Let’s get you from just surviving to financially thriving
and then go beyond
Sounds ambitious, right?
Maybe.
But I think that with the right behaviors, habits, strategies, and guidance, you’re fully capable of financially thriving (and then some) even while living on one income.
While I certainly can’t guarantee results (so much depends on factors outside our control!), everything I do is designed to help you pursue the financial goals you don’t even know you have yet.
here’s a snapshot of how we’ll work together
in pursuit of being financially thriving
The Second Comma Thirty-Six Step Process
(I’m just kidding, it’s five steps)
First, we’ll lay the groundwork for our relationship.
Our first meeting ensures we align on money philosophy .
This will be a discussion about what money means to you, how you use it, and what you use it for.
I’ll also ask you if you like your answers or if you’re hoping to see some changes.
Together, we’ll explore your money story — which includes your past experiences with money and your beliefs — so we can understand how money makes you feel and why you use money the way you do.
We’ll determine your most important financial goals and make sure those are in line with your core values.
We’ll become aware of any existing financial pressures in your life.
(Have you ever made a pressure map?)
And most importantly, we’ll work to reframe your money story so your money becomes the tool you use to live out your best life — not a source of stress and worry.
Next, we’ll do some digging.
In our second meeting, we’ll gather all the important pieces of information we need to put together a concrete financial plan.
Here are a few of the things we’ll look at:
- Your financial resources
- Your financial obligations
- Your household cashflow
- Your family’s spending habits
- Your current investments
- Your employee benefits package
As we examine this evidence, we’ll talk about the changes you can make going forward.
We’ll realign, as needed, the money spent by the family to match your goals for the future.
And as we review your employee benefits package, I’ll provide recommendations on how best to use your retirement plan and other investment accounts.
Here comes the fun part.
After our review, we’ll design a comprehensive plan tailored to your life now, in the future, and for everything in between.
The best investment plan is one you can stick to, so I won’t recommend anything that’s unrealistic for you.
We’ll work together to make sure that above all, your financial plan feels in alignment with your values for your life today and for your future.
After all, your savings plan is important for your life tomorrow, but it shouldn’t remove the enjoyment from your life today.
In addition to your savings plan, we’ll review your current investments and provide recommendations based on your future goals.
As we create your right-for-you plan, we’ll partner with your CPA and other professionals in your life to create a comprehensive financial plan that includes all relevant components.
“You think you have to be 100% convinced, but you only have to be 51% there to make a change.”
The time for action is now.
A plan without action won’t help you pursue your goals.
To ensure you actually take steps toward thriving financially, I'll be by your side as you begin acting on your plan.
I’ll help you make investments that align with your strategy.
I’ll assist you in opening the accounts that can help you get to where you want to go.
And I’ll provide you with a list of the recommendations I’ve made for how to develop new money habits that are most likely to result in the success you want to see.
“Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.”
Maintaining the plan is key.
The work of financial planning doesn’t stop once the plan is created.
This is because a plan can never take into account all the events, curveballs, and scenarios you’ll encounter in your life.
Does this mean we shouldn’t plan?
Of course not!
Plans provide us with direction, strategies, and actions we can take to control our outcomes.
But it does mean that our plans should be flexible.
It means we should regularly monitor your circumstances, your progress, and your changing goals so we can adjust your plan as necessary.
And it means we should keep actively writing your money story — instead of letting your money story write you.
At Second Comma, that is exactly what we’ll do.
Sounds great, Mark. So how do we work together?
Well, we live in the virtual age. So you need a virtual financial advisor.
As a virtual advisor, my goal is to provide convenient meeting options that prevent a one-hour meeting from turning into a two-and-a-half-hour ordeal. (No traffic necessary!)
What I’ve found is that virtual meetings save my clients time and stress.
Of course, you’re always free to request a physical meeting—even in your own home!
But most of my clients actually prefer virtual meetings given the mobile world we live in.
Virtual meetings allow you to choose the location without it affecting our ability to work together.
And if you choose to relocate your family down the road (as so many of us do these days), you don’t have to worry about finding another advisor in your new city.
As a virtual advisor, you can literally take me with you.
