Working with a Financial Planner: It’s Not just Business, It’s Personal
What do you picture when you think of financial planning? Spreadsheets? Graphs? Investment management and statistics? Retirement plans? College planning?
What about a financial planner? It’s a little harder to picture, isn’t it? The reality is that the financial planner behind the plan is just as important as the plan itself. Why is a planner, and your relationship with that planner, so important?
Because your family doesn’t fit on a spreadsheet and life very rarely goes according to plan. In fact, as John Lennon says, “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.”
A good financial planner doesn’t put your financial data into a computer program and tell you if you are going to be “retirement ready.” Of course retirement planning is an important part of your financial plan. Ensuring that you are on a path that will allow you the freedom to someday work because you want to and not because you have to is a big piece of your financial puzzle . However, there are lots of detours, potholes, speed bumps, and even u-turns as you travel along that path.
Working With a Financial Planner to Navigate Life
Having trouble agreeing with your spouse about your goals and how to spend your money? Your financial planner can provide an objective look at your situation and give you the tools to work together.
Receive an inheritance and not sure what to do next? Your financial planner can help you incorporate ways to honor your loved one while simultaneously navigating the tax and investments decisions that need to be made.
Trying to balance all of the goals that are competing for your attention (saving for retirement, paying off credit cards, saving for college, building up an emergency fund)? Your financial planner can help you map out a strategy that will maximize your long term plan.
Did one of your kids decide to become a doctor and are hoping that you’ll be able to help them through medical school? Your financial planner can help you look at your current financial position and make a determination regarding what you might be able to contribute to this next step in their process.
Did you lose your job? Get a promotion? Lose a spouse? These are all changes that can have a dramatic impact, for better or worse, on what you thought life was going to be. Your financial planner can help you redraw the map that you are using to direct your financial future.
A Good Financial Planner
A good financial planner lives life with you…they can be the “back-seat driver” as you move along that journey. Make sure you pick someone that you want in your car. At First Financial Consulting, we strive to provide our clients with objective, fee-only financial planning. We believe that building a solid relationship with our clients is key in being able to provide great service.
