Book excerpt: During his years of helping south Florida businesses and families develop comprehensive financial plans, Michael Martin has encountered clients whose visions of their future run the gamut from thoughtful and analytic to downright apocalyptic. Here in his first book, Martin discusses his approach to bringing such widely varied visions into focus. In laying out his "Big Picture Blueprint," Martin details a foundational process that emphasizes the importance of planning when making and saving money safely. As part of the preparation that is the key to anyone's financial future, Martin describes strategies for developing long-lasting and tax-efficient income plans, retirement plans, health care and estate plans. Managing risk in the years both before and into retirement also plays an important role in his approach to growing assets that can provide lifelong income. Mindful of the reduced-tax environment in place at the start of this century's second decade, Martin places extra emphasis on tax strategies that can be employed today with the goal of reducing tax obligations in the future. His insights into the role of real estate ownership and long-term care planning reflect his familiarity with the lives of many Floridians.