My garage seems to be in a perpetual state of untidiness, with the multiple bikes my family own, the accumulated random items we “might need one day” and the other “stuff” that gets put in the garage that is just too much for the space.
The reality is that I should make more of an attempt to keep the garage tidy and throw out/recycle what is not needed.
In fairness I do attempt a tidy up on occasion (but it often is a whole day job) and then feel very virtuous when I look at the clean, tidy and spacious garage. Sadly, it then degrades slowly over time to its previous state of disorganised chaos. Each time I need something from the garage I should take the time to ensure it is always put back neatly in place, but for some reason this rarely happens as there always seems something more important to do.
For me there is a parallel here with financial planning in that by meeting with clients each year a financial planner will keep your “ financial house” tidy and in order by:
- Advising what paperwork should be kept and what discarded.
- Reviewing the plan and making subtle adjustments to reflect life’s changes.
- Maintaining a prudent mix of savings, investment and pensions.
- Providing objective advice on the ongoing suitability of existing products.
- Answering ad-hoc questions that might occur during the year.
My experience is that clients highly value this ability to review, discuss and monitor their affairs.
Yes, the financial house might become untidy in between meetings, but by meeting regularly the “tidying” up should not be too onerous (compared with my whole day garage cleaning).
I believe the feeling of order, security and peace of mind that an ongoing financial planning relationship provides can declutter our minds and enjoy the “now” more. For me this the power of Financial Planning.
Neil Rossiter APFS, Chartered MCSI, CFPCM
