The financial planning process involves five basic steps. After the initial meeting with your financial planner, the five steps to the financial planning process include: data gathering, plan preparation, plan presentation, plan implementation, and on-going monitoring.
1. Financial Planning Process: Data gathering.
The data gathering session often takes place in your home. It is a whirlwind of information, and may take the planner anywhere from 2 hours to all day to finish. The planner will want to inspect all of your documents. This includes tax returns, income statements, pensions, wills, trusts, insurance policies, investments, brokerage accounts, bank statements, retirement plans, and other tangible pieces of information.
These physical documents are not all that your planner will need to get from this data gathering session. There is also subjective information that the planner must determine. What are your lifestyle goals? Where do you hope to be in the future? When do you plan to retire, and what are your expectations for that time period? Assumptions of the future must also be established. Your attitudes regarding interest rates, inflation, the economy, and various other factors must be clearly established.
Finally, your financial planner will determine your personal attitudes - toward taxes, risk tolerance, complexity/simplicity of your financial affairs. The primary objective of the data gather is to have a clear idea of where you are currently and where you want to head for the future.
2. Financial Planning Process: Plan preparation.
Preparing your plan typically takes three to four weeks, as the planner does an analysis -- the diagnostic work. The planner knows where you are, and where you want to be. Now they need to figure out the most efficient way to get you there.
Their recommendation may come in the form of a family partnership, family corporation, family trust, etc... The planner will examine the pros and cons of each scenario, and then prepare written recommendations. Some of the recommendations will be major, while others may be simple day to day things. Properly done, all of the pieces will fit together into a strategic and complete financial plan.
3. Financial Planning Process: Plan presentation.
After all of the recommendations have been compiled into writing, the planner will sit down with your to present the plan, review any major areas. That day you'll take the plan home and study it. Read and pick it apart. As you review the plan, jot down any questions that arise.
When you meet with your planner again, you'll review the plan in greater detail. They'll answer any questions that you have and clarify the details. As you review and subsequently agree to each recommendation, the planner will prioritize them into your "Implementation Checklist." This becomes a simple "to do" list for you and the planner.
4. Financial Planning Process: Plan implementation.
The first three steps will likely be completed in about a month's time.
The fourth step, plan implementation, takes on average five to six months (sometimes longer). During this time, you will cover topics such as tax planning, retirement planning, estate planning, and other insurance concerns. Your financial planner may want to bring in other experts at this time to consult on specific issues.
In the end, your plan might have as many as 25 recommendations. A few recommendations will be major, broad, strategic recommendations, each worth thousands of dollars to you. The remainder will be fine-tuning recommendations -- crossing the T's, dotting the I's, and making sure your financial affairs are really in order.
5. Financial Planning Process: On-going monitoring and maintenance.
In the final step of the financial planning process, your planner should be retained to help provide periodic updates and on-going advice. You should do a couple of tax planning meetings each year, review your portfolio, update insurance, etc... You'll often find little questions that you'll want to run past your advisor. Because your planner knows your unique situation, you will be alerted to changes in conditions that directly affect your plan.
1. Financial Planning Process: Data gathering.
The data gathering session often takes place in your home. It is a whirlwind of information, and may take the planner anywhere from 2 hours to all day to finish. The planner will want to inspect all of your documents. This includes tax returns, income statements, pensions, wills, trusts, insurance policies, investments, brokerage accounts, bank statements, retirement plans, and other tangible pieces of information.
These physical documents are not all that your planner will need to get from this data gathering session. There is also subjective information that the planner must determine. What are your lifestyle goals? Where do you hope to be in the future? When do you plan to retire, and what are your expectations for that time period? Assumptions of the future must also be established. Your attitudes regarding interest rates, inflation, the economy, and various other factors must be clearly established.
Finally, your financial planner will determine your personal attitudes - toward taxes, risk tolerance, complexity/simplicity of your financial affairs. The primary objective of the data gather is to have a clear idea of where you are currently and where you want to head for the future.
2. Financial Planning Process: Plan preparation.
Preparing your plan typically takes three to four weeks, as the planner does an analysis -- the diagnostic work. The planner knows where you are, and where you want to be. Now they need to figure out the most efficient way to get you there.
Their recommendation may come in the form of a family partnership, family corporation, family trust, etc... The planner will examine the pros and cons of each scenario, and then prepare written recommendations. Some of the recommendations will be major, while others may be simple day to day things. Properly done, all of the pieces will fit together into a strategic and complete financial plan.
3. Financial Planning Process: Plan presentation.
After all of the recommendations have been compiled into writing, the planner will sit down with your to present the plan, review any major areas. That day you'll take the plan home and study it. Read and pick it apart. As you review the plan, jot down any questions that arise.
When you meet with your planner again, you'll review the plan in greater detail. They'll answer any questions that you have and clarify the details. As you review and subsequently agree to each recommendation, the planner will prioritize them into your "Implementation Checklist." This becomes a simple "to do" list for you and the planner.
4. Financial Planning Process: Plan implementation.
The first three steps will likely be completed in about a month's time.
The fourth step, plan implementation, takes on average five to six months (sometimes longer). During this time, you will cover topics such as tax planning, retirement planning, estate planning, and other insurance concerns. Your financial planner may want to bring in other experts at this time to consult on specific issues.
In the end, your plan might have as many as 25 recommendations. A few recommendations will be major, broad, strategic recommendations, each worth thousands of dollars to you. The remainder will be fine-tuning recommendations -- crossing the T's, dotting the I's, and making sure your financial affairs are really in order.
5. Financial Planning Process: On-going monitoring and maintenance.
In the final step of the financial planning process, your planner should be retained to help provide periodic updates and on-going advice. You should do a couple of tax planning meetings each year, review your portfolio, update insurance, etc... You'll often find little questions that you'll want to run past your advisor. Because your planner knows your unique situation, you will be alerted to changes in conditions that directly affect your plan.
About the Author:
Hank Brock is president of Brock and Associates, LLC, a financial and business planning firm. Visit us for more information on the Financial Planning Process and other planning topics.
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