Good advice to plan your financial life
The Financial Planning Association (FPA) – the peak professional body for financial planners, is delighted to celebrate its eighth consecutive Financial Planning Week, 19-25 May. (Upcoming events)
Research has shown that over three quarters of Australians have experienced financial difficulties at some point in their lives¹.
Seeing a professional financial planner can make a huge difference to your financial life, by helping you make financial decisions that give you peace of mind and security.
1 FPA research on consumer attitudes to financial planning: May 2007
Like to be worth a million dollars?
Everyone has some kind of financial goal, and it doesn't hurt to aim high.
Think about it – what sort of lifestyle do you want in the future? What are your priorities?
A professional financial planner can help you set out achievable goals, and advise on the best way to attain them.
Need to know your family is secure, whatever happens?
Unexpected events, like losing your job because of illness or losing your home in a fire,
can have a disastrous impact which goes far beyond the immediate problem.
Think about the risks you face and then look around for some good financial advice. If in doubt, a financial planner can help you work it out.
Don't want to worry about paying of your home loan?
These days it's easier than ever to get into debt, and it can be much harder to get out of it.
But at the right time and properly managed, debt can be a useful tool for increasing your assets.
Shop around for the best loans, and think about seeking financial advice too.
Planning on taking an overseas holiday every year?
We love a trip overseas! But how many of us don't really plan? Do you pull out the credit card,
and worry about it later?
The best way to save for the future might take a bit of working out. To help you decide, and to explain away some of the complexities, it's often worth paying for some professional financial advice.
Want to turn the tables on the tax man?
No one likes to pay more tax than they need to, but keeping up with the complexities of changing
tax laws is no mean feat.
There are tax-effective ways of saving and investing for your future and the cost of getting the right advice can often be covered by just one smart tax move and a professional financial planner can help you discover the best ways to manage tax.
Want to feel there's never a bill you can't pay?
Being able to pay bills without going into more debt is a tough call if you're spending more than you
earn – and it's surprising how many people do!
The best way to find 'extra' money is to follow a budget. The best way to find 'extra' money is to follow a budget. You can do this yourself or a professional financial planner can help you develop a budget.
Like to know that you are going to retire
to the life you dream of?
The biggest question most of us ask is: how much money will I need for a comfortable retirement?
Deciding how much to keep in super is part of the equation. But be sure to keep enough for emergencies and day-to-day expenses. Do your homework, but get professional financial advice too.