Do you see your doctor at least once a year for your annual checkup? Do you take the daunting trip to the dentist twice a year for cleaning and x-rays? Do you exercise in the gym with a trainer a few times a month? Do you take your car to a mechanic for an oil change every 3,000 to 5,000 miles?

Hopefully you answered yes to one or more of these questions. Why? Because these are all instances of responsible maintenance activities that we should do as adults to help us stay healthy, maintain proper dental hygiene, and keep our vehicles in good running order. These common place activities listed above are examples of us placing our trust in professionals who have dedicated their working lives to helping individuals stay healthy, fit, and mobile. Studies also show that if we are diligent in doing these things, we will save ourselves time and money down the road by preventing large health costs or a destroyed car engine.

With that in mind – may I ask? When was the last time you had a financial check-up? When was the last time you met to discuss cleaning up your credit history or took a hard look at your budget? When was the last time you developed a financial plan to achieve that which is most important to you? For most young individuals and couples, the answer is never. There seems to be an underlying thought that you have to be exorbitantly wealthy to need a financial planner. But that could not be further from the truth. As young men and women, you have the opportunity to work with a professional who can help to guide you in the right direction, and warn you about financial pitfalls BEFORE you learn them the hard way. And as a point of clarification, when I say “Financial Planner” I’m speaking about someone who will look at the whole of your financial picture and help you make a personalized plan to accomplish things like paying down debt, budgeting wisely, and investing for the long term.

At the end of the day, you must ask the same question about your financial situation as you pose when considering those annual checkups: Can I afford not to? Need to make an appointment? Give us a call!