Financial Planning is a big buzz word these days. Everyone knows they should have a sound financial plan, but what does that really mean and how do you go about getting one?

Let us start out by breaking the myth that a financial plan is nothing more than a smart investment strategy. That is a very narrow view of financial planning. Though extremely important, investing wisely is just one part of a sound financial plan.

To understand the broader concept, think of a financial plan as a roadmap for your Needs, Goals & Finances. It is not a Product but a Process

What are your financial and life goals?

Where are you today in relation to your goals?

How will you get from where you are today, to your goals?

You want a comfortable lifestyle, you would like your kids to have an excellent education, you want to maintain a nice standard of living in retirement or you want to leave an inheritance to the important people in your life.

To achieve these life goals, you need a plan that will help you accomplish two simple objectives: Guarding against uncertainty and Investments to achieve Financial Goals.

To understand how these objectives fit together, look at the financial planning process: