Peter J. Laliberte, Owner of Florida Based Liberty Advisory Group, Helps Clients Find Financial Freedom in Retirement

Preferring the Term "Coach" to "Advisor," Peter Uses the Concepts of "Stages of Money" and "Red Money vs. Green Money" in Strategizing Safety and Income Streams

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Peter Laliberte

Feb 27, 2014, 08:30 ET

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The name of Peter Laliberte's firm, Liberty Advisory Group, is more than simply a clever twist on his surname. The French to English translation mean "to give Liberty or freedom" and in Peter's case, he takes it to mean "Financial Freedom" when it comes to "coaching" his clients, as they plan for their retirement needs.

For the veteran financial coach – the Ponte Vedra Beach, FL resident, Peter has always found that term "coach" more appropriate than "advisor."

"It's all about providing retirement options that will result in financial freedom and peace of mind. The strategies that we develop together as a team are designed to provide safety of their retirement nest egg and income streams for the rest of their lives," Peter describes.

His branding line defines the key elements he brings to his very personalized approach to the business; Peter calls it the 5 F's: "Family, Faith, Finance, Fitness and Fun." When he calls his firm "faith based," Peter is talking about core values that helps to describe his practice and the way he lives his life.

Peter was encouraged to see himself more as a "coach" when describing his role, as opposed to a typical advisor just doing what everyone else in the industry does. Peter is as much of an educator to his clients as he is a financial strategist, and like a sports coach, they can count on him to be straight (even when the news isn't rosy) and look after their best interests.

Like a great coach, Peter's firm sets itself apart from the average advisor by providing personalized strategies and updates as needed with each of his clients. They hear from him every month, without fail, and they are always up to date with what's happening with their plan. He also generates regular newsletters and website updates which are full of current financial information and topics he feels his clients would enjoy. Peter also has a powerful way of breaking down the three stages of money that run throughout a person's life – and differentiating these stages with a simple contrast of "red money vs. green money."

Peter describes the three stages of money as follows: Stage 1 is when we first start saving and understanding money by simply opening our first bank account, as early as our teens. The purpose of this account is to have easy ongoing access to the money, while keeping it safe and guaranteed. Growth is typically not a big concern for Stage 1 money, and this stage lasts for our lifetimes. Eventually we enter Stage 2. This is called the growth or accumulation stage, which extends throughout adulthood and involves finding ways to grow our money. This is often the "nest egg" mentioned earlier. Typically, individual retirement plans are offered through employers, utilizing instruments such as stocks and bonds or mutual funds held in a 401(k)s or 403b as well as SEP IRAs, etc. People contemplating or entering retirement are usually in the latter part of Stage 2 and may have been working with other advisors during this stage.

The final and most important stage, according to Peter, is Stage 3. The majority of Peter's clients are in Stage 3 which he defines as the safety and lifetime income stage. This is where strategies are put in place to create an ongoing income stream that will last the rest of a person's life. If this stage includes the proper planning, even if a client's nest egg runs out, the income will not stop. Peter likes to call these "green" strategies. "We show our clients how to create what is essentially a lifetime pension through Stage 3 strategies," he says.

The red/green designation means red money is risky and green is for guaranteed money, eliminating the risks. "Red Money" is Stage 2 funds, risky stocks, bonds, and mutual funds that fluctuate based on market variances. Retirement strategies are Stage 3 and are about "green money" that is safe from adverse market movements and generates perpetual lifetime income. Green money Stage 3 strategies are designed to remove the risks from downward market movements.