1. Helping you define your financial goals
Whether you are on the verge of retirement or wanting to get the most out of retirement, it’s difficult to know where you are or if you are heading in the right direction without proper goals. Your goals will rise out of your personal values and must be specific and achievable. A financial advisor will help you define those goals and build a plan that’s right for you.
Financial advisors are not just for those planning for approaching retirement; it’s also for those who want to manage their money well in general. If you’re a college student hoping to dodge the credit card schemes we mentioned, or if you’re mid-career and want professional eyes on your contributions and investments, it’s never too early to get financial advice.
A good financial advisor keeps up to date with evolving trends, laws and developments. When you’re considering working with a financial advisor and trying to find out if they’re a good fit for your needs, you should come out of your first meeting or call with some ideas about how they’ll help you specifically. If you mention college loan debt and a growing family, make sure they recognize that when talking about options. If you have a more immediate goal like buying a new laptop, you should have an idea about how they’ll help you with that as well.
2. Organizing all of your necessary documents
There are numerous documents necessary for a complete financial plan. Everything from a will to 401(k) documentation should all be in one place for secure storage and easy access.
Does your financial plan consist of a stack of papers that feels like it needs someone from NASA to understand? A financial professional can help with that. Financial advisors can provide advice and assistance on many levels - but make sure, especially when you’re going over important documents, that they’re equipped to handle everything you need them to.
3. Providing a clear financial assessment
Do you know where you stand financially? Working with a financial advisor can help you understand where you currently stand, what steps need to be taken, and if your financial plan matches your values.
It may seem like a strange thing to consider when you’re putting together a financial plan, but when your personal values and financial action plan don’t align, you may find yourself behind or completely absent from your goals.
Your values are what you hold most important in your everyday life. Many people say their families are most important, or their faith, for instance, and they’re doing okay because they’ve got a 401k and health insurance; they may even own a house and a couple of cars - but are they financially okay?
A good financial advisor may show that despite your progress on some goals, you may not have a will in place. Why is that a problem? Without a will in place, there may be no back-up plan or road to financial recovery for your family if you or another immediate family member dies unexpectedly. A good financial advisor will help you keep these values top of mind and construct an overall plan that protects you and your biggest priorities.
4. Supporting you to live and retire with confidence
Don’t do it alone. You need someone who can provide guidance and support. Changes in the market and life can affect the outcome of your financial plan.
Before COVID-19, people over age 55 represented 25% of the American workforce. Now? That ratio is reversed as the older population has been more susceptible to the virus and the younger population has remained in the workforce. If you were over 55 and counting on additional income years, this could be a problem that affects your plan.
Even without COVID-19, many retirees may find it difficult to live comfortably solely on Social Security benefits alone - especially when the annual cost-of-living increase (or COLA) doesn’t match or exceed inflation. Financial advisors are well-aware of this issue for retirees and should be working constantly to help develop additional income streams before you get to the point of needing it.
Ready to Get Started?
Let's Meet!
For more information about any of our Phoenix products and services, schedule a meeting today.
All Rights Reserved | Fullerton Financial Planning
Built by REV77