Your Appointment with Financial Health

I’m a wholehearted convert to financial planning.  I wasn’t always excited by budgets and finances. But I’ve been with Apprisen for over 10 years now, and have seen in my own life and in the lives of our clients the difference facing your finances can make.  As I talk to people on the phone and out in our communities, there are certain things that I hear over and over. I thought it might be helpful for our readers here to know you’re not alone, and to address possible concerns about meeting with one of our Financial Specialists and getting a financial review:

• We have lots of different services, and we realize that different situations require different answers. Maybe what’s needed is a review of your options of how to pay down debts or a financial review to help you manage your finances.  Is a consolidation a viable option?  What about taking out of your retirement? Would settlements be worth it?  Maybe you need budgeting tips, tools, or accountability.  Maybe it’s information about how to help your credit so that you can manage it yourself.  It’s our goal to listen to YOUR goals and to assist you in getting there.

• Gracious no, that’s why we exist. We do need a basic set of information about income, expenses, and debts in order to review your options, but few people know these numbers off the top of their head.  A pay stub for income information, a bank statement for list of expenses, and bills for the debt are fantastic tools that we can use. I always say it’s part of my goal that you leave more knowledgeable and organized at the end of an appointment than when you started.  Sometimes just being able to see all your finances summed up on one page is enlightening and useful.

• If you’ve avoided your finances for months or years, for whatever reason, it can seem overwhelming. I hear this the most often before reviewing a credit report with someone.  They almost don’t want to know the score or what shows up!  But truly the fear of the unknown is almost always greater than the reality.  What was once a vague ongoing fear becomes knowledge and determination to focus on one manageable step at a time.

• Most of our clients who are struggling have had issues beyond their control happen – medical issues, a job loss, a divorce – any of which can send a budget careening into debt. Others struggle with understanding limits for spending, or addictions.  The cause matters less than the path forward, and that’s why we’re here to help.  I tell clients regularly that it’s not about telling you where you need to spend more or less.  It’s about having a plan that helps you make the most of your money now, while still having a plan for a productive and enjoyable future.  The analogy I use most often is that you take your body to the doctor for an annual physical, and you take your car to the shop for a quarterly oil change and tune up.  That’s what we’re here for.  We’re not going to take the car or drive the car; we’re the tune up you need to get back on the road and make it to your destination.

If you are concerned about your finances or want to go from having an OK plan to excelling with your finances, we’re happy to partner with you.  You can conveniently schedule a 1-1 session online to meet with one of our specialists to get your preferred financial tune-up. You can also submit your financial information to IRIS to get a complimentary financial review and action plan by a Financial Specialist within 24-48 hours.