Do You Need A Financial Planner?


by Barry Waxler - Date: 2007-05-09 - Word Count: 494 Share This!

At some point in your life, you are going to start thinking seriously about financial planning. When you do, the question of whether you need professional help should come to mind.

It happens to everyone. Something comes up that makes you realize you need to get a financial plan. The event can be something as benign as making good money one year and nearly fainting when you get the tax bill. For many people, it is the birth of a child. Suddenly, you are no longer responsible just for yourself. You have a much more important responsibility for the welfare of your child. Somewhere, you dad is snickering!

Whatever the triggering event, the realization you need to do some financial planning is a good thing. The sooner you do it, the more benefit you will receive. Most financial planning is time sensitive. The longer it is in place, the bigger impact it will have. For instance, the sooner you start stuffing money into retirement plans, the more time it will have to grow before you need it. The same goes for sticking money into a college savings plan.

Once you decide to do financial planning, you should really get some professional help. Jumping into financial planning without it can lead to some serious mistakes. If you need a financial planner, however, how do you find a quality professional?

The first step is to ask around to friends and families. Don't just look for any old referral. You want somebody they are enthusiastic about. If they have a ho hum opinion of their planner, that should be a bad sign. At this point, your best option is to jump on the net and look for planners in your area. Pay close attention to what is on their site. Do they offer a lot of free information? If so, does it carry the tone that you are comfortable with? Pick out three or four and set up appointments. It is time for the face-to-face.

When you meet with a prospective financial planner, there are a number of things to look for. First, how aggressive are they with you. Keep a nose out for the smell of desperation. Quality financial planners already have a sold portfolio of clients. As a result, they are more than happy to sit and calmly talk with you regarding your situation. A person that is promising incredible results or very aggressive, is a planner that probably is not what you are after.

When discussing your situation with the planner, pay attention to the questions they ask. Are they trying to get a full picture of your life or just trying to sell you something? A quality financial planner is not looking at you as a client now. Instead, they are looking for a long-term relationship. If you are uncomfortable in any way with the person in question, move on to the next planner on your list.

Get more financial planning information at UFCAmerica.com.

Related Tags: finance, planning, children, child, life, kids, financial, goals, kid, taxes, plan, planner, parenthood

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