Financial Planning

Financial planning pulls all your finances together, organizing them and making management easier and more effective.  The more you understand and better manage your wealth, the more likely you are to achieve your goals and dreams.

Creating a financial plan will help you:

• See your finances from a holistic point of view, so you understand how your individual financial decisions impact your overall financial success
• Create integrated strategies that take into account the interconnectedness of your financial activities
• Identify your long-term financial goals and the steps needed to achieve those goals
• Track your progress and make adjustments as you experience new life events or develop different perspectives

Creating an effective financial plan takes time, know-how and experience.  Even if you are using popular consumer financial tools, planning on your own can be overwhelming and frustrating.  Consulting with a financial advisor not only reduces your workload, but also helps ensure that your plan is comprehensive and based on current trends and data.

When you partner with us, you’ll gain:

• Knowledge of options and alternatives tailored to your specific financial situation
• Connections to a network of professionals (accounting, legal, real estate, insurance, trusts) when additional expertise is needed
• Objective advice and support from experienced professionals committed to guiding you toward long-term financial well-being

The key to creating a successful financial plan is ensuring that it covers your current and future financial needs.  The best way to determine your particular needs is by spending time with your financial advisor considering your options, defining your goals and evaluating your resources.  The following are some common areas to consider when planning your financial future:

Monthly Budget

Addressing your monthly budget is an important first step in successfully managing your overall finances.  Failing to have a clear picture of your regular recurring bills and expenses can dramatically reduce your ability to meet your financial objectives.

Savings

Fundamental to building a secure, manageable future is saving for the unexpected as well as the expected.  Saving is easier if you “pay yourself first” and build in automatic savings into your budget.

Risk Management

Risk can take many forms:  illness, accident, liability and natural disasters, to name a few.  Failing to manage risk properly can jeopardize your financial future.  That’s why smart financial planning evaluates the various levels and types of insurance you carry to make sure they are aligned with your overall goals and needs.  In many cases, insurance can also be used effectively as an alternative revenue stream and a hedge against inflation and riskier types of investments.

Education Funding

The costs of education for children and grandchildren can be staggering and are seemingly always on the rise.  Education is often one of the largest expenses you will incur.  Arm yourself with current information about the variety of proactive education savings vehicles that can help you reach your funding goals while avoiding big surprises or long-term debt.

Retirement Planning

Social Security benefits, employer-sponsored plans and personal retirement savings; including investments, IRAs and annuities typically combine to comprise the retirement income for most Americans.  Deciding which retirement choices will serve you best can be daunting, but we can guide you to the options that will support and enhance your overall investment and tax strategies.

Estate Planning*

Your legacy is in your hands.  Only through diligent monitoring can you be assured that your assets will be transferred effectively and according to your wishes to the people and charities you care about most.  Establishing trusts, regularly reviewing your legal documents and beneficiary designations, and examining tax implications for survivors are vital to establishing a plan that provides you and your loved ones with greater confidence and security. 

Getting Started

Let us know that you want the benefits of financial planning for you and your loved ones and schedule an appointment to begin the process.

The more information you provide us the better.  Even if you drop off a box filled with your essential financial records, that is often enough to allow us to start creating your customized financial plan.

Once your plan has been created, we will meet to review it regularly to help you stay on track to pursue your goals.  As life changes, so does your financial situation.  We will strategize with you to help you address these changes and keep you on the path to greater financial success.