First Financial Coach

“Selecting an investment adviser/stockbroker can be one of the most important decisions you can make for your family. If you choose incorrectly, the consequences can be devastating.”

In the world of today, when finances have become necessary to cater to all of our needs, great financial planning is what can help you to reduce your financial worries. Finances are essential to lead a happy life so what could be better than having an advisor help you with your finances, a person whom you can really trust? We know that the stock market has become the prime choice to invest money for people who want to make huge gains in a short period of time. However, it is also true that investing in the stock market comes with many associated risks where one can lose all of his/her hard-earned money due to making a wrong decision.

The stock market is risky but this alone cannot stop investors from investing their money in it. The most wise and serious investors choose to play the game under the guidance of their financial advisors who help them to achieve their financial goals. The fact that most investors lack the time and essential knowledge about the stock market proves the importance of hiring financial advisors whose main goal is to help their clients make decisions that are related to their investment goals.

Financial advisors provide useful tips and advice about stock market investments which can save the future of their clients who otherwise can suffer by making a simple mistake. Small cap stocks are generally considered to be highly volatile which makes it crucial to have the specific knowledge about the ever changing stock market conditions. However, you can ensure financial security even in the stock market provided you find a financial advisor that has the experience and expertise to handle your particular stock needs. You should look for a financial advisor with the qualifications and skills to compete in the stock market who can easily understand your objectives.

Although it is impossible to predict the stock market’s future gains or losses, you can control most of the things involved in this risky business by just employing a good financial advisor.

Investing you money nowadays is such a complex and sophisticated activity that it takes a professional to truly understand all its subtleties and thus identify the premium investments. Here’s how a financial services company can give your investment planning the professional factor that helps maintain the value of your assets and plan for your desired quality of life.

Effective investment takes education, training, knowledge and experience – something that many of the professionals active in the financial planning field can offer. Even if you have a strong understanding of business and economics, it still makes sense to focus on your core job and allow financial professionals to take care of your investment planning. Here’s how they work.

Firstly, a financial services advisor helps you to define your goals. These aims will cover, for example,what assets, such as property, you wish to acquire? What future income streams you’ll need to maintain your lifestyle including important matters such as paying for your childrens’ education and your retirement?

By taking into account such factors as your income, assets, obligations such as mortgages and other debts, your advisor can determine the optimum sums you can invest over various timeframes to make sure your goals are met.

This involves developing a strategy to attain your goals. A strategy is a long term approach that’s formulated after a thorough analysis of all relevant factors. Your situation and goals plus the business environment including such factors as the investment situation and tax legislation will all be considered.

Next, you need to select the types of investments that align with your strategy. With so many types of investment on offer all differing in terms of timeframe and return it’s hard to make a decision.

Some of the choices you may have to make include choosing between individual stocks or investing in a mutual fund or unit trust. Some individual stocks are riskier than others but can offer a chance of high capital gains; whilst tracker funds and unit trusts should provide a safer and more modest return as the risk is spread out over a portfolio.

Then again treasury bonds or gilts sound safe. However, their value varies according to the interest rate. If interest rates rise, the value of existing bonds fall, lowering the value of your portfolio. A good financial advisor will be able to put together for you a balanced portfolio of investments designed to attain your goals.

Essentially, your financial services advisors is using his expertise and experience to help you make informed decisions that will influence you present and future wealth, your standard of living and your peace of mind.

He can guide towards investments that are expected to be less risky and fit in with your strategic goals. (And equally importantly steer you away from those which could bring you grief however promising they may look).

Ultimately, your future prosperity depends on the action you take now to make sure you money is invested wisely and offers a positive return.

Other than investment planning, you financial advisor will also make sure you don’t pay more tax than you should and that your insurance coverage is adequate for the needs of you and your family.

You can find a number of reputable financial services companies in London and the Home Counties. Just search online and you’ll find hundreds of firms. However, to make sure you get quality advice from a reputable advisor, you need to choose carefully.

By using the internet, you can find reputable financial services companies in London and the Home Counties. You can also use the net to check on the credentials of your London financial advisors. At the least, your financial advisors must be FSA authorised which guarantees certain standards. This is easy to check by visiting the FSA’s website or by calling their consumer hotline. For even greater confidence, you should also check your financial services advisors have staff holding chartered financial planner status.

Financial services encompass a broad spectrum of services ranging from financial jobs to investment planning. The services offered by experienced companies profess to boost the earnings of their client’s companies by aiming to get back most of their Return On Investment (ROI). Financial analysts manage the money, transfers and fund switches of hundreds of customers. Many people are quite poor when it comes to managing their money and they look to these professionals, who with their fiscal expertise will secure a safe future for their finances.

People who want to manage their money on a long-term basis approach reputed financial companies, which offer them several finance options to protect their money. Finance options could be in the form of Insurance, Mutual Funds or Wealth Management. While doing business with a finance service company, the customer always looks for more options and banking with the top companies in Ireland will help them with their money. Exceptional customer service, internet banking facilities and award winning products – these are three main things that clients look for in a Financial Services company. The rising demand of personal asset management has risen considerably over the years as people devote more of their time to strengthen their financial base.

People who are looking to save on taxes and create wealth also look for several Finance options. One of them is to make specific investment options; there are certain investments through which the client will be exempt from taxes. They can manage their funds through good financial plans and generate wealth in the same mode.
One major area of converting available liquid cash into a favourable proposition comes in the form of investment in property. When people do not have enough money to buy a property, they approach finance services for loan options. Of all the loans in the world, Investment Property Financing is the toughest of all. It is a risky business and many lending companies are not willing to take the risk. The first reason that most companies expostulate is that the buyer of real estate is not living at the said property. The second reason that goes against Investment Property Financing is that the property value could drop below the loan amount. This causes financial companies to charge high rate of interest for Investment Property Financing and most clients shy away because they are unable to pay it. Most of the time, such property has no resale value.

There are quite a few reputed business and finance portals in Ireland where clients can gauge valuable and updated information of various financial services. It helps them with their stock market and e-commerce. The portals help the client make clever investment choices by placing the most favourable investment strategies in front of them. These Finance companies will track the client’s reports over a set period of time and switch funds to investment plans with better returns. Once the client chooses a company to do business with, he expects the company to be straightforward, reliable and competent. There are several such institutions in Ireland, making the country the most favourable place to do business. The opportunities for starting new businesses in Ireland are quite favourable because investors have instant access to a huge range of funding options. The client’s companies are offered attractive support packages to develop their business and maximize their ROI. Some financial services have trained experts who will turn out to be a big help in making smart investment decisions.

Investment advisor’s primary role includes creating a portfolio for the investor based on his needs, risk profile and successfully managing the same. While maintaining high service standards is pertinent, it shouldn’t gain precedence over the advice part.
Can he smartly diversify your investment?
Providing investment solutions is a completely different ball game as compared to simply selling investment products. Check if your investment advisor offers you the entire range of products ranging from equity, mutual funds, insurance, real estate, gold, bonds to fixed deposits i.e. is he in a position to offer you all the options to construct the ideal portfolio?
More importantly your investment advisor should help you attain the ideal asset allocation. The various investment options he offers you need to be customized to your needs, objectives and risk appetite
Decide what services you need?
Before contacting potential advisors it’s a good idea to know in advance what you are really expecting from an advisor. Make a list of expectations to go along your financial goals. An advisor may not be able to help you if they don’t know what you want. It’s your own responsibility to make sure that you’ve provided an advisor with the information they need to advise you appropriately.
Do an interview with everyone you are considering and don’t be afraid to ask for references. Interrogate some of the queries like:

· Are you registered with SEBI ?
· Are you member of NSE & BSE?
· Is your Terminal Operator NCFM Certified?
· Are you AMFI Certified?
· Are you IRDA certified?
· What licenses, certificates and registrations do you have?
· What services do you provide?
· What kind of clients do you serve?
· How many clients do you have?
· How long have you been in the business?
· How would you summarize your philosophy of money management?
· How you analyze technical & fundamental research and which software do you use for this?
· What types of investments do you recommend?
· What is your area of expertise?
· What separates you from others in the field?
· What are your educational credentials and business experience?
· How do you keep up to date in the field?
· How does your past investment performance rank against your benchmarks and peers?
· How are you compensated and how do you set your fees?
· How are fees calculated?
· What do I receive for that fee?
· How often do you communicate with your clients?
· How often will the portfolio be reviewed?
Once you are satisfied with the credentials of your financial advisor by asking above said questions, the most important thing is the trust and belief you have in him. You have a choice when choosing your investment advisor. Make your choice wisely. This becomes a partnership and like any other partnership, to succeed it has to be base on faith. He is the one who will keep in mind your age, your needs, current and future liabilities and your lifestyle then will accordingly outline a solid financial plan that can help you reach your short, medium and long term financial goals.
Good luck in making this important decision!

Financial planning refers to creating a plan for present and future goals. Whether you want to buy a house, save for college tuition, invest in real estate, start a business, or be able to retire comfortably, financial planning helps you obtain the things you need or desire.

Today’s economic conditions make financial planning more important than ever. Unfortunately, many people are struggling to make ends meet, let alone set aside money for their future. However, with perseverance and determination, most people can find a way to set aside money if they set their mind to it. It is simply a matter of reviewing current finances and making budget cuts or finding a way to increase income.

Individuals who have more month than money should consider obtaining credit counseling. Consumers with low income should seek out non-profit credit counseling agencies that use a sliding scale to determine fees. Depending on the level of income earned, some people can receive credit counseling at no cost. A list of nationwide credit counselors is available through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling website at NFCC.org.

The Internet is a great resource for helping people learn about various financial planning strategies. Most of the information is available at no cost. Before spending money on financial planning courses or workshops, it is important to conduct research to determine the credibility of the source. Always check with the Better Business Bureau and conduct online research to see if complaints have been filed.

The first step of financial planning involves reviewing current income and expenses. Many people fail to realize how much money they spend purchasing unnecessary items. A simple, no-cost way to determine where money is spent is to track all expenses for one month. Write down every penny spent, review, and determine where expenses can be shaved.

If you are spending $20 a week on fast food lunches or coffee drinks, consider stashing that money in a high interest savings account instead. Over the course of 10 years, this miniscule amount could turn into over $20,000, plus accrued interest.

Financial expert, Suze Orman, recommends contributing a minimum of 10-percent of income toward savings or investment funds. She suggests consumers get in the habit of paying their self first, than paying living expenses. Ms. Orman is not saying to pay bills late or not at all. She merely recommends including savings installments within the household budget.

Dave Ramsey is another trustworthy source for obtaining accurate financial planning tools and information. Ramsey has a reputation for his no-nonsense approach to debt management. Visitors to his website can locate an arsenal of financial planning information, debt reduction tools, and advice for obtaining financial freedom regardless of earned income amount.

Certified financial planners can provide consumers with solid financial plans. These professionals are trained to help consumers achieve short- and long-term investment goals by reviewing income and expenses and implementation of get out of debt strategies.

The Financial Planning Association website provides a list of certified financial planners, tools and resources, and financial planning webinars which can be viewed in the comfort of home. Visitors can locate information about buying a home, saving for college, estate planning, retirement planning and more at FPAforFinancialPlanning.org.

The sooner you enter into financial planning strategies, the sooner you begin to build wealth. Before diving in take time to conduct research to determine which plan is best suited for your personal needs. Then, create a savings and investment plan and make a commitment to stick with it!

As there are more and more consumers being resistant to pay for financial investments offered by a financial investment counselor, nowadays independent planners have become a norm in society due to the considerably amount of benefits gained including cheaper costs. As consumers are penetrating into the modern world where financial affairs have become an important aspect of their lives, they have begun to take responsible of their own financial security.
The trends of people becoming independent financial planners are undeniable. Back then, retirement plans were not of concern by most employees as such responsibilities have been the job of social security. The older mentality portrayed that social security was larger and a more reliable source of retirement income. There was not much job-switching among employees and there were only few retirement assets to track. But ever since the revolution into a modernized society, people are taking the step towards making complex decisions themselves and get involved in investments personally.
Hence the greater demand of fee-only, independent advisors. There are some sources that offer such services. Independent financial investment counselor can be found in certain bodies such as the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA). This is a corporation dedicated to provide comprehensive financial planning with fee charges. It is the largest professional organization in the United States. They do not handle your money, only offering financial advice and investment tips from experts’ point of view.
If you wish to become one of the independent financial planners, you will need to equip yourself with some independence, absolute competency and ultimate coordination of all aspects in financial planning. It is best if you have the Certified Public Accountant designations along with the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) or Certified Financial Planner (CFP) titles. A good planner should be able to provide comprehensive planning related to social security, life insurance, employee retirement plans, as well as personal assets.

There are many people who feel that to make money in todays
market and in the future, you must work off of advisory fees and
not commissions.

An Investment or Financial Adviser is someone who manages a
portfolio or advises a person what to do in their portfolio. For
these services, an Adviser can retain a fee for doing so. They
operate much like an Accountant or an Attorney would. Rather
than directly sell a security for commission, they will receive
a fixed percentage of the assets they manage. The license that
most of them receive is the SERIES 65 (Registered Investment
Advisor). What makes this arrangement attractive for the Adviser
is that your income stream is much steadier. Your fees are set
so if a customer is not particularly active, you still retain
the normal advisory fee you charge.

The arrangement is equally beneficial to the customer. A
customer does not feel the same pressure to buy as they would
from a commission Stockbroker. A Stockbroker does not make money
unless a customer buys or sells.

The SERIES 65 does not need to be sponsored and can be practiced
independently. It also looks terrific on a resume and only takes
4-6 weeks to study for. If you are looking to add financial
credentials prior to entering the securities business, the
Series 65 is a great license to get. It is a multiple choice
test and no educational pre-requisites are required.

A few states do not require an individual to hold a SERIES 65
to practice investment advice but it is a good idea to get it
anyway. You want to be aware of certain rules and background of
the industry. The licensing curriculum will explain all of the
securities that apply. It is also a good “Title” to practice
business under. Thousands and thousands of CPA’s, Lawyers, and
other professionals have obtained their SERIES 65 license and
became Financial Advisors. The ability to offer investment
advice to their existing clientele has proved to be very
beneficial to their business.

You are not allowed to work on commissions and advisory fees
from the same client. The SEC views that as “double charging”,
so you should decide what route is best for you. As said
earlier, many feel the “fee route” is the best way to go now.

Good Luck!

Financial Planning on the other hand is on a larger scale and includes everything from investment planning, savings, expenditure to paying of debts and bills. Here what you plan affects you other areas of financial concerns.

On a general man to man basis Financial Planning is of more importance when compared to investment planning. If a man fails to save money, then where is he going to make the investment from? It is here that the need to emphasize on a strong financial plan comes to play. Financial planning is on a larger scale compared to Investment planning. Where investment planning is individual oriented, financial planning takes into account the needs of the individual and family. Financial planning is the process of assessing the financial goals of an individual at different junctures of his life. It takes into account all assets and investments that he already has and what others he may require to achieve his financial goals in the near future. The prime objective here is to ensure that the required amount of money is there with him at the time of an investment, thereby enabling him to meet his personal goals. This is how financial planning and investment planning relate to each other. Coming to the investment part, security along with profit is a big question?

Any investment depicts a clear picture of your current financial situation. Bifurcate your investments amongst various assets to reduce the risk factor. Asset Allocation is the best way to ensure that a particular investment made is a success. Monitoring your investment to maintain the allocation with your financial goals makes the investment tax efficient.

Following are certain points as to how one can better their investment and financial planning:

Investment Planning:

1) Create a Budget for Monthly Expenses: This enables you to get a clear picture as to where your expenses lie and how much unnecessary expenditure you could curtail to save a decent percentage of your income.

2) Paying of Debts: Once you clear of your debts, a certain amount of your expenditure is saved. This can be used for investment purposes.

3) Emergency Savings: Emergencies do arrive unannounced. One has to ensure that a

certain amount is kept aside to meet these situations. These funds should be invested or

kept aside to meet these situations. These funds should be invested or kept aside in

investments that can be accessed anytime you need cash.

4) Investing in Long term Assets: Investing in long term Assets is a good decision. Purchasing a house is considered to be a good investment as payments towards interest and real estate taxes are tax deductible. Secondly the value of property increases with time. Other then this investing wisely in Mutual Funds, stocks and insurance will provide you with a good return on your investment.

Financial Planning:

1) Using a monthly spending plan or budget to keep finances on track

2) Making decisions about the job and its benefits

3) Getting the most out of other financial resources, including insurance and employer provided benefits.

4) Saving and investing money

5) Controlling expenses and staying out of debt.

6) Planning for estate transfer.

Generally people enlist the services of a financial planner prior to making any major investments. A financial planner is a professional who helps people deal with various personal financial issues through proper planning, which includes cash flow management, education planning, retirement planning, investment planning, risk management and insurance planning, tax planning, estate planning and business succession planning. While dealing with Mutual Fund Investments they are called “Fund Managers” and it is them who determine the performance of a fund. Investment and financial planning if made wisely definitely guarantees you security and long term financial gains and keeps you financially independent through out your life.

Every individual cares to plunge into some sort of risk in yield a positive result that might not be expected beforehand. But the level of such risk goes a little high that are based on investments and its procurement. This is because there might not be a single person who is not at all engaged in chasing his treasured dream of becoming reluctant about money before an appropriate financial planning investment. It is a common observation amongst those students who try to study abroad and also for those employees who looks for a stable professional life. A financial advisor in India can offer worth making guidelines before such investments based on financial aspects to such individuals.  For desired achievement of the goals an individual can seek advice from a financial planner as well. A financial advisor can also be depicted as a mentor for aspiring individuals that need valid and authenticated information on insurance, tax, etc. which automatically binds itself inside a single financial plan.

There are many people who prefer to hire financial advisor in India only when they try to incur or go in search of information on specific issues and matters such as paying down payments, procuring a retirement policy before time, health insurance, investments made on a future aspired project, etc. But no matter with what perception and need an individual looks for a financial advisor, but their profitable suggestions can also help in getting motivation and also confidence before making an investment. But behind all these countable aspects, the first thing that an individual should perform is the calculative assessment at his own risk in matters related to money. A financial planning investment should be entirely based on your personality as no single individual can have similar sort of risk taking trait. Just like the DNA chains of a chromosome every single person possesses unique perceptions and risk taking characters. Some can bear a huge loss while another may not recover from a minor hammering on factors and conditions that deals with finance and wealth.

So an estimated calculation counts a lot before any financial planning investment based on considerable factors like present income source of an individual, liquidity, years left before a retirement, health related safety concerns, tax benefits, etc. This is because ignorance maintained before a financial decision in the life of an individual can at times turns him from riches to rags and vice versa for a planned and secured investment of the same.

Registered investment advisors, like InTrust Advisors, can help you attain your dreams, no matter how big they may be, by helping you manage your personal fortune intelligently. Whether or not you have a firm grasp of the vagaries of financial markets, InTrust can handle your money in such a way that it will continue to grow and accumulate for years to come. InTrust will see to it that you are able, eventually, to afford to do whatever you want to.
InTrust is a registered investment advisor that specializes in ETFs, or “Exchange Traded Funds.” ETFs are a type of financial instrument. Their value is linked to the net value of a bundle of underlying assets. Registered investment advisors tend to gravitate towards ETFs because they are relatively low-cost, and are generally less prone to excessive taxation than other types of investments. This means the majority of the money you invest with InTrust, or any other ETF-focused registered investment advisor, will go back into your pockets, rather into the coffers of municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Which is never a bad thing.
Registered investment advisors like InTrust can help ensure that you don’t fall prey to some of the more confusing aspects of investing in today’s excessively complex marketplace. Especially in the wake of the recent global financial meltdown, you simply should not be investing your money without competent advice from an industry professional. InTrust, and other registered investment advisors like them, can help ensure that your money stays relatively safe, while at the same time ensuring a modest return on your investment.
Among registered investment advisors, InTrust is particularly worthy of your consideration. The firm has been in existence since 1997, a comparatively tranquil financial era, during which InTrust operated as a small, multi-client family office. In 2000, they offered their first hedge fund product to clients, which was called the InTrust Advisors Multi-Manager Fund, L.P. In the Summer of 2007, the company further distinguished themselves among competing registered investment advisors by developing its Market Adaptive Portfolio Strategies (MAPS)—a suite of investment strategies that helps InTrust ensure maximum returns for its clients. 
InTrust also distinguishes itself from other registered investment advisors in the flexibility of its service offerings. They offer five different portfolios for clients to choose from, each tailored to a suit different needs and risk-tolerances. No matter what your outlook, InTrust has a product for you.
Also, for clients with large amounts of money to invest, InTrust offers a fully-customizable ETF option that can be adjusted to suit individual needs, no matter how specific they may be. This is an ideal option for clients who need a certain amount of nuance from their registered investment advisor, are prepared to pay in order to receive it.
Finding the right registered financial advisor is potentially one of the most important decisions an individual can make. Let InTrust help you make your money grow, so you can achieve your dreams.