Communicating with a Financial Professional

Financial professionals are generally perceived to beleisurely ones? If you spent your entire life working this
more concerned with the fiscal side of your plans,hard, then the chances are good that golfing and
especially when it comes to retirement. And makingtraveling won't necessarily fill that empty space that
sure you have a comfortable savings to retire on, andused to be occupied by long days at work. Make it
enough to continue living the same lifestyle, are twoclear what other activities you plan on participating in,
extremely important things they do their best to helpwhether that be a job or volunteer work.
you achieve. But it's a deeper knowledge and3) Your Legacy: It's essential that you make it clear to
understanding of you as a client that helps them trulyyour financial professional what you want to be
succeed.remembered for. No one is a fan of talking about
In fact, in order for them to truly know you as adeath, but by making your wishes and wants
person, a friend, and a client, they need to be askingcompletely clear, your financial professional will be able
the right questions and you need to be sharing withto assist you with your estate planning needs.
them more than just the bottom line.By informing them what charities or causes you want
These are just a few of the most important things toto benefit after you're gone (if any), they'll be able to
share with your financial professional when you meetplan more clearly. Oftentimes things are left unsaid
to discuss your retirement:during retirement and a person's estate doesn't always
1) Activities: It's vitally important that you inform yourget distributed the way they would have wanted.
financial professional what activities you plan onAs a rule of thumb, you should remember
participating in the most during retirement. Often, theycommunication is the most important aspect of
assume that golf and traveling will take up the bulk ofretirement and estate planning. Always communicate
your time. While that's often an accurate prediction, it'syour full wishes to your financial professional, even the
also sometimes too simple. Give them a long list ofones you may think aren't as important.
things you want to do in retirement so they'll be able toThe increased communication will mean that nothing is
understand what you plan on doing in the future. In theleft unsaid, and in the process, your financial
process, they'll get to know you better as a person.professional will get to know you better and
2) Your Passion: What did you enjoy about your life'sunderstand your wishes fully as they help you make
work? What did you enjoy doing the most? And whatimportant financial decisions.
kind of activities will you participate in besides the