How to prepare for your financial planning appointment

ARTICLE
10 September 2026 dot 3 mins read
So you’ve decided to take the plunge and seek professional financial advice – congratulations! You’ve taken the first small step towards investing in the life you want.
 
A little preparation goes a long way and will help you get the most out of your meeting. Think of the time spent as an investment in yourself and your future – you’re worth it!
 
Your financial planner may give you access to a secure portal to share some of your financial details – if you feel comfortable doing that in advance of your meeting, it will give your financial planner a chance to do some preparation too.
 
If you have a partner, consider including them too. If they’re part of your future, they should be part of the plan and you can meet your financial planner together.

Step 1: Gather the essential facts

The more information you can provide, the better equipped your financial planner will be to advise you and get you on track to achieve your goals. But the essentials are:
 
  • Income
  • Regular expenses – e.g., monthly bills, car registration
  • Debts – e.g., mortgage, credit card, student loan/HELP
  • Superannuation balance – check, do you have more than one fund?
  • Assets – e.g., home, car, investments
  • Insurances – this might include health insurance, and default life insurance cover in your superannuation
  • Number of kids/dependents
Providing this information will give your financial planner a good picture of your current financial situation. It’s okay if you don’t have it all to start with, or if you forget something. But it’s worth spending a bit of time getting it together. Simple budget templates can be easily found online to help you organise your income and expenses/bills/loan repayments.

Step 2: Think about the life you want

This is the fun bit. What are your goals and dreams? Think about what you need and want now, in a few years’ time and even in retirement. Don’t limit yourself to strictly financial goals, think about your personal wellbeing too, because at the end of the day they are all connected.

Step 3: Attend your meeting

You’ve done some preparation, so hopefully you are feeling ready for your meeting! Your financial planner will be keen to get to know you as a person, not just a set of numbers.
 
Have an open conversation and don’t be afraid to ask questions – your financial planner is an expert, they’re here to help you and make recommendations in your best interests.
 
With an understanding of your current situation, needs and goals, your financial planner can help you plot a path towards achieving those goals, step by step. They’ll also explain any fees and give you an idea of timelines and next steps.
AIA Financial Wellbeing offers affordable, reliable and straightforward advice and solutions on insurance, superannuation, wealth-building and retirement planning. We consider your financial and personal wellbeing goals, to help you lead a healthier, longer, better life.

Further reading:

What does a financial adviser do?
Disclaimer:
Copyright © 2026 AIA Financial Services Pty Limited (ABN 68 008 540 252, AFSL 231109), trading as AIA Financial Wellbeing. All rights reserved. This information is current at the date of this publication and is subject to change. This provides general information only, without taking into account factors like the objectives, financial situations, needs or personal circumstances of any individual and is not intended to be financial, legal, tax, health, medical, nutritional or other advice. Before acting on the information in this publication, individuals should consider its appropriateness having regard to such factors.

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