We Know the Difference Between a Financial Plan and a Paperweight.
“Financial Planning” as a deliverable product doesn’t make a lot of sense. Attempting to build a rigid framework that looks forward twenty to forty or more years is suspect. To prove this to yourself, take a look back at your life twenty years ago: Did you envision your personal and professional situation exactly as it is now?
Unlikely.
The Solution? Agility.
You need to develop and maintan a financial plan that doesn’t lock you into a pre-determined course. Having a plan is great, but building a rigid step-by-step manifesto will likely do more harm than good.
We’re all humans, we change, we evolve, and we adjust our spending and saving plans depending on our outlook and expectations. Denying this and charging forth into a vortex of uncertainty in a “Damn the torpedos” manner could likely get you sunk.
Instead, carefully construct a plan using dynamic tools that update daily. Put your head on a swivel so that you can course-correct flawlessly and at a moment’s notice. Build your plan this way and you’ll likely accrue the highest odds of reaching your goals.
Get a Bead on Your Current Reality, Then Call in the SWOT Team.
We ask a lot of questions. We have conversations with you. We’ll do data input with you. We’ll all spend the time to get a total handle on your present situation. Skip this step at your peril.
Then it’s SWOT time. Let’s talk about your strengths… and our strengths, and how we can complement or fill in around your strengths. Good at saving? Ok, then let’s put together a dollar-cost-averaging plan for you. Play to your strengths.
Weaknesses? None? Right. Let’s be humble and talk about what we’re not very good at. Is financial self-control an issue? Do you have money anxiety? Do you stress about investing so much that you leave money on the table?
Is therapy the answer? Or meditation? Let’s figure it out before the Xanax prescription runs out.
Opportunities and Threats
Come up with a plan to implement when truly threatened (job loss, death in the family, natural disaster, etc.)
Recognize that many perceived threats are actually opportunities for sophisticated investors with agile financial plans. Is the stock market down? Most investors view this as a threat to their portfolio or retirement plan. Thoughtful, sophisticated investors with a dynamic financial plan see market selloffs as opportunities to increase equity allocations to grow wealth quickly on the rebound.