What is Financial Planning?
Financial planning is the long-term process of wisely managing your finances so you can achieve your goals and dreams while at the same time negotiating the financial barriers that inevitably arise in every stage of life. Remember: Financial planning is a process, not a product.
How to Create a Sound Financial Plan
- Step 1 - Establish the Relationship & the Scope of Goals
- Step 2 - Gather Data
- Step 3 - Analyze & Evaluate Your Financial Status
- Step 4 - Develop a Plan & Create Recommendations
- Step 5 - Implement the Plans & Recommendations
- Step 6 - Monitor the Plan & Make Necessary Adjustments
Financial planning may mean different things to different people. For one person, it may mean planning investments to provide security during retirement. For another, it may mean planning savings and investments to provide money for a dependent's college education. Financial planning may even involve making career-related decisions or choosing the right insurance products.
The right time to create a financial plan is right now. No matter what your income level or what your hopes for the future, you need a solid plan to achieve your goals. Drifting through life without carefully set goals and well-researched methods of achieving them is a recipe for disaster. To enable your money to offer you more of what you want out of life, start creating a financial plan today.
Financial planning creates a direction and meaning for your decisions. Each decision you make affects other areas of your finances. By safeguarding you against financial crisis in the event of death or disability, financial planning brings security and peace of mind for you and your family's future.