Comprehensive Overview and Plan
We start with a one-hour meeting where I learn more about you and your goals. After this meeting and once I've received all of your financial information, I'll prepare a plan for you. I will be crunching your numbers, doing an analysis of your situation and putting together recommendations. You might have homework such as putting together a list of your expenses, gathering additional financial information, opening accounts and so on. We will be in contact via email in between sessions to ask questions and clarify details as needed.
We will then have a follow-up meeting to review the plan if needed or discuss specific elements within the plan. Often we have a meeting dedicated to your investments. You may also want to have a follow-up meeting some time down the road. How our engagement unfolds depends on what you need.
Our relationship doesn’t end there. I am here to help you with any future financial questions or decisions, and to check-in periodically to see if you are on track. You can email me anytime with questions or concerns. I won’t charge you for the questions that I can answer quickly. If it’s a bigger issue, we can schedule an hour together.
What's included
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Get to know you meeting (up to one hour) where we uncover your goals, desires and needs
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Written plan that includes a summary of your situation, and my analysis and recommendations
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A "to do" list to help you implement the items we decide on
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Follow-up meetings (up to two hours in total)
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Email support throughout our engagement and even after we're done
Cost: $1,000 per person and $1,300 per couple (plus HST)
The outcome: You know where you stand financially and feel confident that you know what you need to do.
So what kinds of things can we work on?
Savings goals
You might be wondering how much you need to save for retirement, and how you can achieve your retirement goals alongside your other savings needs. We will explore your life aspirations and financial realities, and come up with a savings plan to meet your goals as best as possible. We will determine how much you should be putting aside (using my kick-butt Excel spreadsheets), what accounts are best for these savings, and what types of investments might be appropriate. You will have a better handle on whether you are on track for the life you want, and what you might need to do to get there.
Investing
Investing your savings is a crucial component of your financial plan. You might already have some investments in mutual funds but you feel like you could do a better job understanding what you own, the fees you are paying, and what you could be doing better. I will review your current investments, explain in plain language your investment options, and help you decide how to choose your investments. At the end of the process, you will have a solid understanding of what you kind of investments are appropriate for you and how you'd like to make those investments, be it with the help of an advisor or by doing it yourself. I've spent nearly 25 years in the investment arena - I love this stuff. Note: I do not make product or investment recommendations, but I can show you how to choose them for yourself.
Getting organized
Finances can be messy. Often people have bank accounts and investments with several financial institutions. It can be hard to see your entire financial picture if you don't have all your information in one place. I will help you see the big picture by putting all of your financial information into one spreadsheet. Then, we can talk about whether you want to consolidate your accounts to one or two institutions to make it easier to manage. I will give you a spreadsheet made just for you and show you how to update it now and then to track your net worth. I will also give you a personalized spending tracker, which will allow you to figure out where your money goes every month, and where you might be able to reduce your spending (only if you want to!) and funnel more money into savings. A tidy house means a clear mind - and the same goes for your finances!