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Jack McConnell, M.D. used to be a retired doctor until he started remembering the question his minister father used to repeat each night around the dinner table. Each day when he and his bothers and sisters arrived home, they would sit around the dining room table and take turns answering their father’s question, “And what did you do for someone today?”

McConnell lived the definitive successful life before retiring to a posh gated community on Hilton Head Island. But when he left his luxurious buffer zone to travel to the other side of the island, he was stunned by the disparity between what he had and what those on the other side of the island did not have. McConnell soon discovered through interaction with maids, gardeners, waitresses, and construction workers that they had little or no access to medical care. He thought it was an unfair and inequitable situation, especially given the abundant population of retired doctors on the island.

Soon McConnell started working on a solution. He started approaching the legions of retired doctors to see if he could persuade them to work a few hours a week volunteering their services. Most of the doctors he approached liked the idea--as long as they weren’t putting their life savings at risk through malpractice suits. After one year of preparation, McConnell paved the path for these doctors to be relicensed and insured. He then opened the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic, which is fully staffed by retired physicians, nurses, dentists, and chiropractors, as well as 150 lay volunteers. The first year they treated 5,000 patients, which quickly grew to 16,000 patients the following year.

McConnell’s example inspired others. Today, there are 15 other Volunteers in Medicine clinics up and running. As a result, his golf handicap has gone from 16 to 26 and his leisure time has evaporated into 60-hour work weeks with no pay, but his energy and life satisfaction are up. This is not the retirement that this doctor envisioned, but he is far from disappointed.

In the coming years, as many prosperous achievers head toward the retirement they think they want, many will experience a similar epiphany and inclination to start investing their time, money, and energy into channels of giving and philanthropy. These inclinations will lead them into relationships with causes that will have a direct bearing on savings and disbursements. This is an important philosophical inclination for many of your own clients--they will find themselves wanting to make up for lost time as they reach the level where they have all they need to maintain the lifestyles they desire.

Many will want to invest both time and money in causes near to their hearts. Like the doctor, many will want to utilize their professional skills in charitable environs. By using the benevolence profile below, you can help your clients start the thought process of how they might best apply themselves, once they come to the realization that soaking in the gated community pools for the rest of their days may not lead to perpetual satisfaction.

Financial satisfaction is deeply and intricately affected by a number of relationships in our lives--those we live with, those we once lived with, and those who once lived with us. An important aspect to consider is how there various relationships play in and out of our financial lives and how they can accelerate or slow down on our investment plans. At the end of the day, it is meaningful relationships--more than account balances--that determine a client’s satisfaction with life. Your clients will thank you for helping them give thanks.

Benevolence Survey--Designing a Financial Legacy

In what charities or causes do you feel impressed to invest your time and energy?

What charities or causes do you currently contribute toward?

In what charities or causes would you like to invest financially?

Are there causes that you would like to support on a perpetual basis? On an annual basis?

Are there any family members for which you would like to develop an ongoing income stream (i.e., college fund for children, parental pension, funding for a disabled child or sibling, etc.)?

Are there any causes into which you would like us to look to make sure they are using charitable funds responsibly?

How often would you like to review your benevolence plan?

Mitch Anthony is the founder and president of Advisor Insights Inc. and The Financial Life Planning Institute, training companies serving advisors and the financial services industry. He is a contributing editor for Research magazine and his column “Financial Life Planning” appears in Financial Advisor magazine. Anthony has been named one of the financial service industry’s top “2006 Movers & Shakers” by Financial Planning magazine. His radio feature, The Daily Dose , is heard every day on 200 radio stations nationwide. Anthony is the author of several books for advisors, including StorySelling for Financial Advisors , The New Retirementality, Your Clients for Life , Selling with Emotional Intelligence , Making the Client Connection , The Financial Professional’s StoryBook, and Your Client’s Story. Contact him at mitch@mitchanthony.com

Giving Thanks through Philanthropy