Terms

Financial Planning

Financial planning is the process of taking a comprehensive look at your current financial situation and building a step-by-step plan to reach your goals. It is the practice of putting together a plan for your future, specifically around how you will manage your finances and prepare for all of the potential costs and issues that may arise. This process can include many aspects of personal finance, including investing, debt repayment, building savings, planning for retirement and even purchasing insurance. From emotional and health associated benefits to social and financial benefits, financial planning has a net positive impact on every aspect of your life.

Industries

Insurance

Terms

Debt
Investing
Personal Finance
Retirement
Taxes

Mentioned by the Following

Entities

Financial Sense Wealth Management
1919 Investment Counsel
2050 Wealth Partners
AE Wealth Management
Abacus Wealth Partners
Adviser Investments
Ameriprise Financial
Amplius Wealth Advisors
Andrew Marshall Financial
Artifex Financial Group
BBR Partners
Baker Street Advisors
Ballentine Partners
Banyan Hill Publishing
Barclays Investment Bank
Beacon Pointe
Beckon Capital
Bell Investment Advisors
Bleakley Advisory Group
Bleakley Financial Group
Blue Ocean Global Wealth
Bone Fide Wealth
Brenton Point Wealth Advisors
Brenton Point Wealth Advisors LLC
Brouwer & Janachowski
Buckingham Strategic Wealth
CAPTRUST
Canal Capital Management
CapWealth
Capstone Wealth Partners
Carroll Financial
Carson Wealth
Carver Financial Services
Cassaday & Company, Inc.
Cerity Partners
Cetera Advisor Networks
Chevy Chase Trust
Churchill Management Group
Clan Capital
Clarfeld Financial Advisors
Clearview Trading Advisors Inc
Collins Investment Group
Compendium Finance
Complete Intelligence
Cooke Financial Group
Cresset Capital
D.A. Davidson Companies
D.B. Root & Company
D.K. Brede Investment Management
Davidson Kempner Capital Management
DeYoe Wealth Management
Define Financial
Douglas C. Lane & Associates
EVOKE ARIS
East Horizon Investments
Edelman Financial Engines
Endowment Wealth Management
Essex Investment Management
Evergreen Gavekal
Explorador Capital Management LLC
FPPad
Fairpoint Wealth Management
Farr, Miller & Washington
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
Fiduciary Wealth Partners
Financial Planning Association
First Republic
Flagship Harbor Advisors
Fort Washington Investment Advisors
GFM Asset Management
Gen Y Planning
Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management
Gerstein Fisher
Gertsema Wealth Advisors
Gitterman Wealth Management
Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management
Gratus Capital
HCR Wealth Advisors
Hayden Royal
Heritage Financial Services
Hightower Advisors
Hightower Bethesda
Homrich Berg
IEQ Capital
Institute for Innovation Development
Investment Banking Institute
Investment Counsel Company
Investments & Wealth Institute™
Iron Gate Global Advisors
JKD Capital, LLC
Jacques Financial LLC
Janney Montgomery Scott
John G. Ullman & Associates, Inc.
Kaplan Professional
Key Financial
Klingman & Associates
Kovitz
LVW Advisors
Lake Avenue Financial
Lange Financial Group
Leeb Capital Management
Life Planning Partners
MG&A Wealth
Main Street Asset Management LLC
Mainstay Capital Management
Marcato Capital Management
Mariner Wealth Advisors
Mason Investment Advisory Services
Massey & Associates, Inc.
McGee Wealth Management
McLean Asset Management
Mercer Advisors
Moneta Group
Money Map Press
Movement Capital
NCA Financial Planners
National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
National Institute for Cannabis Investors
NaviPlan®
New Street Advisors Group
Newport Capital Group
Newport Harbor Wealth Management
Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management Inc.
Obermeyer Wood Investment Counsel
Objective Capital Management
Octo Members Group
Odyssey Capital Advisors
One Capital Management
Orcam Financial Group
Origin Wealth Advisers
Orion
Overlook Investments Group
PWL Capital
PagnatoKarp
Parcion Private Wealth
Pathstone
Paul R. Ried Financial Group
Pence Wealth Management
Pictet Wealth Management
Pinnacle Advisory Group
Plancorp
Pring Turner Capital Group
Private Advisor Group
Professional Planning Group
Puckett & Sturgill Financial Group
RBC Wealth Management
RIA Advisors
Raymond James Financial
Retirement Researcher
Reynders, McVeigh Capital Management
Ritholtz Wealth Management
Robertson Stephens
Royal Bank of Canada
SWS Partners
Sand Hill Global Advisors
Seymour Asset Management
Sherman Wealth Management
Signature Estate & Investment Advisors
Simone Zajac Wealth Management Group
Simons Financial Network
Sizemore Capital Management
Snowden Lane Partners
SoFi
St. James's Place Wealth Management
Sungarden Investment Management
Tekne Capital Management
Telemus Capital
The Vanguard Group
TheStreet
Tressis
True North Advisors
Tycuda Group
VWG Wealth Management
Venturi Private Wealth
WE Family Offices
Wateroak Advisors
Wealth Care LLC
Wealth Enhancement Group
Wealth Resources Group
Wealthfront
Wellington-Altus
Wise Investor Group
oXYGen Financial

Entity Types

Family Offices

People

A. Donahue Baker
Aaron Hodari
Aaron Puckett
Aaron Romain
Adam Butler
Adam Epstein
Adam Goldstein
Alejandro Reyes
Alex Chalekian
Alex Koyfman
Amir Mossanen
Andrew Campbell
Andrew Hallam
Andrew Hinkle
Andrew Houghton
Andrew Marshall
Andy Berg
Andy Clarke
Andy Edstrom
Andy Schwartz
Angela Gingras
Anne Richards
Ariel Yusim
Ash Chopra
Atul Varma
Barry Garber
Barry Glassman
Barry Ritholtz
Ben Reynolds
Bernie Kent
Bert Schweizer
Bill Greco
Bill King
Bill Sullivan
Bill Winterberg
Blair DuQuesnay
Bob Collins
Bob Froehlich
Bob Johnson
Bob Stone
Brad Sherman
Brad Thomas
Bradley Safalow
Brenda Vingiello
Brian Frank
Brian Hetherington
Brian Holmes
Brian Hunsaker
Brian McGough
Bruce Burrows
Bruce Frumerman
Bruce Munster
Bruce Zimmerman
Carol Fabbri
Carolyn McClanahan
Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
Cary Carbonaro
Charles Day
Charles Noble III
Charles Sherry
Charlie McKinney
Chris Castroviejo
Chris Cook
Chris Doty
Chris Hohlstein
Christopher Joye
Colleen Jaconetti
Corey Westphal
Craig Pfeiffer
Cullen Roche
Curtis Eustis
Dan Arnold
Dan Bortolotti
Dan Schwartz
Dana Anspach
Dana Locniskar
Daniel Applegarth
Daniel Fries
Daniel Martins
Daniel Masters
Daniel Zajac
Darren Harp
Darren McCammon
Dave Mazza
David Bach
David Bahnsen
David Bieber
David Chang
David Copeman
David Dorr
David Ellis III
David Fried
David Hunter
David Kretzmann
David Kudla
David Magrone
David McKnight
David Rea
David Root
David Scarpello
Dean Braun
Dean Trindle
Debra Brede
Degas Wright
Delano Saporu
Dev Ashish
Devin Condron
Divya Narendra
Don d'Adesky
Doug Kinsey
Douglas Boneparth
Drew McMorrow
Dwight Emanuelson
Ed Slott
Edwin Choi
Eli Rauch
Elliott Allswang
Elliott Kugel
Emily Rubin
Eric Clarke
Eric Gray
Eric Kittner
Eric Parnell
Eric Simons
Eric Tyson
Erik Conley
Erin Scannell
Evan Steinberg
Frank Holding Jr.
Frank Parker
Franz Amussen
Gary Liska
Gary Shilling
Gavin von Loeser
George Papadoyannis
George Peacock
Gerald Jensen
Gerry Klingman
Ghislain Gouraige
Gianni Kovacevic
Gillem Tulloch
Glenn Williams Jr
Greg Heller
Greg Smith
Gregg Fisher
Harald Malmgren
Harold Trischman
Hildy Richelson
Indranil Ghosh
Ira Kravitz
James Lange
Jason Dworak
Jason Katz
Jason Stephens
Jeff Alfano
Jeff Colin
Jeff Dekko
Jeff Gitterman
Jeff Kosnett
Jeff Leventhal
Jeff Massey
Jeff Price
Jeff Rose
Jeffrey Kleintop
Jerremy Newsome
Jim Bantis
Jim Blankenship
Jim Detterick
Jim McLaughlin
Jim Moriarity
Jim Puplava
Joe Duran
Joe Martina
Joe Messinger
Joffre Lefevre
Johanna Walters
John Bowman
John Montgomery
John Rutledge
Jon Zeschin
Jonathan DeYoe
Jonathan Murray
Jonathan Wellum
Jordan Waxman
Joseph Calandro Jr
Josh Levine
Josh Malkin
Josh Targoff
Judith McGee
Jurgen Muhlhauser
Justin Weinkle
Kathy Jones
Keith Mericka
Kenneth Ameduri
Kent Kirby
Kevin Charleston
Kevin Myeroff
Kinjal Amin
Kirk Spano
Laila Pence
Lance Gaitan
Larry Carroll
Larry Swedroe
Lazetta Braxton
Lee Robertson
Leo Stevenson
Lita Epstein
Liz Ann Sonders
Lori Van Dusen
Louis Barajas
Louis Llanes
Louis Navellier
Lyle Wolberg
Lyn Alden
Mal Makin
Maleeha Bengali
Margaret Starner
Maria Bruno
Mark Binder
Mark Cortazzo
Mark Fendrick
Mark Gehlbach
Mark Moore
Mark Pattimore
Mark Sear
Mark Smith
Mark Thorndyke
Mark Whitmore
Martin Halbfinger
Martin Armstrong
Marty Bicknell
Mary Deatherage
Mary Mullin
Matt Audette
Matt Bohlsen
Matt Hogan
Matt Kircher
Matt Ran
Matthew Tuttle
Max Peckler
Melissa Corrado-Harrison
Michael Kanigher
Michael Coolbaugh
Michael Finke
Michael Hajek III
Michael Kitces
Michael Miller
Michael Rubenstein
Michael Zeuner
Michele Cagan
Michelle Johnston
Mike Angerthal
Mike Castiglione
Mike DiBiase
Mike Heroux
Mike Klein
Mike Kurz
Mike Matthews
Mike Philbrick
Mike Sawyer
Miles Clyne
Mish Shedlock
Mohamed Eldawy
Morgan Paxhia
Morgen Rochard
Moss Crosby
Muhammad Wahdy
Neal Frankle
Neeraj Gutgutia
Neil Canell
Neil Gilliss
Nick Gertsema
Nithin Kamath
Noel Weil
Oliver Harris
PJ Schwarz
Pamela Rosenau
Patrick Bet-David
Patti Brennan
Paul Mladjenovic
Paul Pagnato
Paul Ried
Paul Tanner
Perth Tolle
Pete Wargent
Peter Bermont
Peter Rohr
Peter Rukeyser
Phil Hartl
Philip Kessler
Preston Cherry
Preston McSwain
Rachel Podnos O'Leary
Raj Pathak
Randy Carver
Ray van der Waal
Rebecca Rothstein
Ric Edelman
Ric McConkey
Rich Abrams
Rich Petit
Rich Pluta
Richard Couch
Rip Hale
Rita Cheng
Rita Lee
Rob Bertino Jr.
Rob Metcalf
Rob Mooney
Rob Riedl
Rob Siracusano
Robert Breedlove
Robert Skinner II
Rodrigo Gordillo
Roger Wohlner
Ron Carson
Ron Stenger
Roy Ballentine
Roy DeCaro
Royce Running
Russ Norwood
Russell Wild
Ryan Dinse
Ryan Sprowls
Sallie Krawcheck
Sam Volkering
Santiago Ulloa
Scott Kupor
Scott MacKillop
Scott Van Den Berg
Sean Yu
Serge Krancenblum
Shane Brisbin
Shannon Eusey
Shawn Rubin
Shayne Laidlaw
Sonny Kothari
Sophia Bera
Spuds Powell
Stephanie Ferris
Stephen Janachowski
Steve Butler
Steve Johnson
Steve Schultz
Steve Weinberger
Steven Van Metre
Susan Williams
Suze Orman
Ted Davis
Ted Jenkin
Ted Snow
Terrell Gates
Tim Emanuels
Tim Nolan
Tim Pagliara
Tim Price
Timothy Higgins
Toby Loftin
Todd Battaglia
Tom Frame
Tom Olinger
Tommy McBride
Tuur Demeester
Tyler Winklevoss
Valerie Houts
Victor Livingstone
Vijay Marolia
Vince DiLullo
Wade Pfau
Warren Pies
Zack Miller

Publications

2023 Money Savings Challenges Book
21st Century Wealth
A Social Security Owner's Manual
Above the Market
Complete Idiot's Guide to Tax Breaks and Deductions
Discover the Wealth Within You
Finimize
Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel
Getting Your Financial Ducks In A Row
Good Financial Cents
How to Have More than Enough
How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
Investments
Long Run Income
Mindful Money
Money and the People You Love
Nerd’s Eye View
Overworked, Overwhelmed, and Underpaid
Personal Finance Desk Reference
Personal Finance Terms
Quick-turn Marketing
Real Investment Advice
Real Wealth
Retire Young Retire Rich
Retirement Planning QuickStart Guide
Rich Kid Smart Kid
Set for Life
Smart Money Smart Kids
Stable Investor
Surviving a Layoff
The 21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires
The Babylon Course in Financial Success For Those Who Desire Much Gold
The Barefoot Investor
The Barefoot Retirement Plan
The Basics of Finance
The Big Birthday Surprise
The Business Owner's Guide to Financial Freedom
The Chicago Financial Planner
The Infographic Guide to Personal Finance
The Relaxing Retirement Formula
The Squirrel Manifesto
The Truth About Money
The Truth About Your Future
The White Coat Investor
What Every Fidelity Investor Needs to Know
You're Retired...Now What?

Strategies

Asset Protection

Terms

Portfolio Management

A. Donahue Baker

Aaron Hodari

Aaron Puckett

Aaron Romain

Adam Butler

Adam Epstein

Adam Goldstein

Alejandro Reyes

Alex Chalekian

Alex Koyfman

Amir Mossanen

Andrew Campbell

Andrew Hallam

Andrew Hinkle

Andrew Houghton

Andrew Marshall

Andy Berg

Andy Clarke

Andy Edstrom

Andy Schwartz

Angela Gingras

Anne Richards

Ariel Yusim

Ash Chopra

Atul Varma

Barry Garber

Barry Glassman

Barry Ritholtz

Ben Reynolds

Bernie Kent

Bert Schweizer

Bill Greco

Bill King

Bill Sullivan

Bill Winterberg

Blair DuQuesnay

Bob Collins

Bob Froehlich

Bob Johnson

Bob Stone

Brad Sherman

Brad Thomas

Bradley Safalow

Brenda Vingiello

Brian Frank

Brian Hetherington

Brian Holmes

Brian Hunsaker

Brian McGough

Bruce Burrows

Bruce Frumerman

Bruce Munster

Bruce Zimmerman

Carol Fabbri

Carolyn McClanahan

Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz

Cary Carbonaro

Charles Day

Charles Noble III

Charles Sherry

Charlie McKinney

Chris Castroviejo

Chris Cook

Chris Doty

Chris Hohlstein

Christopher Joye

Colleen Jaconetti

Corey Westphal

Craig Pfeiffer

Cullen Roche

Curtis Eustis

Dan Arnold

Dan Bortolotti

Dan Schwartz

Dana Anspach

Dana Locniskar

Daniel Applegarth

Daniel Fries

Daniel Martins

Daniel Masters

Daniel Zajac

Darren Harp

Darren McCammon

Dave Mazza

David Bach

David Bahnsen

David Bieber

David Chang

David Copeman

David Dorr

David Ellis III

David Fried

David Hunter

David Kretzmann

David Kudla

David Magrone

David McKnight

David Rea

David Root

David Scarpello

Dean Braun

Dean Trindle

Debra Brede

Degas Wright

Delano Saporu

Dev Ashish

Devin Condron

Divya Narendra

Don d'Adesky

Doug Kinsey

Douglas Boneparth

Drew McMorrow

Dwight Emanuelson

Ed Slott

Edwin Choi

Eli Rauch

Elliott Allswang

Elliott Kugel

Emily Rubin

Eric Clarke

Eric Gray

Eric Kittner

Eric Parnell

Eric Simons

Eric Tyson

Erik Conley

Erin Scannell

Evan Steinberg

Frank Holding Jr.

Frank Parker

Franz Amussen

Gary Liska

Gary Shilling

Gavin von Loeser

George Papadoyannis

George Peacock

Gerald Jensen

Gerry Klingman

Ghislain Gouraige

Gianni Kovacevic

Gillem Tulloch

Glenn Williams Jr

Greg Heller

Greg Smith

Gregg Fisher

Harald Malmgren

Harold Trischman

Hildy Richelson

Indranil Ghosh

Ira Kravitz

James Lange

Jason Dworak

Jason Katz

Jason Stephens

Jeff Alfano

Jeff Colin

Jeff Dekko

Jeff Gitterman

Jeff Kosnett

Jeff Leventhal

Jeff Massey

Jeff Price

Jeff Rose

Jeffrey Kleintop

Jerremy Newsome

Jim Bantis

Jim Blankenship

Jim Detterick

Jim McLaughlin

Jim Moriarity

Jim Puplava

Joe Duran

Joe Martina

Joe Messinger

Joffre Lefevre

Johanna Walters

John Bowman

John Montgomery

John Rutledge

Jon Zeschin

Jonathan DeYoe

Jonathan Murray

Jonathan Wellum

Jordan Waxman

Joseph Calandro Jr

Josh Levine

Josh Malkin

Josh Targoff

Judith McGee

Jurgen Muhlhauser

Justin Weinkle

Kathy Jones

Keith Mericka

Kenneth Ameduri

Kent Kirby

Kevin Charleston

Kevin Myeroff

Kinjal Amin

Kirk Spano

Laila Pence

Lance Gaitan

Larry Carroll

Larry Swedroe

Lazetta Braxton

Lee Robertson

Leo Stevenson

Lita Epstein

Liz Ann Sonders

Lori Van Dusen

Louis Barajas

Louis Llanes

Louis Navellier

Lyle Wolberg

Lyn Alden

Mal Makin

Maleeha Bengali

Margaret Starner

Maria Bruno

Mark Binder

Mark Cortazzo

Mark Fendrick

Mark Gehlbach

Mark Moore

Mark Pattimore

Mark Sear

Mark Smith

Mark Thorndyke

Mark Whitmore

Martin Halbfinger

Martin Armstrong

Marty Bicknell

Mary Deatherage

Mary Mullin

Matt Audette

Matt Bohlsen

Matt Hogan

Matt Kircher

Matt Ran

Matthew Tuttle

Max Peckler

Melissa Corrado-Harrison

Michael Kanigher

Michael Coolbaugh

Michael Finke

Michael Hajek III

Michael Kitces

Michael Miller

Michael Rubenstein

Michael Zeuner

Michele Cagan

Michelle Johnston

Mike Angerthal

Mike Castiglione

Mike DiBiase

Mike Heroux

Mike Klein

Mike Kurz

Mike Matthews

Mike Philbrick

Mike Sawyer

Miles Clyne

Mish Shedlock

Mohamed Eldawy

Morgan Paxhia

Morgen Rochard

Moss Crosby

Muhammad Wahdy

Neal Frankle

Neeraj Gutgutia

Neil Canell

Neil Gilliss

Nick Gertsema

Nithin Kamath

Noel Weil

Oliver Harris

PJ Schwarz

Pamela Rosenau

Patrick Bet-David

Patti Brennan

Paul Mladjenovic

Paul Pagnato

Paul Ried

Paul Tanner

Perth Tolle

Pete Wargent

Peter Bermont

Peter Rohr

Peter Rukeyser

Phil Hartl

Philip Kessler

Preston Cherry

Preston McSwain

Rachel Podnos O'Leary

Raj Pathak

Randy Carver

Ray van der Waal

Rebecca Rothstein

Ric Edelman

Ric McConkey

Rich Abrams

Rich Petit

Rich Pluta

Richard Couch

Rip Hale

Rita Cheng

Rita Lee

Rob Bertino Jr.

Rob Metcalf

Rob Mooney

Rob Riedl

Rob Siracusano

Robert Breedlove

Robert Skinner II

Rodrigo Gordillo

Roger Wohlner

Ron Carson

Ron Stenger

Roy Ballentine

Roy DeCaro

Royce Running

Russ Norwood

Russell Wild

Ryan Dinse

Ryan Sprowls

Sallie Krawcheck

Sam Volkering

Santiago Ulloa

Scott Kupor

Scott MacKillop

Scott Van Den Berg

Sean Yu

Serge Krancenblum

Shane Brisbin

Shannon Eusey

Shawn Rubin

Shayne Laidlaw

Sonny Kothari

Sophia Bera

Spuds Powell

Stephanie Ferris

Stephen Janachowski

Steve Butler

Steve Johnson

Steve Schultz

Steve Weinberger

Steven Van Metre

Susan Williams

Suze Orman

Ted Davis

Ted Jenkin

Ted Snow

Terrell Gates

Tim Emanuels

Tim Nolan

Tim Pagliara

Tim Price

Timothy Higgins

Toby Loftin

Todd Battaglia

Tom Frame

Tom Olinger

Tommy McBride

Tuur Demeester

Tyler Winklevoss

Valerie Houts

Victor Livingstone

Vijay Marolia

Vince DiLullo

Wade Pfau

Warren Pies

Zack Miller

STEPS TO CREATE A FINANCIAL PLAN

  1. Identify Your Financial Goals. By identifying your financial goals, you’ll have a clear idea of what you need to accomplish to make them happen. Your goals should be realistic and actionable and include a timeline of when you want to accomplish them.

  2. Set a Budget. Having a clear picture of your finances will make it easier to achieve any financial goals. A budget can help you understand where your money is going each month.

  3. Build an Emergency Fund. Building an emergency fund will help make sure that a financial emergency doesn’t become a catastrophic financial event.

  4. Reduce Your Debt. Having to make debt payments each month means you’ll have less money to allocate toward your purchase goals. 

  5. Invest for the Future. Although risky, investing can help grow your money, even if you’re not wealthy.


BENEFITS OF FINANCIAL PLANNING

  • Increase Your Savings. When you create a financial plan, you get a good deal of insight into your income and expenses. You can track and cut down your costs consciously.

  • Enjoy a Better Standard of Living. With a good financial plan, you would not need to compromise your lifestyle. It is possible to achieve your goals while living in relative comfort.

  • Be Prepared for Emergencies. Creating an emergency fund is a critical aspect of financial planning. You don’t have to worry about procuring funds in case of a family emergency or a job loss. 

  • Attain Peace of Mind. With adequate funds at hand, you can cover your monthly expenses, invest for your future goals and splurge a little for yourself and your family, without worry.


TYPES OF FINANCIAL PLANNING

  • Tax Planning. Financial planning often helps clients address certain tax issues.

  • Estate Planning. It seeks to make things a bit easier for your loved ones after you die. It also helps prepare for any estate tax you may be subject to.

  • Retirement Planning. You presumably want to stop working someday. They ensure that you’ve saved enough money to live the lifestyle you want in retirement.

  • Philanthropic Planning. It’s always nice to give something to people who need it or help a cause close to your heart.

  • Education Funding Planning. If you have children or other dependents who wish to pursue a college degree, you may want to help them to pay for it. 

  • Investment Planning. It can still help with your investment portfolio by mapping out how much you should be investing and in which types of investments.

  • Insurance Planning. A financial planner can help you evaluate your insurance needs. Some financial planners are also licensed insurance agents and can sell you insurance themselves.

  • Budgeting. The cornerstone of financial planning, budgeting can make sure you are spending the right amount given your income and can also make sure that you aren’t going into debt.