes and provide for appropriate cash flow throughout your retirement and distribution to heirs.

Structuring your investment portfolio in terms of achieving your financial goals will help you to tune out the noise of market fluctuations. View risk as the probability of permanent loss between now and the date of the goal that your money is working towards. There will be volatility in your investments, but understanding that those fluctuations are not going to derail your future provides a less stressful investing experience.