Financial planning is the process of setting, managing, and strategizing around financial goals to build, grow, and protect wealth over time. Through an interview process, we gather key information about your financial health and identify your financial concerns and future goals. Then, we analyze and compare your information against your stated goals. From this comparison, we can form specific recommendations to help you make any necessary adjustments. Or, in a best-case scenario, this process can simply validate the path you are already on.

Whether you have limited resources or a sizable estate, you can benefit from the services of a financial planner.

Today, it is almost impossible for anyone not working in the financial field to keep up with the rapidly changing financial products, tax laws, and the volatile economy. Financial product information and planning ideas abound... each claiming to be the best. Putting all this information together into a workable plan can be a daunting project. We strive to explain your options in easy to understand terms showing how each option could affect you.

The busier you are, the less time you have to devote to sorting out these issues, and yet, a comprehensive financial plan can be the key to your financial success. Good planning always costs less than good reacting.

What Are the Benefits of Working with a Financial Planner?

One key benefit of a well-laid-out, implemented, and reviewed financial plan is that it generally helps you reach financial independence sooner than if you had not formulated a plan of action.

Financial independence can mean different things for different people, but, for many, it means the ability to cease regular employment knowing that you have enough assets and retirement income to maintain a certain lifestyle for the rest of your life and provide for your beneficiaries after death. Since everyone has different goals, objectives and circumstances, it is conceivable that your current financial decisions are not compatible with your true goals and objectives.

At Financial Directions Group we take the time to get to know our clients, their financial situation, financial goals and risk tolerance. When you work with us, you should expect to receive these services:

• Personal attention: We take the time to go through a full interview, asking questions to get to know your entire financial situation, risk tolerance and goals before setting up a customized financial plan.
• Help develop an asset allocation strategy: Once you’ve worked with us to determine your risk tolerance, we help you allocate your money based on a mix of asset classes with varying degrees of risk that fit your time horizon and comfort level.
• Advice on specific investments that match your goals: When you are comfortable with your financial plan and have determined an asset allocation strategy, we then make specific recommendations on the types of securities that will best meet your needs. We also provide research supporting our recommendations.
• Answers to your financial questions: If the markets become volatile, we are available to help you understand the reasons behind the instability. If you hear of an interesting investment opportunity or a new stock offering, we have the knowledge to research and investigate these opportunities and to help you decide if they fit into your overall plan.
• Proactive management of your account: We also bring investment opportunities to your attention based on detailed knowledge of your financial plan and goals. Furthermore, we help you manage your expectations by explaining the rewards and risks of any investment.
• Regular check-ups: We call on a regular basis to see if your financial situation has changed. If you’ve gotten married, switched jobs, had a child or purchased a home, your financial plan may need to be adjusted. At least once a year, we review your accounts and make any adjustments necessary to ensure your plan continues to meet the needs of your situation and goals.
  

What is the Personal Financial Planning Process?

Financial planning can be thought of as a science, where a logical step-by-step process is taken to assist you in achieving your financial goals. Our primary focus will be to coordinate all areas of your total planning picture to reach the highest level of outcome for all concerned—emotionally and financially.

1. Initial Interview: We will meet with you to discuss how our company will be able to impact your personal, family and business goals.
2. Gather Data: We spend time with you in a fact-finding interview. This conversation provides us with sufficient information to conduct an accurate analysis. We begin to discover more specifics about your goals and values, and your current financial situation.
3. Analyze and Evaluate Financial Status: We evaluate the data collected to gain a better understanding of your situation and your requirements in order to create a Financial Plan. All the information gathered in Step 2 will be incorporated to determine if you can meet your stated financial goals and objectives. If you are unable to meet your goals, then we will identify current problem areas and adjust.
4. Recommend a Plan: This step simply involves meeting with us to discuss the analysis and plan recommendations. We determine the direction of plan development and prioritize issues to resolve. We work to ensure that you understand and are comfortable with our recommendations.
5. Implement the Plan: At this time, you will have a solid understanding of what needs to be done to help maximize your income and assets in order to have the greatest impact on your desires, goals and dreams. We will act as the implementation guide as well as a benchmark for reviewing the project as we all move forward. Comprehensive planning is always an ongoing process, and we are here to help and serve.
6. Review the Plan: We conduct periodic portfolio reviews and maintain ongoing personal communications to keep you informed and involved. We also invite your input, encouraging you to keep us informed as any questions, concerns or significant financial developments occur. We may recommend investment adjustments when your situation or objectives change or when an opportunity arises to help maximize investment performance.