Seven myths of financial planning and baby boomer retirement

Abstract

Myths are tales that combine fact and fiction. Commonly shared business myths help provide the foundation for underlying beliefs about what is important, what matters to the customer, and explain or justify business practices. While myths can be a means to structure information and knowledge, they can also be barrier to innovation in a changing market. The changing demographics in all industrialised markets and the coming retirement of the baby boom generation pose challenges to seven commonly accepted myths among financial planners about who customers are, what they want and the most effective ways to deliver service value. This paper examines these widely held industry beliefs and suggests strategies that product developers and planners might consider to improve practice management and to grow new business in an ageing marketplace. © 2009 Palgrave Macmillan.