Making a financial plan is about a lot more than juggling annual returns, budgets, and anticipated income and expenses. It is a detailed snapshot of your cash flow as well as your goals, and what you are willing to compromise to achieve them.
Here are five tips to help you create and maintain your financial plan:
Avoid unrealistic expectations. Don’t think you can increase the value of your investments more quickly by taking a chance on a high-flyer or “get-rich-quick” scheme.
Don’t forget your goals. A financial plan enables you to measure your actual success against your planned returns. Although the two may not be identical, they should move in tandem. Use specific numbers so that the exercise is not subjective. “It seems to be OK,” is not an ideal answer to the question, “Is your financial plan on track?”
Financial planning isn’t only for the wealthy. Though a well-designed plan is essential for people with means, it’s just as important for a family with a lower income. A concrete plan can often serve as a guideline toward greater financial freedom and opportunity.
Don’t wait until a crisis arises before beginning your financial plan. If you prepare in advance for unfortunate eventualities, you will have certain solutions already in place to help you deal with the situation.
Remember that working with a professional advisor does not mean giving away control of your assets. An advisor is there to help you interpret your own financial situation, needs, and aspirations. He will help serve as your coach and guide as you move toward financial independence. He will assist you in seeing different sides of the issues and present you with varying choices, but ultimately you are the one to make the decisions.
The most dangerous pitfall to financial planning is not having a plan at all. As it’s often said, “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.”
Douglas Goldstein, CFP®, investment advisor, is the co-author with Grandmaster Susan Polgar of Rich As A King: How the Wisdom of Chess Can Make You a Grandmaster of Investing.
Douglas Goldstein, CFP®, is the Director of Profile Investment Service, Ltd., which specializes in helping people who live in Israel with their US dollar assets and American investment and retirement accounts. He helps olim meet their financial goals through asset allocation, financial planning, and using money managers.
Published October 29, 2014.