Posts Tagged ‘Professional’
The End of Caring – Solo Professional Financial Planners a Dying Breed
Due to the over regulation of the financial independent planners, many of these specialists no longer wish to take clients that have less than $ 500,000 to invest. Often, it takes too much paper work to process and each new client comes with regulatory and litigation risks. Who loses in all this? Everyone in the middle class and all those that have less than $ 500,000 to invest, the very people who need these services the most.
It is not that these practitioners do not care, these solo professional financial planners do very much care, but due to regulatory nightmare they are not allowed to care anymore. This is why the solo-professional financial planner is a dying breed, as they are being consumed by larger offices, and brokerage firms that are in it to sell their own financial proprietary products, or make money churning accounts and flipping stocks like a bunch of day traders.
Under the auspice of trying to regulate the industry, protect every consumer and investor, we have created regulations which end up hurting the small solo-professionals, the very person that are on the ground floor helping the consumers and taking business away from the wire houses that didn’t care about the little guys.
We’ve made a terrible error and we’ve allowed the wire houses to use our regulators to attack their competition, leaving more money for themselves and less competition in the market place, indirectly screwing over the middle-class investor.
To listen to the SEC at the Congressional hearings justify their position in making all these excessive rules, you’d swear they care about the individual investor.
Of course, that is pretty hard to believe considering the results of their actions.
I am disgusted that the SEC allowed this global crisis meltdown because they were so busy making a new rule every seven days against independent broker dealers, and solo professional financial planners. If you don’t see this yourself please go ask a financial planner about this.
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Few reasons advocating the need of hiring a professional financial planner
Financial planning is to plan and organise your current and future income and assets in order to safe your future liabilities. Most of the people do not like to invest
a proper time and attention to draw a plan for them as they are happy enough with their bank balances and the rate of interest they are getting from the bank deposits
but there is a lot more to know. There can be many types of financial planning like financial saving plan, investment plan and business financial planning. Each type
of financial plan has some common objectives and some objectives that are specific to the plan. Common objectives can be to ensure proper payment of any current and
future liability and obligations, to ensure the best returns on the assets and to make the financial supply smooth and safe.
In normal usage and financial plan can be a budget for spending and saving future income but going into depth there are many critical aspects of any financial plan.
Like easy availability of cash in case of any emergency, proper investment of assets with respected risk and return equilibrium, future investment plans and overall
financial performance.
Hiring a financial advisor is a million dollar question to many people and most of then think that there is no need to hire a professional
person for their financial planning. There can be many reasons to think so first of all no one like to reveal their assets in front of a unknown person and people
think that doing this can bring undue problems to them. Secondly people are not aware that what are the other options by which their hard earn money can start earning
for them. Hiring a financial advisor will help you on following important points of financial planning process.
Any financial planner can give you an extra bunch of expert advises which you were not aware before as financial planner are experienced and expert people having all
the latest information on investment or saving plans. For saving plans it is quite easy to put a fixed percentage of your income into bank but have you ever think that
what is the right percentage to be saved? I guess not because only a financial planner can decide this after analysing your current and future liabilities. Another
good point to think about the rate of interest you are getting from your regular bank account. There are lot of ways by which you can increase over the rate of
interest or return on investment with the same amount of risk exposure. At this point also there is a need to have a helping hand of financial planner.
Do you think that you have enough time to invest and to monitor your investment on time to time? Perhaps not as you are busy enough to accomplish your daily works and
routine. Financial investment requires regular monitoring and changes in order to maximise over the return and to minimize over the risk exposure and if you are not
able to monitor your investment you are risking your hard earned money therefore have a peace of mind and let the financial advisor do it for you. Even in governmental
investments like saving and bond papers rate of interest keep changing and there is a need to switch over the various investment schemes in order to ensure the best
ROI.
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When To Seek The Services Of A Professional Financial Planner
No matter the status of your finances, there will be times in your life when you need the assistance of a financial advisor. You may be planning changes, you may be approaching a new phase, or you may have unexpected occurrences that will leave you wondering what to do next with your money. It is important to consult a professional to ensure you are making the right decisions and so you will be prepared for the future. A financial professional can guide your choices and point out options you may not have known were available to you. If you work with an experienced professional, it can open doors and create a brighter future for your finances.
Things may be going along great in your life and when the right person comes along, you will want to get married and getting married means more than just a big, fancy wedding surrounded by family and friends.
It brings changes in your finances, so you will want to make sure you plan accordingly. If you have concerns about how things will change, or you want to be sure you are prepared to combine assets and finances with another person, speaking with an experienced professional can help. Now that your household will have two incomes and one day, two retirements, it is important to know how to best plan. With two salaries, you may find you can afford more than you could before, and you will also have the ability to save faster than in previous years.
Following your marriage, a new member may join your family. If a baby is on the way, it is important to understand how to plan and budget for the change. Professional finance managers understand how a child is a lifelong commitment and they can help you determine how to allocate your funds in the best way possible.
Everything changes once you become a parent, including your monetary situation.
One of the biggest examples of this is when your children start college. Unfortunately, the cost of higher education seems to increase with each passing year. If you want your child to have their choice of the best academic institutions, you will need to begin saving the moment they enter the world. An experienced finance planner can help you put together a savings plan that will open doors for your kids.
The final phase of your life where monetary planning is important if retirement. Again, to be truly comfortable during your retirement years, you will need to begin planning well in advance. The closer you get to retirement age, the more you will need to stock away to feel secure about giving up a regular income. It is important not to rely on government funds during your retirement. To spend the golden years of your life living comfortably and enjoying your lifetime of hard work, be sure you have saved enough over the course of your career. If you view government benefits as additional spending money, you will feel self-sufficient and be able to live a comfortable life.
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New Professional Indemnity Insurance solution for financial planners down under
The impact of the global financial crisis has led Vero/APUA to launch a new professional indemnity insurance product for investment advisers and financial planners in Australia. According to a report in investordaily.com, the number of claim notifications the company received from the financial services industry rose from about five per month before the crisis to some 60 a month at its height. And claims are still running at a very high level.
Not surprisingly, one result of this has been a steep rise in professional indemnity insurance premiums, which is why Vero/APUA has introduced its Financial Planners Standard Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy. The company will continue to offer its Extended Policy but it believes that its new offer, with its typically lower premium cost, will be attractive to sole traders and smaller firms looking for an opportunity to reduce their professional indemnity costs whilst still maintaining a basic level of cover.
In particular, it is thought that the new policy will appeal to those who have close relationships with a limited number of clients and who only recommend traditional investments.
Will other insurance companies follow suit? If Vero/APUA’s competitive approach proves popular, it seems likely that they will.
If you’re a UK business looking for Professional indemnity insurance, Get the cover you need at 0333 211 403.
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NARRATIVE OF A “PROFESSIONAL FINANCIAL PLANNER”CAREER- RESPONSIBILITIES, & DUTIES,
What is financial planner?
A financial planner is a professional who helps a person deal with his/her financial issues. A financial planner helps a person in areas such as personal financial planning, investment planning, risk management and insurance as also his/her cash flow management.
About the financial planner
A personal financial Planner is entrusted with the job of evaluating the performance of companies or that of a portfolio of securities and providing valuable guidance to individuals regarding the suitability of investments. In other words, a financial Planner is responsible for asset management and financial planning. Analysis and forecasting as well as budget and grant preparation and accounting. The incumbent will prepare periodic budget vs. actual analyses, will monitor and analyze research grant spending and plans for future spending, and will prepare financial reports for funding agencies
Financial Planner Career Overview:
A Financial Planner advises individuals on setting personal financial goals and strategies.
Many work independently or in small firms, though larger financial services firms either are adding Financial Planners to their staffs or are insisting that their Financial Advisors (or Financial Consultants) also become certified as Financial Planners
Education:
A Bachelor’s Degree is expected for a Financial Planner. Coursework in finance, accounting and/or economics is helpful, though not required. Strong quantitative and analytic skills are essential. An MBA may be valuable in the hiring process, depending on the firm.
Certification:
Requirements to function as a Financial Planner vary by state.
Even in jurisdictions where it is not mandated by law, passing the exam to become a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) is highly advisable. The CFP designation increases credibility and marketability, both to employers and to clients.
Generally SalaryRange:
As per the Princeton Review, average salaries for Financial Planners can range from $ 20,000 starting to $ 40,000 for those with 5 years’ experience, to $ 90,000 for those with 10-15 years’ experience
Responsibilities & Duties of a professional Financial Planner:
Under the direction of the Chief Technology Officer, this position provides planning, guidance, and oversight of the IT department’s budget development, license and asset management, legal and contractual adherence, performance monitoring and improvement, operational and financial reporting, and internal financial controls. The position serves as a high-level advisor on a broad range of financial and management matters for the department. The position directly supervises clerical staff, and provides indirect guidance to staff department-wide. This is a “hands-on” supervisory position in a diverse and fast-paced environment. What are the duties of a financial planner? Duties and responsibilities of a financial planner are as follows
A Financial Planner helps clients create personal budgets, control expenditures, set goals for saving and implement strategies for accumulating wealth. He or she may have working relationships with Financial Advisors, Investment Managers and/or Mutual Fund Companies, utilizing these specialists for the actual investment of their clients’ funds. The job requires keeping current about developments in financial products, tax laws and strategies for personal financial management, particularly with respect to retirement plans and estates. Success also requires sales ability, both in the acquisition of new clients and in the development of new ideas to improve the financial situation of existing clients.
A financial planner studies the different aspects of the financial picture of his/her client and provides a suitable financial solution. Some financial planners deal with the various facets of personal finance, while others specialize in fields like risk management or retirement planning.
The job of a financial planner can be described by means of a 6-step process given by the ISO.
• The first step is of setting financial goals with the client.
• The second step includes the gathering of relevant financial information from the client. The •Third step is of analyzing the gathered information, which is followed by the creation of a financial plan.
•The last two steps include tasks such as implementing the plan’s strategies and monitoring the implementation of the plan.
Financial planning is one of the most speedily growing industries as it deals with the management of the most important means of living, which is money
In Details:
The primary responsibilities of this role are to provide the financial information and associated analysis necessary to manage and optimize company manufacturing performance. This is a global role and reports to the Commercial Finance Director of the company with dotted lines to two other senior corporate officers. The selected candidate must be willing to proactively engage with senior managers to constructively challenge them in the development of their plans and to assist them in managing performance to deliver these plans. Specific responsibilities include
A. Budgeting, Forecasting and Planning
1. Coordinate the production of a zero-based, bottom-up Annual Budget and long range company plan for the various manufacturing locations
2. co-ordinate three in-year re-forecasts to the same level of detail as the annual budget
3. Ensure all manufacturing locations update monthly full year forecasts
4. Ensure that the numbers produced by the Global FP&A team are recognized throughout the organization as the ultimate reference point
B. Performance Management
1. Work with global functional leaders of Commercial Finance, Operations, Supply Chain and IT/MIS to identify.
2. Continuously monitor and improve the quality of the Period Management Accounts (PMA) report in order to ensure that relevant, actionable information is headlined.
3. Coordinate the monthly PMA review process, ensuring insightful commentary and analysis is delivered in standardized form, from all manufacturing locations
4. Provide monthly analysis and commentary on the company’s operations consolidated financial and commercial performance, for distribution to senior management, in the form of a monthly performance pack
C. Decision Support
1. Driving appropriate financial disciplines, developing financial capabilities and
Providing training, coaching and mentoring of finance skills to non-finance management
2. Contributing to the development of appropriate management information systems and reporting
The FP&A manager must establish a collaborative working relation with his/her peers and other members of the Global Finance Team, comprising other members of the Commercial Finance team, Group Financial Control; regulatory, legal, fiscal and socio-economic developments.
At a glance:
01. Approves payments, purchase authorizations and other financial transactions to ensure compliance with staff rules, financial rules and implementing instruments/authority.
02. Supervises the preparation of the end of month accounts before forwarding them to
Headquarters;
03. In close coordination with Field/Sub Offices/Programmed Section, maintains a system to monitor and forecast cash requirements to meet administrative and project expenditures. Establishes monthly cash requirements for the office and requests timely replenishments from Headquarters.
04. Constantly reviews banking arrangements to ensure timely transfer of funds and minimize exchange loses and bank charges;
05. advises the head of office on all budgetary and financial matters;
06. Briefs new staff members or staff assigned to the Field on finance matters;
07. In close coordination with Field Offices, coordinate replies to finance related audit comments
08. Normally supervises and coordinates the work of GL staff;
09. Undertakes other duties as required.
10. Performs other duties/projects as assigned/required
Conclusion: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Previous experience accounting for grants and contracts (Government, Foundations and Private) is required. Must be self motivated with the ability to work independently and to deal with complex accounting issues with little supervision Familiarity with government grant guidelines
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Choosing a Professional Financial Planner
Choosing the financial planner that is right for you can be very confusing and somewhat difficult. Finding the person or company that you will be able to trust with your planning and finances is important. So learning where to start takes some consideration.
Before beginning a search for a planner take some time to evaluate what your actual situation is financially. There are several free calculators on the internet that can help you begin by determining your current financial position. This will help you get a better idea of just what type of help you are looking for from an adviser.
Next, you will want to have an idea of what your goals are for making short, medium, and long term plans. This will help you further determine what type of advice you are seeking from a professional. There are several areas in which a professional can help. For instance, you may only want assistance to plan appropriately for retirement.
On the other hand, you may be looking for help in all areas of your finances so that you will be financially secure.
Now that you have done some foundational work, you will want to take time to research before hiring an adviser. There are a few things to consider that will help you decide on the best match for you. First, make sure that the company or person has the proper licensing that is necessary for your state and county.
Next, you will want to investigate the experience that the planner has. Find out how long the person or company has been in the business and in what areas they are experienced in. Depending on what type of help you are looking for, you will want to be sure that the they have ample experience in the area. Locating a firm that is experienced in all areas can be helpful to you as your needs tend to change over time and you will be able to stay with the same company.
As with any service you choose to hire, it is advisable that you ask for references to check with past and present clients to see if they have been satisfied with the services provided by the company.
You may even want to check with friends and relatives for their recommendations.
In additions, find out how the provider charges for services. For instance, you will want to know is this a fee for service provider or do they make a commission from providers of financial products. Be sure that you are at ease with how the planner charges you for services.
Know who the planner is affiliated with or owned by. Some advisers are independent or work for privately owned companies, while others are connected with big financial organizations and banks. These large institutions can restrict the products and services that can be offered to the client. Because of these restrictions, it is often better to seek the help of a financial planner that works independently or for a privately owned company.
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