Our Process

Recognizing that the goal to be financially fit is a holistic process that includes emotional, physical as well as financial well-being.   All 3 pieces must be incorporated into your plan to reaching your long term goals.  When we first meet we will discuss your dreams, goals, challenges, health and fears.  We will discuss how you feel about risk, rewards and your historical experience with financial decisions.  As a CFP®, Mary utilizes the Six-Step Financial Planning Process as established by the CFP® Board of Standards.

 

Six-Step Financial Planning Process

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1. Establishing and defining the client-planner relationship
   Getting to know you, your goals, concerns, ideas, and expectations.
2. Gathering client data, including goals 
   Collect information about your financial situation. You and the planner should mutually define your personal and financial goals, understand your time frame for results and discuss, if relevant, how you feel about risk. Gather all the necessary documents before giving you the advice you need.
3. Analyzing and evaluating your financial status 
   Using our tools, we can then take a closer look at where you are at, where you'd like to be, and start identifying gaps in your plan.
4. Developing and presenting recommendations and/or alternatives 
   If there were any gaps identified in step 3, we will offer recommendations to help you get toward the goals we identified in step 2. This is not black and white, and we will listen to your concerns and revise the recommendations as appropriate.
5. Implementing the financial planning recommendations 
   The planner may carry out the recommendations or serve as your "coach," coordinating the whole process with you and other professionals such as attorneys or CPAs.
6. Monitoring the financial planning recommendations 
   It is crucial that we make sure the plan stays relevant. Unexpected events, good and bad, can happen, and we need to know about these things, to make sure we adjust accordingly.