In today’s information age so much is available to us at the touch of a fingertip. With so much information easy to access it can be easy to find do it yourself software or advice. There’s nothing wrong with that as some prefer to handle it on their own knowing they can build a plan and stick with it. For others, building a plan is the easy part. Following through with it is where things get tricky.
And now comes a self serving post.....kind of.
I want to explore why you should consider meeting with a financial planner. I understand this may not be for everyone, no matter how much this could apply to you. Some would rather use all the information and software available to handle it on their own. Others know the information is out there, are aware they can do it themselves but just don’t want to.
If you’re goal is straightforward you may not need to meet with a planner.
For example, all you are looking to do is establish an emergency fund or find a budget worksheet. That’s something you can handle on your own with a quick online search.
Life however can be full of complexities where your needs and desires change such as the occurrence of a major life event.
Consider exploring fee-only financial advisors in your area. I suggest fee-only as they won’t push products that will “solve” your financial issues. Rather, they will listen and ask questions to determine what exactly you are looking for. Their goal is to help you build a plan based upon your needs and wants, not what they think you require.
Tip: A fair amount of fee-only financial planners will offer a discovery meeting at no charge. The point of that meeting is to see what you are looking, whether they can help you and most importantly will you be a good fit for each other.
My plan for this blog is to keep it short and simple. Rather than go into detail I’ll do a simple list below.
You just got married and it’s time to discuss finances. Consider meeting with a planner who can act as a mediator in case things get heated. As an outside party the planner will have a perspective on your unique situation
You just started a family. It’s time to think about things such as insurance, college savings, surprise expenses. You want to make sure the family is protected in case something happens to you.
You have debt and need a strategy to pay it off. Throwing money at a different card every month isn’t working. A planner can help you develop and implement a repayment strategy as well as keep you on it. This can include setting up a budget where you can see your cash flow situation. There might be enough of a surplus allowing you to pay down your debt a bit faster.
You are considering retirement but aren’t sure where things stand. Do you have enough income? Are you close to or out of debt? What will retirement expenses look like? Will you be able to travel? Consider meeting with a planner to discuss these questions and perhaps put a plan in place to answer them.
If any of these apply to you reach out to me to set up a free consultation. If you are unsure whether any of these apply to you send me an email or give me a call. I’ll be happy to discuss it in more detail.