Financial Planning Assumptions
Financial planners typically make various assumptions when developing a financial plan for clients.  One assumption financial planners rely on is historical returns in estimating assets needed for retirement; however, historical returns are no longer an appropriate indicator of future results (Blanchett, Finke, and Pfau, 2017).  Therefore, using historical returns to estimate future results can have a devastating effect on your investment portfolio.  Because historical returns on investments tend to over inflate actual returns, a more realistic planning model is to use real-time forecasting. 
If we can agree that financial independence is one of the main investment goals, which is to build investment cash flow to cover your financial obligations, then it stands to reason financial independence is one of the first goals to plan for when developing your financial plan.  Real-time forecasting is a method of defining your current financial position compared to the goal of financial independence.  Once you define your deficit, you can create an investment plan to help achieve financial independence.  Of course, this plan needs periodic updates to reflect your current financial status.  The beauty of real-time forecasting is it puts the investor in control and they can accelerate their financial independence by accepting more aggressive investments into their portfolio.   
As prosperity advisors, we adhere to a philosophy of you maintaining control of your money.  Therefore, according to (Butler 2016), we should work on developing cash flow and not a retirement.  A little common sense will take you further in your investment planning than depending on typical financial advice from many financial planners who adhere to the same old investment philosophies.  Take a cue from Albert Einstein:    
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
 
As always, let me know if I can help
Gerald House

References
Albert Einstein Quotes. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html
Blanchett, D., Finke, M., & Pfau, W. (2017). Planning for a more expensive retirement. Journal of Financial Planning, 30(3), 42-51. Retrieved from https://www.onefpa.org/MyFPA/Journal/Documents/March2017_Contributions_Blanchett.pdf#search=Planning%20for%20a%20More%20Expensive%20Retirement.
Butler, K. (2016, September 07). 7 principles of prosperity economics. Retrieved from http://www.wealthywithoutwallstreet.com/principles-of-prosperity-economics/

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