The Game of Money - are you winning or losing?

Exciting life. Boring money.

More and more Australians are finding value in getting professional financial planning advice.

Are you one of them?

Personal financial advice can make the difference between turning a good life, into a great one.

By Paul Rattray and Michael Mekhitarian?

Is a financial planner worth it?

Typically when people are debating whether or not to get professional financial advice, the question they ask most often is, is it worth it??

This is not always a straightforward concern about the fees either, it can often be about wanting to learn new skills … to give ‘go-it-alone’ investing a whirl.?

If you fall into this category, then just take a minute, and be honest with yourself as you ponder this: If you chose not to engage a financial planner, then would you still go ahead with your investment plans? Or would you procrastinate a little longer???

This is worth thinking about because when you’re creating wealth, time is important. Delaying financial decisions can be costly long term. But just as important as maximising the time you have to build your investment portfolio, is making sure you have the right financial strategy in place for your life.?

What do you want?

There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution. For example, my neighbour wants a decent-sized fishing boat, something that is no where on my wish list.

My wife and I love to travel, but I know a few retiring CEOs who’ve travelled their whole lives and just want a few acres with a veggie patch where they can put their feet up.?

But while we’re all different and we all want different things, we can probably agree one one thing? — we all want a comfortable retirement.

At ATB Wealth, we assess where you are financially, what you want, and where you want to end up. Then we provide you with a roadmap for how to get there.?

In recent years several studies have pointed to the fact that despite Australia’s superannuation scheme being around for more than 50 years, many soon-to-be retirees have financial insecurity. With good reason, the statistics show a large percentage of people won’t have enough in superannuation to fund their retirement. This is scary stuff. The Australian government is phasing out old age pensions. The cost of living is rising. We’re living longer.?

Can you retire in style?

Are you confident you’ll have what you need? There’s a lot to consider. Getting organized is one thing, implementing a solid financial plan and staying the course is something else altogether.? We’ll keep you accountable and committed. Because like anything else — getting fit, eating healthier, taking on further study, etc, then moving forward in the right direction, step-by-step is the way to reach your goals. And it helps to have a trusted advisor you can call upon.?

To be perfectly honest, if your investment strategy involves throwing a few thousand dollars into a stock that’s rated highly on an app, and you’re basing your decisions on a combination of Google searches, media commentary and crossing your fingers, then it’s highly likely that you could in fact lose more than you invested in the first place.??

Impetuousness and a lack of knowledge are not the only reasons many ‘go-it-alone’ investors fail. They also fail because they tend to make emotional decisions, don’t have access to credible information, or don’t build diversity into their portfolios.?

What if ‘Plan A’ doesn’t work?

The thing is that personal finances can be complicated because they’re inextricably linked with every other aspect of our lives. But a financial planner will look at the big picture, take an independent overview, and provide you with options, some you might now have even known existed. A planner can also help to revise your situation if your circumstances change at any time.?

But if you’re still wondering if having a financial planner is actually worth it? Well, let me put it this way …?

You work really hard for your money …don’t you want your money to work harder for you???

If you’d like to know more, watch our webinar.?

Michael Mekhitarian speaks with Rob McGregor about how a financial planner can help at every stage of life, and answer any questions you might have.? Remember this is general advice only and you should talk to a professional financial planner about your own personal circumstances. If you’d like to make an appointment with one of our team, contact us.