What to expect at the first meeting

First impressions always matter, but your first meeting with a financial advisor does not have to be nerve-wracking! Whether you are a financial novice or already have lots of experience, we are here to guide you through the world of financial planning. This post outlines the sorts of things advisors will ask you, and what you can do to be prepared for the first conversation.

What to Bring

There are a few things you should have at the ready when going into your first meeting. While not all of this is required to get started on planning your financial future, your advisor may ask you to bring any or all of the following when meeting in-person:

• A positive attitude! Our team is here to help you and planning for your future and dreams should be fun; having a healthy mindset and clear goals will make for a more productive meeting. Our purpose is to help you make sense of and better manage your finances, giving you peace of mind as you look to the future.
• Personal Identification (Driver’s license, SIN) – this is required on most applications for investments and insurance; having it on file in advance helps to fast-track paperwork.
• A list of your existing assets (such as investments, properties, and annual income) and liabilities (debts and regular payments), with accompanying statements to show their current balance and how they are invested. This is used to establish your net worth and cash-flow to help figure out which products and services are right for you.
• A general idea of your current spending habits and what you are looking to get out of the meeting. The ability to come in with an idea of what you may be lacking is helpful, but our experts will help diagnose any deficiencies in your current planning. This includes determining proper savings amounts, investment instruments (RRSP, TFSA, Non-Reg, etc.) and allocations (where your money is invested), in addition to reviewing risk to achieving your and your family’s goals – which is where insurance (life, disability, critical illness, etc.) may come in. Your advisor is there to help you figure out what you can reasonably afford and what would be beneficial to you. It’s okay if you’re not totally sure about your needs – that’s what we’re here for!

Your Goals

Whether this is your first foray into financial planning, or you are transferring from a different institution/ advisor, our team will be able to answer any questions you may have. Fact finding and setting goals will be among your first steps. Do you need an insurance policy to protect yourself or your family in the event of the unexpected? Do you want to start saving for a major investment or retirement? Do you want to offer a competitive benefits package for your employees? Do you want to pay less tax? We can help you with that! Our advisors don’t charge for their services – you only pay for what you purchase or invest; the quotes, advice, and expertise are our pleasure.

Our Goals

The role of a financial advisor is essentially a matchmaker – we analyze your finances and pair you with the best products and services to make the most out of your situation, whatever that may be, and the benefit of our company being a brokerage is that we have access to many different companies and products. In the first meeting, we are trying to establish your financial needs, goals, and a timeline to reach them, but we also want to get to know you. This first meeting also establishes the tone of our working relationship – if you’d prefer to chat about your finances over a zoom call, a coffee, or in the fresh air on our office balcony, we can make that happen. Follow-up meetings and updates are on your terms – you can reach out to us at any time and as often as you wish for a current snapshot of your portfolio.

We look forward to the opportunity of serving you.

The Currey team offers financial and estate planning advice with a personal approach – join our family by calling 613-733-3312 or e-mail shane@curreyinsurance.com to get started.