By Terry Pena
We are in a new year, and many of us are starting the year by taking care of all areas of our lives that we have procrastinated with and want to see change and growth. No two financial advisors are the same and who you work with is important because they go on your financial journey with you.
Here are 5 things you should expect from your financial advisor. This will allow you to kick off your financial strategy for 2022.
It's about you- The meeting is about you, your finances, your goals, dreams and desires. Your initial meeting should be about understanding how you view money and what you want to accomplish in the next couple of years. Meeting with someone who listens attentively and helps you build a strategy for where you want to be is key to your personal planning.
Comprehensive planning- Your finances encompass many moving pieces. It is important to get a picture of what is going on as a whole and not just one area. Some of the key areas that you can go over is how you save, spend, grow, protect and give. These five areas, when gone over in detail, will help you paint a holistic picture of what is going on in all areas of your finances.
Strategy- While you are in your meeting, it is important to start seeing how your financial advisor is starting to piece things together for you. Are they explaining things in a way that is digestible? Do they understand your goals and are they working towards helping you get there? Are they listening attentively and do they care about where you want to be? And, Are they projecting you forward with a strategy that is effective and will help you accomplish your goals?
Relationship- Your finances are fluid, they are always changing and many of life’s major events come with new financial planning. You want there to be a know, like, trust factor even from your first meeting. A good financial advisor will go on your financial journey with you for many years to come, so you want to have someone that you believe will come alongside you and provide strategies that will take you where you want to go financially.
Accountability- If you are procrastinating and keep shoving your finances to the bottom of the pile then it's time to take action. A financial advisor will take good notes on the things that you need to accomplish and every time you meet to work the goal is to accomplish objectives. There is no magic sauce or super pill that any advisor has to get you to where you want to be. The truth is it's entirely up to you. The Advisor plans with you, strategizes with you, creates actionable steps but it's completely up to you to follow through for your own financial benefit.
Don’t let anything hold you back from kicking off 2022 with an amazing financial strategy. Find someone that you can really connect with and will come along side your financial journey with you. Looking out for these five elements will help you be effective in your search for an advisor that is right for you. What are you doing this year to make sure 2022 is the year where you make sure your financial plan is a priority?
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Terry Pena is the Owner of One Tenth Ministries which provides education with biblical principles, and a Financial Representative with Northwestern Mutual. She loves being a stay-at-home momtreprenuer, and along with her husband are raising their two kids, Ariana and Aiden in NYC. She is passionate about sharing God's principles, and is looking forward to this wonderful journey with God guiding every step of the way.