As I grew up and became increasingly aware of the world around me, the sad truth of my grandparent’s financial state became apparent. A rural Texan family caught in a vicious cycle of poverty, my Papaw and Grandma never made the effort to secure a retirement plan and near their seventies with little more than the means to struggle by. They are victims of an epidemic of financial illiteracy that traps far too many families into the icy grasp of living paycheck-to-paycheck, without the money habits to secure their future.
Watching my elderly Papaw having to secure a second job behind the wheel of a school bus while my Grandma struggles to meet nursing patients not too far from her age, I became passionate about building a foundation onto which my future family and I can stand confidently, as well as educating others of the early actions they can take to begin a path to stability.
Through personal research and lengthy conversations with qualified individuals around me, I have learned those essential steps to starting that path and, crucially, starting early in life. Additionally, my uncle, a financial advisor, has guided me through my formative years, allowing me to glean information from every interaction.
That initial education solidified my passion for ensuring everyone around me can be equipped to live the life my grandparents will never get to enjoy. Following my research, I explored the opportunities offered by my employer to begin a 401(k) once I turn 18 in a few short months. I have gained a comprehensive understanding of investing in a calculated method: evolving your portfolio alongside your development, adopted a lower-risk, high bond quantity as you begin to near retirement. Furthermore, I developed the skill of saving a portion of every paycheck to fuel an exponentially growing fund.
From these essential lessons, I feel confident not only in my ability to finance my future but to facilitate others to adopt the building blocks of financial health. Post-graduation, I will be attending the University of Denver to pursue a degree in biology and then continuing onto law school. Though I am not directly interested in obtaining a degree within the realm of finance, the experiences and education I gained from my formative years have forever colored my passion for helping the underdog.
In my career as a lawyer, my dedication to finding justice for individuals passed over by the world directly contributes to getting them onto a path to gain a financial footing and avoid turning into a statistic in the chains of poverty. Furthermore, the knowledge I have amassed in my studies will always be available for those my life touches, as I fight to ensure every American has the chance to build a life for themselves.
The image of my grandparents has spurred my actions as I transition into adulthood, providing a motivation to ensure the epidemic of financial illiteracy is cured in my lifetime.
