Our Financial Planning Process

We know financial planning can seem complicated, confusing, and even a bit intimidating.  Our goal is to make the process as easy for you as possible, so you can focus on the things that truly matter to you.

 

Below is a breakdown of what the financial planning generally looks like from a meeting & time perspective over the first few months of our relationship and then annually thereafter:

Meeting Type Typical Length of Call
Introductory Call 30 minutes
First Planning Meeting - Goals Discussion 45 min - 1 hr
Second Planning Meeting - Review Analysis, Deliver Recommendations, Implement Recommendations 45 min - 1 hr
Third Planning Meeting - Review status of Recommendations 30 min - 45 min
Meeting Cadence after Initial Plan Buildout: 2x meeting/year
1 meeting in the spring to update your Financial Plan Jan - April
1 meeting in the fall to review Year End Planning and Progress September - December

We believe in providing a personalized and comprehensive financial plan for every client.  The above process takes into account the 7 steps of the planning process as outlined by the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®  planning process.

Step 1: Understanding your Personal and Financial Situation

This is typically a shorter meeting in which we have a chance to discuss what you are looking for and what the financial planning process is like working with us. 

We then start the process by gathering all relevant personal and financial information, such as age, income, dependents, assets, liabilities, expenses, income, insurance documents, estate planning documents, etc. 

To assist you in gathering all of your financial documents, we will grant you access to RightCapital, which is the financial planning software we will use to analyze your financial plan.

Step 2: Identifying and Prioritizing your Goals

This is generally our first planning meeting. During this meeting, we want to dig deep into your goals, whether they are personal, professional, or financial goals.  We'll want to understand what's most important to you and what you are willing to change in order to achieve your most important goals. 

Step 3: Analyze your Current Path and Identify Alternative Course of Action

This is where the magic happens!  After our meeting, we will review and analyze your current financial plan and identify any alternative paths that could be taken to help you reach your goals faster and more efficiently.  

Step 4: Develop your Recommendations

After we have a chance to analyze your financial plan and identify any alternative courses we could take, we will then develop recommendations that are specific to your financial plan.  This could include how to allocate cash flow on a monthly basis, identify what investment accounts to use, how to allocate your employer retirement plan, apply for life insurance, or anything else that would support your ability to reach your goals.

Step 5: Meet to Deliver your Financial Plan and Recommendations

This is generally our second planning meeting.  During this meeting, we'll meet to review your analysis and discuss our findings.  We'll discuss how the developed recommendations will help you reach your goals and answer any questions you have regarding your plan.  The goal coming out of this meeting is to provide you with clarity around where you are today, where you can be tomorrow, and the path to follow to get there.

Step 6: Implementing your Recommendations

This is one of (if not the) most important steps in the financial planning process.  It's one piece to know where you stand today, but it's another to take action. 

We will guide you and help you implement the recommendations so you know you are executing on your plan to create the future you envision for yourself.  If there are recommendations in which we cannot legally help implement, we will work with your attorney, CPA, or other service professional to assist you in implementing the recommendation.

Step 7: Monitor your Progress and Update your Plan accordingly

This last step is an important step, as we need to monitor your plan to see what adjustments need to be made in the future.

We generally want to update your financial plan annually to account for changes in account values, goals, market growth etc, but perhaps more often if there are major life events such as a job change, or addition to your family.

Ready to Start Planning Your Financial Future?

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards securing your financial well-being.