Financial Planning

Take this checklist when meeting with your financial adviser

Why meeting is important

The markets can mimic choppy seas one moment, and glass-smooth waters the next. Add to this life’s other curveballs, and it’s easy to see why it’s worth investing in a partnership with a financial adviser.

“Once you have established trust, you learn that your adviser is also your partner to help you achieve your financial goals,” says Neal Sinclair, Business Development Manager at Glacier by Sanlam.

how to prepare

Get the most out of your annual meetings by coming prepared with the right talking points and questions, like the following:

#1: My will is up to date

A lot can happen in a year. There could be a marriage, divorce, death or birth that your will and estate planning need to take into account. It’s critical to ensure your will and estate plan are updated based on any life changes that have occurred since your last meeting.

#2: My financial plan is as tax efficient as possible

Ask your financial adviser whether your existing plan is as tax efficient as it can possibly be when looking at the structures [in which your capital or income is stored or through which it is transferred].

#3: My portfolio reflects my risk appetite

It’s a myth that your appetite for risk stays exactly the same throughout your entire investing career. It can change, and if it does, your portfolio needs to change with it.

#4: I can access the best investment opportunities

Which tools does your adviser use to ensure you have access to the widest range of investment opportunities without excess cost? And how can they help you build as diverse a portfolio as possible? This kind of flexibility matters in your financial planning.

Financial planning has evolved; it used to involve picking the solution to suit the investor. Now, investors share that they need a certain outcome, and advisers need to take all the solutions available to them and blend them together to get the desired outcome.

Meeting this investor need is one of Glacier’s key benefits as an investment platform. “We have the most comprehensive range of investment solutions in the market compared to anyone else – in the product or solution itself, and in the underlying investments in which you can invest,” Neal shares.

The investment platform provides your adviser with an extensive choice of funds to select from so your needs can be put at the centre of your fund selection.

IMPORTANTLY

#5: I have peace of mind

We’re living in the information age, and that information is hitting our newsfeeds and timelines increasingly thick and fast. This means that as an investor you need to be even more cautious about how you apply that information to your decisions.

So, amid all the financial content ‘finfluencer’ posts, how do you know which stories or ‘tips’ are worth your attention … or even principally sound? This is where a financial adviser can be your partner in cutting through the noise, and there’s no better time to discuss any concerns than at your next meeting.

Ask your financial adviser about the benefits of Glacier financial solutions

Glacier Financial Solutions (Pty) Ltd is a Licensed Financial Services Provider.

Sanlam Life is a Licensed Life Insurer, Financial Services and Registered Credit Provider (NCRCP43