{"id":23179,"date":"2026-07-31T14:06:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T09:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=23179"},"modified":"2026-07-31T14:06:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T09:06:23","slug":"true-financial-independence-means-building-a-team-not-going-alone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=23179","title":{"rendered":"True financial independence means building a team, not going alone"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">Most Americans believe financial success is about making the right decisions.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">I disagree.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">After more than 30 years helping families <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_opinion_article_main-content_article-body_6_2043819\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/economy\/investment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">build wealth<\/a> and managing billions of dollars, I&#8217;ve learned something different from experience. Financial success is often about avoiding the wrong ones.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_opinion_article_main-content_article-body_6_2043820\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/opinion\/desperate-financial-check-up-show-money\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>WE ALL ARE DESPERATE FOR A FINANCIAL CHECK-UP. TIME TO SAY, \u2018SHOW ME THE MONEY!\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">That&#8217;s why one habit separates people who consistently build wealth from those who struggle to keep it. They don&#8217;t make major financial decisions alone.<\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/343\/192\/nyc-economy.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/686\/384\/nyc-economy.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/672\/378\/nyc-economy.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1344\/756\/nyc-economy.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/931\/523\/nyc-economy.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1862\/1046\/nyc-economy.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/720\/405\/nyc-economy.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1440\/810\/nyc-economy.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1200\/675\/nyc-economy.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"US Stocks Flat As Private Jobs Data Sparks Growth Concerns\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.<\/span> <span>(Michael Nagle\/Bloomberg)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Ironically, the more successful you become, the easier it is to believe you don&#8217;t need advice. You earn more, accumulate more assets and start trusting your own judgment above everyone else&#8217;s.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">That&#8217;s exactly when mistakes become the most expensive.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Buying a <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_opinion_article_main-content_article-body_6_2043821\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/real-estate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">vacation home.<\/a> Selling a business. Exercising stock options. Investing a large inheritance. Taking Social Security. Retiring a few years early.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">One poor decision in any of these areas can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Yet many people spend more time reading online reviews before buying a $500 television than they do seeking advice before making a $500,000 <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_opinion_article_main-content_article-body_6_2043822\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/finance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">financial decision<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">That doesn&#8217;t make sense.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The most financially successful people I know all have what I call a Financial Board of Directors.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Businesses have boards because even exceptional CEOs have blind spots. Your financial life deserves the same level of accountability.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Your Financial Board of Directors doesn&#8217;t have to be formal. It simply needs to include people who bring different perspectives and aren&#8217;t afraid to challenge your thinking.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Here are four people worth having in your corner.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"pull-quote\">\n<p class=\"quote-text\">Ironically, the more successful you become, the easier it is to believe you don&#8217;t need advice. You earn more, accumulate more assets and start trusting your own judgment above everyone else&#8217;s.<\/p>\n<p> <!----><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2 data-layout-index=\"5\">Someone who asks hard questions<\/h2>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">We naturally seek out people who agree with us. That&#8217;s comforting but it&#8217;s also dangerous. The best financial decisions are often sharpened by someone willing to ask, &#8220;What if you&#8217;re wrong?&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 data-layout-index=\"5\">Someone with nothing to gain<\/h2>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Good advice is easiest to trust when the person giving it isn&#8217;t earning a commission, selling a product, or benefiting from your decision. Every major financial move deserves at least one truly objective opinion.<\/p>\n<h2 data-layout-index=\"5\">Someone with experience<\/h2>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_opinion_article_main-content_article-body_6_2043824\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/finance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Financial markets<\/a> change. Tax laws change. Human behavior doesn&#8217;t. Someone who has lived through multiple recessions, bull markets, housing booms and crashes has perspective that no spreadsheet can provide.<\/p>\n<h2 data-layout-index=\"5\">A professional who knows what you don&#8217;t<\/h2>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Even successful people have knowledge gaps. Tax planning, estate strategies, insurance, investments, and business succession all require specialized expertise. Knowing when to ask for help isn&#8217;t weakness. It\u2019s wisdom.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_opinion_article_main-content_article-body_6_2043825\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/finance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Behavioral finance<\/a> has repeatedly shown that emotion is one of the biggest enemies of good decision-making. Fear causes people to sell at the bottom. Greed convinces them to chase investments after they&#8217;ve already skyrocketed. Pride keeps them from admitting a mistake.<\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/343\/192\/riverside-plaza-complex-building.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/686\/384\/riverside-plaza-complex-building.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/672\/378\/riverside-plaza-complex-building.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1344\/756\/riverside-plaza-complex-building.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/931\/523\/riverside-plaza-complex-building.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1862\/1046\/riverside-plaza-complex-building.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/720\/405\/riverside-plaza-complex-building.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1440\/810\/riverside-plaza-complex-building.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1200\/675\/riverside-plaza-complex-building.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Riverside Plaza towers against blue sky in Minneapolis\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>The Riverside Plaza apartment towers dominate the skyline of Minneapolis\u2019 Cedar\u2013Riverside neighborhood.<\/span> <span>(Michael Dorgan\/Fox News Digital)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The problem usually isn&#8217;t intelligence. It&#8217;s emotion. That&#8217;s why perspective is so valuable.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">One of the biggest myths in America is that financial independence means doing everything yourself.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">It doesn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">It means building a team that helps you make better decisions.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The wealthiest families rarely rely on a single opinion. They ask questions. They challenge assumptions. They seek different viewpoints before making life-changing financial moves.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Maybe we should as well.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Before your next major financial decision, ask yourself four questions:<\/p>\n<ul data-layout-index=\"5\">\n<li>Who can challenge my thinking?<\/li>\n<li>Who has nothing to gain from my decision?<\/li>\n<li>Who has experience I don&#8217;t?<\/li>\n<li>Have I allowed emotion to outweigh logic?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"pull-quote\">\n<p class=\"quote-text\">Good advice is easiest to trust when the person giving it isn&#8217;t earning a commission, selling a product, or benefiting from your decision. Every major financial move deserves at least one truly objective opinion.<\/p>\n<p> <!----><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_opinion_article_main-content_article-body_6_2043827\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/opinion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Those four questions may save you far more money than finding the next hot stock. Because <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_opinion_article_main-content_article-body_6_2043828\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/economy\/growth\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">building wealth<\/a> isn&#8217;t about getting every decision right. It&#8217;s about avoiding the handful of mistakes that can permanently set you back.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The smartest financial move you&#8217;ll ever make may not be the investment you choose.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">It may be the conversation you have before making it.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_opinion_article_main-content_article-body_6_2043830\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/person\/j\/ted-jenkin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><u>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM TED JENKIN<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Most Americans believe financial success is about making the right decisions. I disagree. After more than 30 years helping families build wealth and managing billions of dollars, I&#8217;ve learned something different from experience. Financial success is often about avoiding the wrong ones. WE ALL ARE DESPERATE FOR&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23180,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/nyc-economy.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23179\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/23180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}