In Order To Get There, You Have To Know Where You Are Going
By Mary Jo Lyons, CFP®
Would you take a road trip without a map or GPS? Financial planning is the process of wisely managing your finances so that you can achieve your dreams and goals – quite simply, it is a map to get you to the financial future that you desire. Identifying financial goals and a plan to achieve them in a systematic way is the heart of financial planning.
A realistic, comprehensive plan can help you meet your goals by addressing your financial weaknesses and building on your financial strengths.
Like most people, you have hopes, dreams, and life goals for yourself and your family. Without a plan and a strategy, there can be a lot of unnecessary risk in achieving these goals; risk that can cause emotional stress and financial distress if not managed properly. You don’t have to do it alone. A qualified financial planner, such as Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) professional, can help you make decisions that make the most of your financial resources.
At Christian Financial Advisors®, our approach to Financial Planning is a little different. We help our clients use their God-given resources to pursue their God-given dreams and goals. With our planning modules, you can pick and choose what’s most important to you now and in the future. Each module is customized to your personal situation. Our financial advice is based on Biblical principles so that you can confidently navigate financial decisions as a faithful steward of your family’s financial future.
How do you know if you can benefit from the services of a financial planner?
You may not have the expertise, time or desire to actively plan and manage certain aspects of your financial life. You may be the type of person that needs help to get started. In addition, most people will benefit from an objective, third-party perspective on what are often emotionally difficult decisions. Life events often trigger the desire for professional planning guidance.
These events may include:
- Making sure your money will last during retirement
- Taking control of a retirement plan from a previous employer
- Handling an inheritance or other financial windfall
- Facing a financial crisis such as a layoff, serious illness or natural disaster
- Caring for aging parents or a disabled child
- Funding education
- Developing a strategy for planned giving
- Determining how to create a stream of income in the most tax sensitive way
- Creating a will and estate plan to wisely disperse assets
Without prior planning, funding these events can result in additional debt, creating financial hardship. Anticipating these events in advance, developing and implementing a savings strategy can help to reduce risk and make financial burdens more manageable. Having a solid financial plan in place can help you weather these storms without putting your financial future at risk.
Most Christians strive to give generously. We want to help you discover the joy of generosity and create a plan to live a more generous life expanding God’s kingdom and achieving the dreams and goals of your family.
