Scheduling that first appointment with a Financial Planner is the first big step in getting the advice to achieve your financial goals. It is never too early or too late to meet with a Financial Planner to protect your wealth.
A Financial Planner, being a qualified professional, works with you to gain control and confidence over your finances to support you with building your wealth and accomplishing your financial goals.
Going to meet with a Financial Planner or a Financial Adviser can be daunting – remember they are the expert and gateway to work with to achieve your financial goals.
So, what should you expect when you first meet with a Financial Planner?
At the first appointment, the Financial Planners main purpose seeks from you;
- Identify the advice you are hoping to achieve
- Gather an overview of your personal situation
- Review your current goals and what future goals you aim to achieve
Your Personal Situation
During that first appointment, its great to bring along information which is factual to your current situation to assist us with planning to achieve your financial goals. Documents to bring along with you can include;
- Income
- Your budget
- Details of Assets e.g family home, motor vehicle, investment property
- Details of Liabilities e.g mortgage, personal loans, credit card debt
- Fixed expenses e.g mortgage repayments
- Superannuation values
- Insurances you currently hold either within superannuation or held elsewhere
- Investments e.g shares, managed funds
Setting Goals
Once we have obtained your factual information, we want to get a comprehensive understanding of where you see yourself going dependant on your life stage and how we can work with you to achieve your financial goals.
Before coming along to your appointment with a certified Financial Planner, ask yourself these questions we can discuss further;
- How much do you currently have to purchase your first home?
- Do you want to achieve paying off your mortgage sooner?
- How do I build funds to pay for my children’s education?
- How am I able to purchase an investment property?
- How do I build wealth outside of my family home and superannuation?
- Am I on track for retirement?
- I am soon to retire; what now?
The aim of the first meeting with a Financial Planner is all about you. If your Financial Planner has conversations not directed around you, then potentially they may not be the right fit for you.
After that first appointment, the Financial Planner will go away to identify and plan on how they can best assist you with achieving your financial goals.
Coming along to meet with a Financial Planner sets the motions for you now starting the process of building a better understanding of where you will be financially and how you are going to get there with your Financial Planner.
Stuart Bates
