Savoring a vintage wine is one of life's great pleasures. But often overlooked in the joy of consumption is the carefully calibrated journey from grape to glass. Similar levels of care are critical to good investment outcomes.
A host of variables can determine whether a wine is great, good, mediocre, or undrinkable. These include the quality of the grapes, soil, position of the vineyard, weather, irrigation, and timing of the harvest.

And picking the grapes isn't the end of it. The harvest must be sorted, the grapes crushed and pressed, then fermented, clarified, aged, and bottled. At any stage of the process, a lack of attention to detail can spoil the final outcome.

Do you know your risk tolerance as an investor? Some people think that because they know their attitude toward risk in general, they know about how much risk they're emotionally capable of taking with their investment portfolios.

But when financial markets decline, many of these people have a rude awakening. That's when they learn that they misjudged their tolerance for risk. Some people would never drive 90 miles an hour. But knowing that you're afraid of a car crashes is a lot different than accurately anticipating your emotional reaction to a market decline.

For many people, it isn't not having enough money that has been the initial cause of financial related stress, it is the fact that they entrusted that money to the wrong person or company and they lost, in some cases, big time.

According to a 2015 "Stress in America" Survey, money and finances have remained America's top stressor since the survey began in 2007. Seventy-two percent of Americans reported feeling stress about money at some point within the last month, which suggests that financial worry isn't just for those at the lowest levels of income and net worth. The survey also explores the effect that financial stress can have on a person's health and well-being.

People often place their trust in financial professionals, because well, they are often told by an adviser or financial salesperson that:

"This high-yielding bond, or bond fund, is a great opportunity."

"You have to get into this new investment opportunity before it's too late."

"This annuity is definitely the safest way for you to invest because you can't lose, while getting the upside of the stock market."

And they are the so-called experts, right?