Financial planning isn’t just about choosing a stock or savings account. It’s about having a well-rounded strategy for growing and preserving your assets through multiple investments, insurance policies and budgets. It’s about creating flexibility in your finances to roll with the changes life throws at you and minimizing exposure to loss without sacrificing all opportunities for gain.

It’s very rare that an individual without a background in finance can successfully accomplish all of those tasks, and that’s not just a theory—it’s backed by statistics recently released by the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI).

Findings from the 2013 Boomer Expectations for Retirement Report
In order to get the results of their 3rd annual survey, the IRI reached out to more than 800 people between the ages of 50 and 66. During the process, they found that those respondents who weren’t working with a financial advisor were less likely to feel confident that they were doing a good job in preparing their finances for retirement. Respondents who worked with an advisor were more likely to have calculated goals for savings and actually save money toward retirement than those who didn’t have an advisor. Respondents with an advisor were also more likely to rebalance their portfolio annually.

The Role of a Financial Advisor
A financial advisor is a support system for your finances. His or her role includes duties such as:

• Working with you to refocus your financial goals and find appropriate savings and investment vehicles to help you realize them.
• Consistently monitoring your portfolio to track investment performance and ensuring that your diversification* strategy is maintained.
  • This is especially important because the risk profile of your investments isn’t static—some may become more or less risky over time and when they do, they might no longer be appropriate for your portfolio.
  • Sometimes, as your dividends reinvest or you continue to grow your investments, you could become too heavily invested in a certain sector or in positions that are too risky—something you might not notice but a financial advisor should. (Keep in mind that no investment strategy, including diversification and rebalancing, can ensure a profit or guarantee against loss)
  • Rebalancing appropriately as you age and your tolerance to risk lessens.
• Coordinating with other professionals such as tax advisors and estate planning attorneys to ensure all aspects of your overall financial health are well-aligned

A financial advisor is a knowledgeable partner helping you find your WealthPath. At Kramer Wealth Managers, we have a team of financial advisors and staff who want to partner with you to guide you in your journey, so contact us today.