Meeting With A Financial Planner For The First Time: 3 Helpful Tips
Meeting with a financial planner is an important step on the path to your financial goals. However, the idea of meeting with an advisor might sound overwhelming, as you don't know what to expect or even how to plan. Every experience is different, but there are steps you can take to ease your worries and get more from the meeting.
1. Devise a Plan
Financial planners work solely off of your goals; they do not necessarily make goals for you. Subsequently, it's important for the client to have a financial goal in mind so that the planner can then take this information and draft a plan. Before your meeting, give yourself sometime to define what your specific goals are.
For example, are you looking to build a healthy nest for retirement or are you looking to build wealth that you can leave on to your children? If you're married, make sure you two brainstorm together, as you both will need to be on the same page.
2. Detail Existing Measures
Typically, people reach out to a financial planner when they want to take their efforts to the next level. As a result, it's possible that you already have some sort of plan that you've been working on. If so, detail the plan as much as possible so that you can take the information to your meeting.
The planner will likely want to know how long you've been working toward the goal, how much you've invested, and how much you've earned. This information helps the planner understand what type of saver you are and how aggressive of an investor you are, which will help with drafting future plans for you.
3. Collect your Financial Records
Ensure you collect all of your important financial records before the meeting, as the advisor will want to review them in detail in order to determine how to best help you meet your goals. Real estate records, income statements, banking statements, retirement accounts, and any other documents that detail your financial health are important.
You should also bring information on your life insurance policies, as this information is very important if your plans include wealth building for your children. Remember, if you are married, your spouse will need to provide the same information.
Speak with a member of the financial services team before your meeting to find out if there are any additional steps you should take before your meeting.
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