Benefits of Choosing a CFP® for Your Financial Planning

Financial planning used to be viewed as a tool only appropriate for millionaires and those making six-figure salaries on an annual basis. Believe it or not, financial planning is available to more Americans than ever before. The annual cost of financial planning is low, compared to the price of a costly mistake. Working with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional is the best way to approach your plans for the future of your fiscal health, but what are the benefits of choosing a CFP®?

Assist in a Variety of Decisions

Your financial health isn't just a matter of comparing your income to your expenses. There are a lot of unknown variables that need to be taken into consideration when you are establishing a clear-cut financial plan for your present, and for the future. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional can not only help you develop a livable budget that balances your income and expenses effectively, but can also:

• Help you set realistic financial and personal goals, such as saving for retirement, saving for vacations, investing, and providing for the future education of your child or children.

• Assess your complete financial health by looking not just at your income and expenses, but also your assets, liabilities, insurance, taxes, and estate plans.

• Develop a reliable and realistic plan to meet your goals regardless of changing legislation or market adjustments.

Working with a CFP® is about more than managing the money you make, it's about managing the money you hold on to and hope to pass on. If you haven't thought about disability insurance and/or life insurance plans to provide for your spouse and/or children, a CFP® even has the qualifications to help guide you through that process.

Benefit from the Four E's

When you make the decision to work with a professional CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ on your financial goals, you'll enjoy the benefits of the Four E's that guide all CFP®s. What exactly are the Four E's?

The Four E's are:

• Education

• Examination

• Experience

• Ethics

Education

All CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals are required to complete a comprehensive college or university course study that involves personal financial planning curriculum. However, not just any curriculum is applicable in this process. The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Board must approve the curriculum, and a CFP® must graduate with a bachelor's degree in a relevant financial field to ply their trade.

Examination

Simply graduating from a college or university with a bachelor's degree isn't enough though. Qualified CFP®s must complete the CFP® Board's comprehensive examination program, which tests their ability to integrate and apply financial knowledge to real-world situations.

Experience

Before a CFP® can practice on their own and offer you financial advice, they must acquire 3 years of financial planning related experience or complete a limited 2-year structured option before earning the right to use the title "CFP®" in a professional capacity.

Ethics

Last but not least, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ must voluntarily adhere to the CFP® Board's code of ethics and additional mandated requirements. This includes providing financial planning as a fiduciary to you, the client. This means that at all times, the CFP®'s advice must be in your best interest, and not the financial interests of the CFP®.

You have a lot of choices when it comes to planning for your fiscal future. Only a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional has the education, experience, ethics, and examination to ensure that you receive the best service possible. Contact Paul Miller, CFP®, today and begin to enjoy all the advantages of working with your very own CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.