Admittedly, becoming a financial planner is probably not at the top of everyone’s professional bucket list.

After all, it takes some kind of affinity for numbers, a penchant for problem solving and surprising to most, effective people-management and communication skills.

Luckily, I possessed both the skills and the interest in everything necessary from an early age—and to this day, I love what I do. That said, for some “financial planning” is a rather abstract concept. What am I planning? Business financials or personal? Do I invest directly for clients or simply guide you in the right direction? And my personal favorite: “What EXACTLY do you do?”

To help you get a better understanding of my life, passion and role as a financial planner, I took pen to paper—or fingers to keys— and answered the top 10 questions I get asked about my line of work. 

Let’s get started…

Q1: Why did you become a financial planner?

A: I don’t think it was any one particular event that catapulted my career into financial planning. As I already mentioned, I had always been intrigued by numbers and investments to the point that during my years at Ole Miss, I participated in the Wall Street South Investment Club. This program allowed us to create mock portfolios that competed against one another. While it was fun, it wasn’t until AFTER graduating that I began to realize just how unprepared most people were for a successful financial future.

I knew I wanted to help guide others in the right direction. From there I received hands-on training trading securities and managing investment portfolios. The rest as they would say, is history.

Q2: What is the most important message you want to convey to your clients?

A: Above all, TRUST—and not just with your money. I want every client I have to trust that I will listen to you, your needs, your concerns and guide you in a way that prepares you for financial stability and freedom.

Am I allowed a second message? I am? Great, then it would be this: Don’t wait! The sooner you begin working with a professional financial planner, the sooner your financial goals can become a reality. Starting at a young age is KEY!

Q3: What is your greatest challenge when working with clients?

A: Honestly, it’s just about getting clients to see the value in financial planning FOR THEIR SUCCESS. Unfortunately, many people chalk financial planning up to stocks, bonds and mutual funds when in fact, there is a much larger strategy at work. Depending on your individual and family wants and needs, there are both short and long-term goals that must be determined, set, worked towards and achieved.

Educating clients on how the financial planning process works takes time and patience but once they can see the value, we can begin working towards a brighter financial future together.

Q4: Are you a financial planner, manager or advisor?

A: I am all of those things in one, depending on the phase you are in, in life or planning.

• First, as a planner, my goal is to determine the overall short and long-term needs of my clients.

• As an advisor my responsibility is to advise my clients towards what is in their best interest to accomplish the plan we have set in place together.

• And finally, as a manager, I continuously watch and adjust the strategy and communicate with my clients as their needs ebb and flow with life events.

Q5: How do you charge for your services?

A: I am a fee-based advisor. I practice full transparency with all of my clients. My fees also include the planning, managing and advising for entire portfolios so my clients can rest assured that they—and their money—are in the hands of a competent professional.

Q6: What is the biggest mistake people make when it comes to planning?

A: Plain and simple: trying to plan and manage their own finances without a professional.

Hiring a financial planner doesn’t mean investing your life savings in stocks and bonds. We also work together to create a strategy for SAVING and GROWING all client’s current nest eggs.

All of the ways we can work together are:

• Asset Allocation

• Asset Management

• Business Consulting

• Retirement Planning

• College Planning

• 401K

• Freedom Accounts

• Tax Planning

Q7: What is the first aspect of financial planning to address with clients?

A: Without hesitation, the first step is also the most important: the initial client interview. During this time together, we:

1. Review their current financial situation.

2. Define their goals.

3. Create an overall plan to meet both short and long-term goals

And most importantly, find out HOW I CAN HELP THEM

Q8: Can a financial planner help a new or existing business?

A: Absolutely! Every business that wants to see growth and success should have a sound financial plan. Every day we help businesses—just starting or established—to create budgets and projections that help them to achieve financial stability and growth.

Q9: What type of life event may prompt someone to hire a financial planner?

A: I would like to say that most people don’t wait until a major life event to jump into financial planning but that would be a lie. Unfortunately, it’s often those that have suffered a loss, and are now dealing with an estate or facing their own mortality, who opt to speak with a financial planner.

Other life events that result in hiring a financial planner are:

• Inheritance

• Sale of business

• Job loss or change

• Birth of a child

The optimal time to hire a financial planner is as soon as you reach adulthood.

Q10: What is your overall goal with being a financial planner?

A: At the end of the day, I simply want to provide financial clarity to individuals and businesses for their continued growth and success. I want each and every one of my clients to achieve financial security and freedom by creating a balance between saving and smart investments. The long-term goal is for my clients to have the confidence and ability to retire with ease.

That’s what I want for you, too. If you’ve been considering investments, retirement planning, college planning or would like to talk about working your way towards a more secure financial future, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Following my passions for all of these years has been easy when ultimately it comes down to helping others enjoy the life they want, with the money they’ve worked hard for.

I think we can both agree that you deserve that, too.

Disclaimer: 

In a fee-based account clients pay a quarterly fee, based on the level of assets in the account, for the services of a financial advisor as part of an advisory relationship. In deciding to pay a fee rather than commissions, clients should understand that the fee may be higher than a commission alternative during periods of lower trading. Advisory fees are in addition to the internal expenses charged by mutual funds and other investment company securities. To the extent that clients intend to hold these securities, the internal expenses should be included when evaluating the costs of a fee-based account. Clients should periodically re-evaluate whether the use of an asset-based fee continues to be appropriate in servicing their needs. A list of additional considerations, as well as the fee schedule, is available in the firm's Form ADV Part II as well as the client agreement.

Opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of Raymond James, and are subject to change without notice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. Investing involves risk and investors may incur a profit or loss.