Sometimes, we decide we’d rather not know the details of our finances. Maybe we’re worried that an in-depth look at our money would reveal spending habits we’d prefer not to acknowledge, or perhaps “ignorance is bliss” and we don’t want to think about how little money we have in the bank. Perhaps we’re embarrassed by our lack of savings and investments.
Financial planners note that these kinds of fears, whether of change or the unknown, often prevent people from seeking financial planning services. We know it’s important to save money and plan for our future, but we often don’t know how to do it, and sometimes, learning seems overwhelming. However, taking charge of your finances by working with a financial planner can help you achieve major financial goals such as buying a house or paying for your child’s college tuition.
Here are a few ways to approach your finances with confidence.
Remember: No One Is Judging You
Whether your savings are scant, you’ve taken on two large car payments, or you’ve made a poor investment, a financial advisor will not judge your decisions. Finance professionals are there to help you manage your money—they aren’t concerned with how much you earn, what your assets are, or what financial mistakes you’ve made. Their job is to help you get into a better financial situation. And remember, you will not be the first client they’ve worked with who’s made a financial mistake!
Don’t Believe It’s Only for the Wealthy
One common misconception is that financial advisors are only for the ultra-wealthy. Many people worry that their money doesn’t warrant advice or that they don’t have enough to invest. This may have been true in decades past, when most financial advisors required clients to have a minimum amount of assets, but today, financial advisors are increasingly offering services catering to people who have less money to invest. These services focus on helping people manage their money, often through online financial planning investment services. Financial advice benefits everyone, even those who haven’t accumulated a lot yet.
Embrace Planning
While the details of financial planning can be intimidating at first, once you delve in, you will likely find rewards in managing your money well. There’s a certain satisfaction that comes with paying off credit card debt, retiring student loans, and building your savings and retirement accounts. The best part is that once you get a taste of the personal benefits of financial planning, you’ll want more.
Know You Can Afford It
While the perception is that financial planning is expensive, it’s simply not the case. Working with a traditional financial planner can indeed cost thousands of dollars, but there are less-customized options for financial planning that are much more affordable. While you may have to trade in-person, personalized attention for an online financial management service, these cheaper alternatives are still excellent options for helping you invest and manage your money.
Also, these services typically don’t require cash up front. Instead, they’ll take a percentage of the money you invest through them. They usually charge around 1 percent, so if you invest $10,000, your financial advisor’s fee will be $100, which likely will be deducted directly from your investment account.
Computer-based services, also called robo-advisors, are another affordable way to manage your investments. They likely won’t require a minimum account balance (or if they do, it’s low), and their fees are based on your assets under management (AUM). The AUM fee will range from .25 percent to .5 percent, which calculates to between $12.50 and $25 for a $5,000 account balance. While you won’t get personalized financial advice for your fee, computer algorithms will create and monitor your portfolio for you.
Online financial planning services, a step up from robo-advisors, offer investment management along with personalized financial planning. Some services don’t require a minimum account balance, and their customized services can range from a dedicated Certified Financial Planner to a team of financial planners. Typical AUM fees for these services range from .30 percent to about .9 percent or a flat annual fee starting at several hundred dollars based on the level of services you need.
Take the First Step
While finance professionals have sometimes gotten a bad rap as predatory, self-serving people, that’s not reality. Financial advisors care about their clients, work with their best interests in mind, and don’t judge clients’ situations or choices. They are focused on finances and helping you make the best decisions with your money.
When you find the financial planning service that best matches your needs and goals, you’ll be glad you did. The peace of mind you’ll get from having and sticking with a financial plan will be well worth the discomfort you may feel when you first reach out to a professional for help.
The post How to Take the Fear out of Financial Planning appeared first on GoldStone Financial Group.
