Why You REALLY Need a Financial Advisor
A financial advisor’s mission is to close the gap between where you are financially and where you’d like to be. Whether you need an advisor or to what extent depends on a variety of factors, including the complexity of your finances, how comfortable you are managing your own investments, where you are in your life financially, and – of course – where you would like to be now and in the future.
The Role of a Financial Advisor
Think of a financial advisor as your personal mentor, or personal CFO, who takes the time to understand your financial situation, provides advice, and guides you toward informed financial decisions. Because there are costs involved with utilizing the expertise of a financial planner, some opt to navigate their finances without input from a financial advisor. At the very least, we recommend an initial evaluation of your financial situation with an advisor and exploration of what a long-term relationship might look like. Here is why.
Every financial decision has a personal impact—on your future, your family, and your legacy. These decisions often require navigation of complex emotional situations with rational, reasoned, and personalized advice. At PDS Planning, we develop a comprehensive financial plan far and above simply selling products or investing your money. As a flat-fee financial advisor, our recommendations are not influenced by anything other than serving your best interests and helping you achieve your goals.
When To Use a Financial Advisor
The cue to engage an advisor has often been a significant life event, such as marriage, divorce, an inheritance, or a career change. Perhaps you have increased financial complexity, lack of time or investment expertise prompting you to seek expert financial advice.
- Life Events – In addition to marriage, inheriting money or a career change, becoming a parent, starting or selling a business, having an opportunity to invest in private investments or taking on the caregiver role for an aging family member can all significantly impact your finances and path to retirement and other goals.
- Complex Finances – Even without major life events, our finances tend to become more complex the older we get. You earn more, invest in your 401(k), contribute to an HSA, buy life insurance, receive executive compensation, change jobs and … well, you get the idea. It’s natural to begin to wonder if you can handle it all on your own.
- Lack of Time + Expertise – The research and monitoring necessary to manage your portfolio takes a significant amount of time and expertise, and you may very well be lacking in both. The process often feels like a second job, and honestly, one that you may not be interested in having.
At PDS, we believe financial advice is more than numbers and spreadsheets—it’s about a personalized plan to help you navigate the choices ahead as we build the life and legacy you want, together. Our approach revolves around your goals and how we can help you accomplish your vision for the future.
We gather the information we need through casual yet informative conversations, uncomplicated meetings, and personal care that goes beyond the dollars and cents of your finances.
- We listen to understand your financial goals and the personal impact they have on your life.
- We research a number of options to build your unique financial plan.
- We make recommendations to help guide you through uncertainty and get to the right choice for you.
- We build relationships and provide on-going support and personalized care.
Services Provided by Your Financial Advisor
While everyone’s situation is unique, your stage of wealth will dictate the right mix of services based on your comprehensive needs. This includes a variety of services, depending on the stage of your life:
- Cash Flow and Long Term Wealth Forecasting
- Retirement Planning
- Social Security and Pension Review
- Investment Planning & Portfolio Management
- Insurance Planning
- Proactive Tax Planning and Tax Projections
- Charitable Giving
- Education Funding
- Estate and Inheritance Planning
- Business Planning
Why PDS Planning?
We understand your finances are personal, and that’s why we take the time to build relationships with each of our clients and create a unique financial plan based on your specific goals. When considering whether or not you REALLY need a financial advisor, we challenge you to consider the following:
- Do you have the desire to do it on your own? That includes having enough time to dedicate to planning for your financial future.
- Do you have the ability to filter through a lot of information and opinions that exist regarding your financial decisions?
- Are you able to separate yourself from the emotions that will present themselves, allowing you to maintain the conviction of your decisions in the face of doubt?
At PDS, we embrace the true fiduciary responsibility we have to our clients. We will deliver pragmatic, honest guidance that is transparent and easy-to-understand. Our focus is on creating tax-efficient solutions that enhance our clients’ wealth, not our own.
Let’s start a conversation and get you started on building the future you envision.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION: Please remember that past performance is no guarantee of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by PDS Planning, Inc. [“PDS”]), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this blog will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this blog serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PDS. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. PDS is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the blog content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the PDS’ current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request or at www.pdsplanning.com. Please Note: PDS does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to PDS’ web site or blog or incorporated herein, and takes no responsibility for any such content. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly. Please Remember: If you are a PDS client, please contact PDS, in writing, if there are any changes in your personal/financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing/evaluating/revising our previous recommendations and/or services, or if you would like to impose, add, or to modify any reasonable restrictions to our investment advisory services. Unless, and until, you notify us, in writing, to the contrary, we shall continue to provide services as we do currently. Please Also Remember to advise us if you have not been receiving account statements (at least quarterly) from the account custodian.