13 Sep What To Expect From A Financial Planner
A Financial Planner is a professional who will help you to understand if you are going to be okay financially.
They will help you answer some important questions such as:
- Will we be able to afford to maintain our current lifestyle now and in retirement?
- Will we also be able to afford to put our children through university, replace our car every few years, continue to enjoy nice holidays, tick off all of those items on our bucket list?
- How much money do we need to save to achieve these things?
- How do we make sure our relatives benefit from our money when we’re gone instead of the taxman?
- What if the worst should happen? Will my family still be ok?
These are just some of the common questions a Financial Planner can help you to understand the answers to.
There are generally three types of people:
- Those who don’t have enough money
- Those who have too much money
- Those that have just the right amount of money
How much is enough?
Stage 1 – Discovery meeting
Your Financial Planner will work with you and try to understand where you are in your life right now and where you are trying to get to:
- What have your experiences been so far with financial planning?
- What lifestyle do you currently have?
- What lifestyle do you want to have?
- Building a picture of your ideal lifestyle
Stage 2 – Crunching the numbers
In depth analysis of your current financial position and mapped out future financial position, using conservative assumptions as things stand today.
- Are your family’s finances secure?
- What does your current and future income look like?
- What does your current and future lifestyle/expenditure look like?
- When can you afford to retire?
- How can I make sure my family is taken care of if I pass away too early?
- How will my plan be affected if there is a significant market downturn?
Stage 3 – Putting a plan in place and helping you to get back in control of your financial future
If you have a shortfall or have too much money, your Financial Planner will help you to put a plan in place and, if appropriate, will recommend relevant financial products to help you to meet your shortfall, or help you to pass on your wealth to your loved-one’s tax efficiently, whilst retaining control if desired.
If required, some of the tools your Financial Planner may recommend could include one or more of the following: –
- Pensions
- ISAs
- Bonds
- Life Insurance
- Critical Illness Insurance
If you are just right then the first two stages should provide you with peace of mind and you should continue to review your position.
Stage 4 – Regular reviews – Are you still on track?
Probably the most important stage of the process with your Financial Planner will be to review your circumstances with you on a regular basis. Afterall, people’s lives change and you will need to make sure you have a handle on your financial plan and the ability to make adjustments where necessary.
Your Financial Planner will also be there to hold you to account if needed. “Did you actually save the £500 per month last year you said you would towards your Emergency Fund?”
They will be able to show you if you are still on track to meet your financial goals and objectives and if not, what adjustments will need to be made.
Get in touch to see how we can help you today. 01270 250800 or planningteam@alextragroup.co.uk
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