In these troubled times a lot of people could use some sound financial advice concerning their particular situation. Well, help is on the way! The Financial Planning Association has declared October 4th-10th ‘Financial Planning Week’ all across America.
Financial Planning Week is a time when the Financial Planning Association (FPA) strives to increase public awareness of the financial planning process to help people make prudent financial decisions to achieve their goals and dreams. To promote the cause, the FPA of North Alabama will offer free one-on-one consultations to anyone seeking advice about their personal finances. In addition, financial planners will speak on a variety of topics that focus on strategies for addressing today’s most challenging financial issues. This event will take place on Thursday, October 7th from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Downtown Birmingham Public Library. Each consultation will last 15 minutes so you’ll want to be ready with your questions and have any supporting data such as credit card statements available. You don’t need an appointment and this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss.
The FPA’s mission is to “connect with those who deliver; those who support; and those who benefit from professional financial planning. FPA believes that everyone is entitled to objective advice from a competent, ethical financial planner in order to make smart financial decisions.”
The Financial Planning Association offers these 20 tips for celebrating Financial Planning Week:
- Balance your checkbook.
- Make a monetary contribution to your favorite charity.
- Start a savings account for a child, vacation or a gift for yourself.
- Help teach your children how to save and spend wisely.
- Get your estate in order: create or revise your will and other estate planning documents.
- Call your financial planner and share your appreciation for their services.
- Pay off a credit card.
- Get a head start on college. Investigate college planning options.
- Establish an emergency fund.
- Evaluate your employee benefits and begin planning for open enrollment.
- Develop your holiday spending budget.
- Plan for year-end tax strategies.
- Purchase a relative, friend or colleague a session with a financial planner.
- Give a relative, friend or colleague a subscription to a personal finance magazine.
- Invite a financial planner to speak at your workplace.
- Review your insurance coverage.
- Write down your short-term and long-term financial goals. Keep these in a special place and revisit them periodically.
- Start using personal finance software to help you see where your money goes and how it grows.
- Choose three financial terms that have always baffled you and resolve to look them up and understand them.
- Talk to a relative about their plans for long-term care.
Financial planning is a process which focuses on achieving your life goals and dreams. I encourage you to take advantage of this once-a-year opportunity and begin getting your financial house in order. FPA chapters across the country are holding similar events. For more information, visit www.FinancialPlanningWeek.org.