How to prepare for your financial planning appointment

ARTICLE

29 July 2022

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.

Talking to a financial planner can help you understand your situation and make confident financial decisions (big or small) so you can get the most out of life. But first, get the most out of your meeting!

Simple steps to get prepared

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!

If you have a partner, include 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

AIA Financial Wellbeing’s digital customer portal makes it easy to provide these details to your financial planner, and generates a dashboard so you can see a snapshot all in one place.

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.

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.

What’s next?

Have an open conversation with your financial planner and don’t be afraid to ask questions – they’re 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 will help 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, and wealth. We consider your financial and personal wellbeing goals, to help you lead a healthier, longer, better life.

Disclaimer:
Copyright © 2022 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.