In our 40's, 50's and 60's, many have established careers and families and are most intent on putting aside money for their future retirement. They recognize that they are working hard for their money and want to be sure their money is working hard for them, too.  It becomes more important to protect and preserve assets as the reality of retirement is setting in and securing a solid, well executed plan provides the greatest opportunity to impact you future retirement nest egg. While retirement may still be years away, it's important to understand tools and strategies available to help maximize growth while mitigating risk.