While there are many reasons why I personally believe we all need a financial planner, there are three main reasons. The three reasons why you need a financial planner are convenience, consistency, and the opportunity for growth. Technology has found ways to replace many jobs and this trend will probably continue. However, I believe these three reasons will help keep financial planning as a necessity in our lives for many years to come.
You need a financial planner because of convenience.
Convenience seems to be the key word in our world today. We are so busy, or maybe a little lazy, that we can’t even get up to turn on a light anymore. Alexa can handle that, right? We gladly fork out extra money for the technological advances that are supposed to make our lives easier. Now, I’ve mentioned this before, but technology has given me a life. I cannot imagine living without the technological advance that is the electric wheelchair. BUT where is the line?
I would love to be able to turn on my own light. In fact, I prefer flicking a switch with a hockey stick instead of asking Alexa. Do you know why? Alexa can lose the Wi-Fi signal. Then I have to ask a family member to reset the router or unplug the “smart” plug, so it can pick up the Wi-Fi again. Goodbye convenience and independence! A hockey stick never lets me down like that. On a side note, I actually have a little battery-powered remote on a lamp and space heater that are much more reliable than the “smart” devices.
Convenience in the financial realm.
In our personal financial lives, technology has given us much convenience. In fact, we have been able to completely make our financial chores disappear because of things like autopay for our bills. I even use this in my business. It’s surprising how difficult it can be to make clients remember to pay the $25 per month fee for the budgeting plan. It kind of makes me doubt they’re following the plan like they should?
These advances have helped put our worries “out of sight and out of mind,” but have they really solved anything? One could argue, with resounding evidence unfortunately, that these conveniences have had a negative effect on the financial literacy of our country. Financial situations are similar to relationship problems in that they don’t fix themselves. Ignoring issues may lower your current level of stress, but the long term results can be a disaster. Wouldn’t it help to have a person instead of a phone app watch over your financial situation?
Financial Planners bring more convenience.
One of the great ironies in our society is how much we are willing to pay for convenience in everything EXCEPT financial advice. We’ve already discussed technology, so let’s look at a daily expense like food. We’ll gladly pay for fast food, even though we know it’s not healthy, just because it’s convenient. Then we go to the local grocery store and expect the manager to know what the cow ate on the Tuesday before it died and became the beef options in our grocer’s freezer. Suddenly, it matters what we put in our bodies because we have the inconvenience of preparing our food.
The butcher is paid by the grocery store because we can trust them to put what’s on the label in the package. We pay a financial advisor because they are supposed to be an expert in their field. Mistakes will be made and they often make the news, but I’ll still trust a butcher to give me fresh meat just like I’ll trust the advice of my colleagues in the financial services industry.
Everyone’s life is extremely busy. If you would like to invest as a hobby, doing some day trading, etc., then by all means go for it! Everyone should take some time to learn the ins and outs of the markets. However, I can’t imagine completely managing my retirement alone. The market moves every day. Do you have the time to analyze these moves for your portfolio? Remember, we barely have the time to turn on lights now. Don’t you think paying a financial planner’s fee for managing your retirement is a wise investment? I certainly do!
You need a financial planner because of consistency.
To understand the value of consistency, let’s use an example.
There was a time when social media didn’t exist. We received our stock tips from newspapers, magazines, and actual conversations. Neighbors used to talk at their fence discussing politics and money. A conversation would look like this:
Neighbor One: The new tax plan sure isn’t friendly to farmers. Even if I have a great crop, the market price will be driven so low I just don’t know what we’ll do.
Neighbor Two: Yes, that’s a shame. My financial advisor encouraged me to buy some stocks to mitigate the risks of a low crop profit this year. He said computers are becoming huge and they are the complete opposite of the risks we face farming. I know nothing about them, but my son is always talking about computers. He said Microsoft invented something called Windows and it’s amazing. I’m not sure what windows are good for other than looking outside, but he sure is excited about it.
Neighbor One: Microsoft you say? Sounds interesting. Let me get your advisor’s number.
All joking aside can you imagine the thoughts of people when computers began coming in our homes? Considering businesses devoted entire rooms for a computer that was not even close to the power of our current smart phones, I imagine people were thinking “What sorcery is this?” as desktops were coming into their homes. I guess it could be like the vaccine conspiracies of today.
Today our world is full of tips.
After the neighbor discussion, Neighbor One may have purchased Microsoft stock and did well because they held the stock for a long time. After all, tips like that don’t come every day, right? In the 1980’s, yes, but today, HECK NO! Stock tips are everywhere now.
Before social media, you may have received letters in the mail. One group received a letter saying a stock would go up, while another group received a letter saying the same stock would go down. Either way, half of the mailing list would think the person who sent the letter was a genius. It was kind of evil, but at least it took time. If someone purchased a stock as a result of these letters, the odds are they held the stock for a long time.
Now social media is full of investment groups where anyone without a license can pitch different investment ideas. Even celebrities are making comments that can be perceived as investment advice. People can react to these tips instantly, which may cause crazy market reactions.
Financial planners provide consistency.
In our world, news changes constantly and market reactions are being caused by many different things. A financial planner endeavors to work through the noise and give you the best opportunity to reach your reasonable goals. We don’t get upset when we miss things like the GameStop Reddit trades because our job is to look ahead 20-30 years, not react to a whim that received tons of
attention.
Think about it. Do you really want to make decisions on retirement based on an article shared on social media? You probably read it while on the toilet anyway! That’s not where I want to be making my life decisions. Not to mention that normally, if it’s in the news, you already missed the best opportunity to invest.
My job is to help clients find a balance between enjoying today and preparing for tomorrow. It’s hard to enjoy today when you’re jumping around investigating the many distractions in daily life. You need someone who will be consistently level-headed and focused on your future. Yes, you can do it alone, but do you really want to?
You need a financial planner to provide more opportunities for growth.
Do you remember the Occupy Movement when all we heard about was the 1% and the 99%? One thing I’ve always noticed about the super-rich, or the 1%, is that they always have an entourage. Sure, some are bodyguards, but they also have their assistants and advisors. You can almost guarantee a financial advisor is a part of the group of advisors. Perhaps there is even a team of financial advisors.
When the super-rich have these advisors, it allows the person to focus on other things and enjoy their life. Of course, you need money to pay these advisors, but we can still be like these people. Let’s say your financial planner operates under the AUM model. Then they charge a percentage fee to manage your assets. So, for example, they could manage your retirement accounts for 1%. That fee allows your planner to watch your back and make sure you are on track to reach your retirement goals. Those super-rich people gladly pay the fee for peace of mind. Don’t you deserve peace of mind as well?
Knowledge is power.
By knowing that your financial planner is watching out for your future, you can gain the peace of mind that allows you to pursue opportunities for growth. It’s hard to move forward in this world when your mind is full of fear. We need that foundation of comfort to overcome the fear of failure. It’s hard to invest your savings in an opportunity when you’re afraid of losing the money.
Having a financial planner in itself can be a great investment. We are your coach. It’s not just about picking an investment, it’s about helping you prepare for the ups and downs of life. You’re going to fail at some point and a financial planner helps you manage that failure. We help you realize that every problem isn’t the end of the world. When you succeed, we also help you manage that success. Having a million dollars can last 6 months or you can benefit from it for the rest of your life. A financial planner helps you maximize the use of your resources.
Conclusion.
Why do you need a financial planner? A financial planner can bring you peace of mind by providing convenience, consistency, and by assisting you in maximizing your opportunities for growth. A financial planner is a resource. We all use resources in an effort to make life easier, so we should add financial planners to that list. Look at how much value we place on really insignificant things like turning on a light. Shouldn’t we place the same amount of value and excitement on one of the most important decisions we make in our life?
Your financial plan is a life-long endeavor. You really only get one chance to get it right. Get a financial planner and let us help!
