Wow, Uncle Sam is making a bad situation worse by their bailouts and so-called stimulus packages. Individuals making their living providing financial planning and investment advisory are questioning the validity of their approach.Rightly so because in spite of their well-intentioned advice, it cost their clients hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars last year and continuing into this year. With many investment strategies down anywhere from 30% to 60% or worse as the global economic crisis continues to unfold it is obvious that this model is broken.
Even though these financial professionals were not to blame for the economic debacle that were in,their clients may not see it that way. They, the gullible public have been taught for decades that financial and investment planning is just to difficult for them to do by themselves and therefore they relied on and entrusted professional advisors with their hard-earned dollars with the expectation that they would receive help and advice to preserve their wealth, and build more. When the opposite happened, who else could they blame?
The reality of course is that just about everybody got caught flat-footed when it came to the true severity of the current financial problem. As this meltdown has shown and continues to show, it's highly questionable if the traditional diversified approach for wealth building strategies and wealth preservation—all based on financial instruments tied to the global economy—will work in the future. Less than 3% of the population has a written financial plan. Clearly it is time for financial professionals to rethink how they provide advice and services to their clients. And it's time for those clients to rethink what services and advice they really need and how they will obtain them.
The better approach should be for financial planners to help people help themselves. The solution should incorporate a financial education vehicle that has no product bias or agenda vis a vis the typical conflict of interest and that is not designed to steer a prospect to products or services that make the advisor the most money. The desperately needed financial education will teach people how to arrive at objective strategies to help them overcome financial obstacles and reach their future financial goals and dreams by themselves.
A financial planner who really wants to make a difference while making substantially more money in less time could show clients and prospects how to obtain this kind of unbiased financial advice. As a result of the practical, hands-on financial education, their clients should understand how to implement objective recommendations while avoiding middlemen in the process. At the same time, consumers should be able to gain this knowledge independently of their advisors.
A consumer with a sound financial education will be able to create their own financial plan, and will therefore become responsible for it. For those seeking help with financial stress, the solution is to get a financial education, and to create their own financial security. For the financial professional, in reality, utilizing such a concept becomes a satisfying alternative to do what's best for a client in less time with substantially less potential liability.
An added plus for the financial professional using such a concept would be to add an internet marketing system so as to reach more people who crave the practical financial education they never got in school. Admittedly, most of the internet marketing systems out there are not worth the time of day but there is one that is becoming known as the most powerful and effective internet marketing system available. This internet feature would enable the financial professional to usually earn more money than he was earning while dealing in traditional financial services. Thus the combination of a real practical, hands on financial education coupled with an internet marketing system is a win/win situation for everyone involved.
Definition Of Financial Planning
Building an emergency fund is healthy for your financial well being, since you're rarely given advance notice of a setback or an accident which will keep you out of work for an extended period. It is also a safety net that can save you from bankruptcy or severe financial hardships in the event of an unexpected change in your income or expenses.
Housing a small rainy day fund should be a vital part of an individual's financial goals. This is of high importance if you don't already have readily available funds in your account for covering any unanticipated expenses. They provide financial security because they give you funds to fall back on if you become ill, or if you or your spouse loses your job, you incur large medical bills, or have an unexpected large bill such as a major car or home repair. You do not want to end up in a situation where you have to buy daily necessities on credit and end up payments on groceries you bought two years back on credit, with a further 10-18% interest on it.
Saving your money in an small account for emergencies is definitely a better alternative to taking a loan or cashing in your long-term investments. If you take a loan, there is the additional burden of paying interest. Encashment of your investments before maturity means not only will you lose out the interest, but also some part of the original investment. This will also set you back significantly in your overall financial plan.
Success at building an emergency fund depends on consistency of saving money on a regular basis, and resisting the urge to dip into this rainy day fund for non-emergencies. This money should be kept separate from the general savings account. Otherwise you will be tempted to dip into these monies even if you simply run over your budget at a certain point. A substantial part of this emergency fund account should be invested in low risk funds. This ensures that your investment does not lose its value in case you need the money. Also, it should be extremely liquid, to give you access to the cash easily and quickly if you need it.
The size of the special savings account will depend on your personal situation. People often keep three to six months? salary in the reserve. But you will have to decide on an appropriate amount based factors such as your dependants and fixed monthly expenses.
If you are single with no obligations, and have a reliable support system of friends or relatives during a financial crisis, you might not need a substantial amount stashed in this fund. This is opposed to someone who needs to pay nursing costs for his aging parents and supporting a young family. The more people you support, the more likely you are to have unexpected or unplanned costs.
While making a decision about an emergency fund, you should also take into account the degree of difficulty you'd have in finding a new job if you lost the present one. In case of a two-income household, the contribution of both parties should be weighed while calculating how much you should keep aside.
You may not be able to gather your emergency fund money together at once. Treat it as a financial goal and add to the kitty over time. If you get a tax refund, put it in your special rainy day account. Maybe a part of the bonus at work!
Both Harley Hunter & Richard Callaby are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Harley Hunter has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances. Harley Hunter has been actively working in the financial service industry for over 40 years and now with his son, Shaw, created and lead the Financial Planning 2.0 Revolution, the solution to some of the biggest problems that have always plagued the indus. Harley Hunter's top article generates over 1300 views. to your Favourites.
Richard Callaby has sinced written about articles on various topics from College Education, Finances and Web Development. Richard Callaby is a Independent Computer Consultant, Writer, Author, Speaker and Instructor. More articles from this author and many other authors on personal finance can be reached at. Richard Callaby's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
Bipolar Ii Disorder Symptoms To prevent suicidal behavior, it is important for bipolar II patients to be properly diagnosed at an early stage, so that ongoing treatment of the illness can begin and be continued in order to avoi...