Financial Life Planning: What Matters Most
Within the universe of all things financial, there are multiple facets and various choices for financial advisement, financial planning, and/or investment management. Most of these options, whether you (or the family) are making decisions on your own or at the reference of a professional, are solely based on the ‘numbers’ and financial analysis of such. Ask anyone to make a financial decision, without the related numbers, and they will probably give you a look of utter confusion. However, there is a distinct difference between financial planning and financial life planning.
How do you make your financial decisions?
Most financial decisions are usually based on numbers, hopeful rates of return, expenses, fees, etc. All of these factors typically leave out a considerable factor—your life. Financial life planning is just that—an added decision making influence from what matters most to you in your life, what you’re comfortable with, and what you’re not comfortable with.
- Should you pay off your primary mortgage?
- Should you lease that new car or purchase it via financing?
- Should you continue to work even though you can afford to retire?
- Should you rebalance your portfolio when there is market volatility?
All these questions can lead to different outcomes, and of course any good advisor can give you answers based on ‘numbers’ and projected results from each numerically. However, shouldn’t you also consider what you’re the most comfortable and confident in doing, so long as it doesn’t have drastic negative impact on your overall plan? Shouldn’t the person helping you with your financial decisions understand more about you than numerical figures and analyses?
The value financial life planning creates
As financial life planners, we feel that the discovery and understanding of what a client feels the best about, aside from the numbers, has critical importance. We can always give advice based on numbers and projections, but we pride ourselves on the genuine and personal connections that we share with our clients, that stem from extensive discussion and thorough discovery into all aspects of their overall well-being. Future goals unassociated with asset appreciation or account balances, personal goals and desired achievements, wants vs. needs—an individual’s overall well-being, or complete wellness, is the centric focus of all that we do and all that we work toward.
While focusing exclusively on growing investments and speculating the markets may be the focus of some advisors, we feel that helping individuals (and their families) to execute steps toward achieving their hopes and dreams, while also helping to manage their fears and concerns, is the true value that financial life planning can create, and how it is distinctively unique when practiced properly.
At Chatterton & Associates, our team of expert financial advisors provide the guidance and support you and your family deserve to obtain financial success and stability. To request more information about our full suite of financial life planning services or to speak with one of our life planning associates, contact Chatterton & Associates today.
