Whenever we ask the question, “Why didn’t you seek help from us earlier?”, we often get the same answer, “I didn’t think I had enough money to consult a financial advisor”. Many Americans feel ashamed of how little they have saved or, the opposite, how much debt they may have accumulated. Statistics have shown that half of American families don’t even have $1,000 in savings. People often feel embarrassed, and instead of consulting a financial advisor, they avoid the issue. This avoidance often leads to even more problems, digging them deeper and deeper to a point where it’s almost impossible to find a way out of their predicament. This is a major issue that needs to be addressed. We believe our educational system has failed us when it comes to overall financial education. Talking about money is still thought of as a taboo subject and that ideal needs to evolve as our society has evolved. People are more willing to discuss their medical issues than they are discussing simple financial worries. Our goal is to help change this perception.
One of the ways we are trying to help individuals is through free consultations. We never charge to meet with individuals no matter the situation. We’re happy to say that many of our first meetings turn into second meetings, and eventually many of those prospects become clients. Our priority is to make sure everyone fully understands their options. As Certified Financial Planning professionals, we are competent in a full range of categories, i.e., tax planning, estate planning, insurance planning, investment management, education planning, etc. We don’t only help clients with investing their money; we help answer questions that can’t be found by a simple “google” search. Our process involves understanding your holistic situation and then determining a path that may be right for you. So, no matter your question, please reach out. We’d be happy to help or at least steer you in the right direction.
Another important consideration is that we don’t place judgement on your specific situation. We like to think of a financial advisor as a financial doctor. It is our opinion that both doctors and advisors go into their respective fields because of their passion for helping others. Many believe they can be open with their doctor because of the level of trust that has developed over time. That is also true with our clients: we tend to know more about our clients than some of their closest friends and family. And, ethically, we would never discuss your private matters with anyone outside of our office.
So please, next time you may be thinking about making a big money or investment decision, reach out and make sure you get a professional’s opinion. We are eager to help!
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