One of the things we hear most often from our clients is that they wish they could go back in time to start formulating financial plans at a much earlier age. Of course, as the saying goes, “Hindsight is 20/20.” When looking back, it is quite easy to see the power and importance of a good plan.
The far more difficult task is to actually see and act on this need at a younger age. When we are younger, we are confronted with many questions about our financial future: What difference will waiting another year or two (or decade) make anyway? What exactly is financial planning? Should I wait until I’m older and have “more stuff” to plan?
It is true that many of the rewards of good financial planning are not fully felt for decades. For instance, the snowball effect of compound interest or the ability to retire early. These delayed rewards enhance the likelihood of procrastinating and pushing this task down our ever increasing “to-do lists”.
However, there is also a more immediate reward to good planning. The feeling of control and the ability to see the big picture in an area that too often seems confusing and overwhelming. The financial planning process forces you to think beyond tomorrow and to think about what is important and where you want to be headed in the future. This brings an alignment between your values and how you allocate your hard earned resources, which ultimately brings about peace of mind.
So we have been listening to you and thinking about how we can do our small part to help combat this issue of getting people to start formulating financial plans at an earlier stage in life. Therefore, we have decided to offer a complimentary financial planning service to any of our existing client’s children.
Complimentary Family Financial Planning
This service will include an in-person or video conference meeting to discuss their current situation and plans for the future. We will then develop a concise document that will illustrate where they currently stand and their best options and choices for the path forward. Additionally, we will be happy to answer any questions that may arise and ultimately we hope to be a good resource for your children.
We have tested this out on a small scale over the past year and have received very positive feedback. In addition to what is mentioned above, we have also found that this type of planning can serve to open up a dialogue among family members regarding potentially difficult issues such as future inheritances and wealth transfer.
