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Essential requirements in crafting a one-page financial advisor business plan.

August 17, 2015 07:01 am 21 Comments CATEGORY: Practice Management

Executive Summary

In a world where most advisory firms are relatively small businesses, having a formal business plan is a remarkably rare occurrence. For most advisors, they can “keep track” of the business in their head, making the process of creating a formal business plan on paper to seem unnecessary.

Yet the reality is that crafting a business plan is about more than just setting some business goals to pursue. Like financial planning, the process of thinking through the plan is still valuable, regardless of whether the final document at the end gets put to use. In fact, for many advisory firms, a simple “one-page” financial advisor business plan may be the best output of the business planning process – a single-page document with concrete goals to which the advisor can hold himself/herself accountable.

So what should the (one-page) financial advisor business plan actually cover? As the included sample template shows, there are six key areas to define for the business: who will it serve, what will you do for them, how will you reach them, how will you know if it’s working, where will you focus your time, and what must you do to strengthen (or build) the foundation to make it possible? Ideally, this should be accompanied by a second page to the business plan, which includes a budget or financial projection of the key revenue and expense areas of the business, to affirm that it is a financially viable plan (and what the financial goals really are!).

And in fact, because one of the virtues of a financial advisor business plan is the accountability it can create, advisors should not only craft the plan, but share it – with coaches and colleagues, and even with prospective or current clients. Doing so becomes an opportunity to not only to get feedback and constructive criticism about the goals, but in the process of articulating a clear plan for the business, the vetting process can also be a means to talk about the business and who it will serve, creating referral opportunities in the process!

Author: Michael Kitces

Michael Kitces is Head of Planning Strategy at Buckingham Strategic Wealth , which provides an evidence-based approach to private wealth management for near- and current retirees, and Buckingham Strategic Partners , a turnkey wealth management services provider supporting thousands of independent financial advisors through the scaling phase of growth.

In addition, he is a co-founder of the XY Planning Network , AdvicePay , fpPathfinder , and New Planner Recruiting , the former Practitioner Editor of the Journal of Financial Planning, the host of the Financial Advisor Success podcast, and the publisher of the popular financial planning industry blog Nerd’s Eye View through his website Kitces.com , dedicated to advancing knowledge in financial planning. In 2010, Michael was recognized with one of the FPA’s “Heart of Financial Planning” awards for his dedication and work in advancing the profession.

Read all of Michael’s articles here .

Why A Business Plan Matters For Financial Advisors

There’s no end to the number of articles and even entire books that have been written about how to craft a business plan , yet in practice I find that remarkably few financial advisors have ever created any kind of formal (written or unwritten) business plan. Given that the overwhelming majority of financial advisors essentially operate as solo practitioners or small partnerships, this perhaps isn’t entirely surprising – when you can keep track of the entire business in your head in the first place, is there really much value to going through a formal process of crafting a financial advisor business plan?

Having been a part of the creation and growth of numerous businesses , I have to admit that my answer to “does a[n individual] financial advisor really need a business plan?” is a resounding yes . But not because you’re just trying to figure out what the basics of your business will be, which you may well have “figured out” in your head (or as the business grows, perhaps figured out in conversations with your partner). The reason a business plan matters is all about focus , and the ability to keep focus in proceeding towards your core objectives, and accountable to achieving them, even in a dynamic real-world environment full of distractions.

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As the famous military saying goes, “ no battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy ”, because the outcomes of battle contact itself change the context, and it’s almost impossible to predict what exactly will come next. Nonetheless, crafting a battle plan in advance is a standard for military leadership. Because even if the plan will change as it’s being executed, having a clearly articulated objective allows everyone, even (and especially) in the heat of battle, to keep progressing towards a common agreed-upon goal. In other words, the objective stated in the battle plan provides a common point of focus for everyone to move towards, even as the (battle) landscape shifts around them. And the business plan serves the exact same role within a business.

Essential Elements Required In A Financial Advisor Business Plan

Because the reality is that in business – as in battle? – the real world will not likely conform perfectly to an extensively crafted business (or battle) plan written in advance, I am not a fan of crafting an extensively detailed business plan, especially for new advisors just getting started, or even a ‘typical’ solo advisory firm. While it’s valuable to think through all the elements in depth – the process of thinking through a business plan is part of what helps to crystallize the key goals to work towards – as with financial planning itself, the process of planning can actually be more valuable than “the plan” that is written out at the end .

Accordingly, for most financial advisors trying to figure out how to write a business plan, I’m an advocate of crafting a form of “one-page business plan” that captures the essential elements of the business, and provides direction about where to focus, especially focus the time of the advisor-owner in particular. In other words, the purpose for a financial advisor business plan is simply to give clear marching orders towards a clear objective, with clear metrics about what is trying to be achieved along the way, so you know where to focus your own time and energy!

Of course, the reality is that what constitutes the most important goals for an advisory firm – as well as the challenges it must surmount – will vary a lot, depending not just on the nature of the firm, but simply on its size, scope, and business stage. Financial advisors just getting started launching a new RIA face very different business and growth issues than a solo advisor who has been operating for several years but now hit a “wall” in the business , and the challenges of a solo advisor are different than those of a larger firm with multiple partners who need to find alignment in their common business goals. Nonetheless, the core essential elements that any business plan is required to cover are remarkably similar.

Requirements For An Effective Financial Advisor Business Plan

While there are many areas that can potentially be covered, the six core elements that must be considered as the template for a financial advisor business plan are:

6 Required Elements Of A (One Page) Business Plan For Financial Advisors 1) Who will you serve? This is the most basic question of all, but more complex than it may seem at first. The easy answer is “anyone who will pay me”, but in practice I find that one of the most common reasons a new advisor fails is that their initial outreach is so unfocused, there’s absolutely no possibility to gain any momentum over time. In the past, when you could cold-call your way to success by just trying to pump your products on every person who answered the phone until you found a buyer, this might have been feasible. But if you want to get paid for your advice itself, you need to be able to demonstrate your expertise. And since you can’t possibly be an expert at everything for everyone, you have to pick someone for whom you will become a bona fide specialist (which also provides crucial differentiation from other advisors the potential client might choose to work with instead ). In other words, you need to choose what type of niche clientele you’re going to target to differentiate yourself. And notably, this problem isn’t unique to new advisors; many established advisors ultimately hit a wall in their business, in part because it’s so time-consuming trying to be everything to everyone, that they reach their personal capacity in serving clients earlier than they ‘should’. Focusing on a particular clientele – to the point that you can anticipate all of their problems and issues in advance – allows the business to be radically more efficient. So who, really , do you want to serve? 2) What will you do for them? Once you’ve chosen who you will serve, the next task is to figure out what you will actually do for them – in other words, what services will you deliver. The reason it’s necessary to first figure out who you will serve, is that the nature of your target niche clientele may well dictate what kind of services you’re going to provide them; in fact, part of the process of identifying and refining your niche in the first place should be to interview a number of people in your niche , and really find out what they want and need that’s important to them (not just the standard ‘comprehensive financial plan’ that too many advisors deliver in the same undifferentiated manner ). For instance, if you’re really serious about targeting retirees, you might not only provide comprehensive financial planning, but investment management services (for their retirement portfolios), a specific retirement income distribution strategy, assistance with long-term care insurance, and guidance on enrolling in Medicare and making decisions about the timing of when to start Social Security benefits . On the other hand, if you hope to work with entrepreneurs, you might need to form relationships with attorneys and accountants who can help facilitate creating new business entities, and your business model should probably be on a retainer basis, as charging for assets under management may be difficult (as entrepreneurs tend to plow their dollars back into their businesses!). If your goal is to work with new doctors, on the other hand, your advice will probably focus more on career guidance, working down a potential mountain of student debt, and cash flow/budgeting strategies. Ultimately, these adjustments will help to formulate the ongoing client service calendar you might craft to articulate what you’ll do with clients (especially if you plan to work with them on an ongoing basis), and the exact business model of how you’ll get paid (Insurance commissions? Investment commissions? AUM fees? Annual retainers? Monthly retainers ? Hourly fees?). 3) How will you reach them? Once you’ve decided who you want to reach, and what you will do for them, it’s time to figure out how you will reach them – in other words, what will be your process for finding prospective clients you might be able to work with? If you’re targeting a particular niche, who are the centers of influence you want to build relationships with? What publications do they read, where you could write? What conferences do they attend, where you might speak? What organizations are they involved with, where you might also volunteer and get involved? If you’re going to utilize an inbound marketing digital strategy as an advisor , what are the topics you can write about that would draw interest and organic search traffic, and what giveaway will you provide in order to get them to sign up for your mailing list so you can continue to drip market to them? In today’s competitive world, it’s not enough to just launch a firm, hang your (virtual) shingle, and wait for people to walk in off the street or call your office. You need to have a plan about how you will get out there to get started! 4) How will you know if it’s working? Once you’ve set a goal for who you want to serve, what you want to do for them, and how you will reach them, it’s time to figure out how to measure whether it’s working. The caveat for most financial advisory businesses, though, is that measuring outcomes is tough because of the small sample size – in a world where you might have to reach out to dozens of strangers just to find a dozen prospects, and then meet with all those prospects just to get a client or two, it’s hard to tell whether a strategy that nets one extra client in a quarter was really a “better strategy” or just random good luck that won’t repeat. As a result, in practice it’s often better to measure activity than results , especially as a newer advisory firm. In other words, if you think you’ll have to meet 10 Centers Of Influence (COIs) to get introductions to 30 prospects to get 3 clients, then measure whether you’re meeting your activity goals of 10 COIs and 30 prospect meetings, and not necessarily whether you got 2, 3, or 4 clients out of the last stint of efforts. Not that you shouldn’t ultimately have results-oriented goals of clients and revenue as well, but activity is often the easier and more salient item to measure, whether it’s phone calls made, articles written, subscribers added to your drip marketing list, prospect meetings, COI introductions, or something else. So when you’re defining the goals of your business plan, be certain you’re setting both goals for the results you want to achieve, and the key performance indicator (KPI) measures you want to evaluate to regarding your activities along the way? 5) Where will you focus your time in the business? When an advisory firm is getting started, the role of the advisor-as-business-owner is to do “everything” – as the saying goes, you’re both the chief cook and the bottle washer . However, the reality is that the quickest way to failure in an advisory firm is to get so caught up on doing “everything” that you fail to focus on the essential activities necessary to really move the business forward (that’s the whole reason for having a plan to define what those activities are, and a measure to determine whether you’re succeeding at them!). Though in truth, the challenge of needing to focus where you spend your time in the business never ends – as a business grows and evolves, so too does the role of the advisor-owner as the leader, which often means that wherever you spent your time and effort to get your business to this point is not where you need to focus it to keep moving forward from here. From gathering clients as an advisor to learning to transition clients to another advisor, from being responsible for the firm’s business development to hiring a marketing manager, from making investment decisions and executing trades to hiring an investment analyst and trader. By making a proactive decision about where you will spend your time, and also deliberately deciding what you will stop doing, it also becomes feasible to determine what other resources you may need to support you, in order to ensure you’re always spending your time focused on whatever is your highest and best use. In addition, the process can also reveal gaps where you may need to invest into and improve yourself, to take on the responsibilities you haven’t in the past but need to excel at to move forward from here. 6) How must you strengthen the foundation? The point of this section is not about what you must do to achieve the goals you’ve set, but what else needs to be done in the business in order to maximize your ability to make those business goals a reality. In other words, if you’re going to focus your time on its highest and best use in the business, what foundation to you need to support you to make that happen? If you’re a startup advisory firm, what business entity do you need to create, what are the tools/technology you’ll need to launch your firm , and what licensing/registrations must you complete? Will you operate with a ‘traditional’ office or from a home office , or run an entirely virtual “location-independent” advisory firm ? What are the expenses you’re budgeting to operate the business? If you’re an advisor who’s hit a growth wall , what are the essential hire(s) you’ll make in the near future where/how else will you reinvest to get over the wall and keep moving forward? At the most basic level, the key point here is that if you’re going to execute on this business plan to move the business forward from here, you need a sound foundation to build upon – so what do you need to do to shore up your foundation, so you can keep building? But remember, the goal here is to do what is necessary to move forward, not everything ; as with so much in the business, waiting until perfection may mean nothing gets done at all.

Creating A Budget And Financial Projections For Your Advisory Business

In addition to crafting a (one-page) financial planner business plan, the second step to your business planning process should be crafting a budget or financial projection for your business for the upcoming year (or possibly out 2-3 years).

Key areas to cover in budget projections for a financial advisory firm are:

Revenue - What are the revenue source(s) of your business, and realistically what revenue can you grow in the coming year(s)? - If you have several types of revenue, what are you goals and targets for each? How many hourly clients? How much in retainers? How much in AUM fees? What commission-based products do you plan to sell, and in what amounts? Expenses - What are the core expenses to operate the business on an ongoing basis? (E.g., ongoing salary or office space overhead, core technology you need to operate the business, etc.) - What are the one-time expenses you may need to contend with this year? (Whether start-up expenses to launch your advisory firm , new hires to add, significant one-time projects to complete, etc.)

An ongoing advisory firm may project out for the next 1-3 years, while a newer advisors firm may even prefer a more granular month-by-month budget projection to have regular targets to assess.

Ultimately, the purpose of the budgeting process here is two-fold. The first reason for doing so is simply to have an understanding of the prospective expenses to operate the business, so you can understand if you do hit your goals, what the potential income and profits of the business will be (and/or whether you need to make any changes, if the business projections aren’t viable!). The second reason is that by setting a budget, for both expenses and revenue, you not only set targets for what you will spend in the business to track on track, but you have revenue goals to be held accountable to in trying to assess whether the business is succeeding as planned.

Vetting Your Business Plan By Soliciting Constructive Criticism And Feedback

The last essential step of crafting an effective financial planner business plan is to vet it – by soliciting feedback and constructive criticism about the gaps and holes. Are there aspects of the financial projections that seem unrealistic? Is the target of who the business will serve narrow and specific enough to be differentiated, such that the person you’re talking to would clearly know who is appropriate to refer to you? Are the services that will be offered truly unique and relevant to that target clientele, and priced in a manner that’s realistically affordable and valuable to them?

In terms of who should help to vet your financial advisor business plan, most seem to get their plan vetted by talking to a business coach or consultant to assess the plan. While that’s certainly a reasonable path, another option is actually to take the business plan to fellow advisors to vet, particularly if you’re part of an advisor study (or “mastermind”) group ; the reason is that not only do fellow advisors have an intimate understanding of the business and potential challenges, but if their target clientele is different than yours, it becomes an opportunity to explain what you do and create the potential for future referrals! In other words, “asking for advice on your business plan” also becomes a great opportunity to “tell you about who I work with in my business that you could refer to me” as well! (In fact, one of the great virtues of a clearly defined niche practice as an advisor is that you can generate referrals from other advisors who have a different niche than yours !)

Similarly, the reality is that another great potential source for feedback about your business plan are Centers of Influence already in your niche in the first place. While you might not share with your potential clients the details of your business financial projections (which is why I advocate that those be separate from the one-page business plan), the essential aspects of the business plan – who you will serve, what you will provide them, how you will charge, and how you will try to reach them – is an area that the target clientele themselves may be best positioned to provide constructive feedback. And in the process, once again you’ll effectively be explaining exactly what your niche business does to target clientele who could either do business with you directly, or refer business to you , even as you’re asking for their advice about how to make the business better (to serve people just like them!). So whether it’s people you’re not yet doing business with but want to, or an existing client advisory board with whom you want to go deeper, vetting your plan with prospective and current clients is an excellent opportunity to talk about and promote your business, even as you’re going through the process of refining it and making it better!

And notably, the other benefit of vetting your business plan with others – whether it’s a coach, colleague, prospects, or clients – is that the process of talking through the business plan and goals with them also implicitly commits to them that you plan to act on the plan and really do what’s there. In turn, what this means is that once you’ve publicly and openly committed to the business plan with them, it’s now fair game for them to ask you how it’s going, and whether you’re achieving the goals you set forth for yourself in the plan – an essential point of accountability to help you ensure that you’re following through on and executing the business plan you’ve created!

So what do you think? Have you ever created a formal business plan for yourself? If you have, what worked for you – a longer plan, or a shorter one? If you haven’t created a business plan for yourself, why not? Do you think the kind of one-page financial advisor business plan template articulated here would help? Have you checked out our financial advisor business plan sample template  for yourself? Do you have a financial advisor business plan example you're willing to share in the comments below?

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Financial Advisor Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Business Plan Outline

• Financial Advisor Business Plan Home
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Company Overview
• 3. Industry Analysis
• 4. Customer Analysis
• 5. Competitive Analysis
• 6. Marketing Plan
• 7. Operations Plan
• 8. Management Team
• 9. Financial Plan

Financial Advisor Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your financial advisor business plan.

We have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their financial advisor businesses. Our financial advisor business plan template will help you create your business plan, ensuring that you have all the necessary elements to make your financial advisor business a success.

To write a successful financial advisor business plan, you will first need to decide what type of financial advisor services you will offer. Will you be working with small businesses? Or are your target customers individuals saving for retirement?

You will need to gather information about your business and the financial advisor industry. This type of information includes business goals, customer demographics, market research, and financial statements.

Below are links to each section of a financial advisor business plan example:

Next Section: Executive Summary >

Financial Advisor Business Plan FAQs

What is a financial advisor business plan.

A financial advisor business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your financial advisor business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your financial advisor business plan using our Financial Advisor Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Financial Advisor Companies?

There are different types of financial advisor firms . The most common kinds are the investment advisors, broker-dealers and brokers, certified financial planners, financial consultants, wealth advisors, and portfolio, investment, and asset managers. There are also digital platforms that provide automated, algorithm-driven investment services with little to no human supervision called robo-advisors.

What Are the Main Sources of Revenues & Expenses for Financial Advisors?

Financial advisors make money on client fees for financial planning services.  These are usually charged on an hourly basis or as a percentage of client assets under management. Another source of income are commissions for certain financial transactions, such as the sale of insurance products or the buying and selling of securities.

The key expenses are salaries and wages, and office space rent.

How to Start a Financial Advisor Business?

Starting a financial advisor business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

• Write A Financial Advisor Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include market research on the financial industry and potential target market size, information on the services and/or products you will offer, marketing strategies, pricing details, competitive analysis and a solid financial forecast.
• Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your financial advisor business is in compliance with local laws.
• Register Your Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your financial advisor business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.
• Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.
• Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.
• Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees and a top notch management team, including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.
• Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your business. Marketing efforts includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising to reach your target audience.

Learn more about how to start a Financial Advisor business:

• How to Start a Financial Advisor Business

How Do You Get Funding for Your Financial Advisor Business Plan?

Financial advisor businesses are typically funded through small business loans, personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors.

A financial advisor's business plan should include a detailed financial plan to secure any type of potential investor. This is true for all types of financial advisor business plans including a financial planner business plan and a wealth management business plan.

Where Can I Get a Financial Advisor Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free financial advisor business plan template PDF here. This is a sample financial advisor business plan template you can use in PDF format.

How to Write a Financial Advisor Business Plan (+ Template)

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for financial advisor businesses that want to improve their strategy and raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every financial advisor business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Financial Advisor Business Plan Template

What is a Financial Advisor Business Plan?

A financial advisor business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Financial Advisor Business Plan?

A financial advisor business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Financial Advisor Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful financial advisor business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a financial advisor business plan is a one- to two-page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your financial advisor company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast, among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company began and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your financial advisor business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your financial advisor firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen financial advisor business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a financial advisor business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the financial advisor industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and, if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, financial advisor business customers may include corporate human resources departments, small business owners, and individual investors.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or financial advisor services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your financial advisor business may have:

• Extensive knowledge and experience in the industry
• Proven track record of success
• Strong relationships with clients
• Offers a unique service that is not currently being offered by competitors
• Highly specialized services that cater to a specific niche
• Low overhead costs

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, or launch a direct mail campaign. Or you may promote your financial advisor business via word-of-mouth or referrals.  

Operations Plan

This part of your financial advisor business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a financial advisor business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include acquiring a certain number of clients or partners, launching a new service, opening a new location, and hiring key personnel.

Management Team

List your team members here, including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific financial advisor industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities, you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here, you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Financial Advisor Firm

Financial Advisor Balance Sheet

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : Everything you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Financial Advisor Firm

Cash Flow Statement

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include cash flow from:

• Investments

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup financial advisor business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Financial Advisor Firm

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your financial advisor company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

Following the tips and using the template provided in this article, you can write a financial advisor business plan that will help you succeed.  

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Essential Parts of a Financial Advisor Business Plan

In the world of finance, foresight is everything, and that extends to how one manages their own business affairs. At the heart of a successful advisory firm lies a well-constructed financial planner business plan. But why is such a plan indispensable?

First and foremost, having a concrete business plan provides clarity. It allows financial advisors to map out their business goals with precision. This ensures every move is calculated and in line with their larger vision. 

This isn’t a luxury—it's a necessity. You wouldn’t advise clients without a detailed financial strategy, right? Similarly, running an advisory firm without a plan can lead to haphazard decisions and missed opportunities.

Moreover, in the realm of small businesses, which many advisory firms fall under, the terrain is fraught with challenges. From competition to regulatory changes, the landscape is ever-evolving.

Through meticulous planning, including identifying potential risks and strategizing on growth opportunities, advisors can navigate these complexities with confidence.

Here's our breakdown of everything you need to include in your comprehensive wealth management business plan. 

The Executive Summary

At the forefront of every robust business plan for financial advisors lies the executive summary. Think of it as the trailer to a blockbuster movie. It provides a concise overview of your business's entire narrative, touching on the highlights, the challenges, and the anticipated outcomes.

For a financial advisor, this section is vital. It encapsulates everything from your firm's mission and operational strategy to financial projections. The executive summary serves a dual purpose. 

First, it's a quick reference tool for those already familiar with your firm. It’s also a comprehensive introduction for potential investors who might be pursuing your plan for the first time.

While the bulk of your business plan dives deep into specifics, the executive summary gives readers an aerial view. It captures the essence of your advisory venture and its potential trajectory.

The Company Overview

The next step is to delve into the specifics of your enterprise with a comprehensive company overview. This section acts as the backbone of your blueprint. It provides critical details about your advisory firm's inception, its goals, and how it operates in the financial landscape.

The company overview addresses the "who, what, and why" of your business. It's where you define your target market, specify your services, and highlight your unique selling propositions. For instance, your firm might lean heavily on social media for client acquisition or financial education. If so, this is the place to note that.

Furthermore, understanding the nuances of cash flow and the financial structure of your business is crucial. This overview provides a clear snapshot for stakeholders, ensuring that they grasp the operational and financial vitality of your advisory firm. It sets the stage, offering context and clarity for the subsequent sections of your plan.

Industry Analysis

The industry analysis is a pivotal section in a financial advisor's business plan. It sheds light on the larger financial landscape in which the advisor operates. It encompasses a thorough competitive analysis, allowing the business owner to understand where their firm stands in relation to peers. 

Recognizing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the industry provides invaluable insights. Such comprehension forms the bedrock of a sound marketing strategy. Staying informed about the industry's dynamics is essential. It allows an advisor to pivot when necessary, capitalize on emerging trends, and stay ahead in a competitive market.

Customer Analysis

In the realm of financial advising, understanding one's clientele is paramount. A thorough customer analysis provides insights into the specific needs and preferences of the clients in your target market. 

Financial advising clients are all different. Some are seeking wealth management to grow their assets. Others want financial planning for long-term stability, or retirement planning for a secure future. 

Still more need assistance with estate planning to ensure their legacy is passed on as intended. Recognizing these distinct requirements is crucial. 

By comprehensively analyzing the diverse financial objectives of clients, advisors can tailor their services more effectively. Ultimately, this will ensure they meet the unique goals and expectations of each individual they serve.

Competitive Analysis

A competitive analysis is a cornerstone for any RIA business plan. It involves diving deep into the market to understand how your financial advisory firm stacks up against competitors. What strategies are other firms using in their marketing plans? Which financial advisor business models are proving to be the most successful? 

By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, you can identify potential opportunities and threats in the marketplace. This information can be invaluable. It allows you to fine-tune your services, adjust your marketing strategies, and ultimately create a more resilient and successful business. After all, in the world of finance, knowledge truly is power.

Marketing Plan

Central to any investment advisor business plan is the marketing plan. It's where you lay out strategies to attract and retain clients. The marketing plan outlines how you'll position yourself in the industry. This includes the channels you'll use to reach potential clients and the tactics for engagement. 

Whether it's through social media campaigns, seminars, or referral programs, the marketing plan gives direction on promoting your services effectively. By aligning marketing efforts with overall business goals, you ensure that resources are used efficiently. Ultimately, this will drive growth and enhance your firm's reputation in the financial advisory landscape.

Operations Plan

The operations plan is a blueprint for the day-to-day functioning of a financial advisory firm. It outlines the nuts and bolts of how the business will run. From the client onboarding process to the management of resources. From the roles of members on your team to protocols for service delivery, the operations plan covers it all. 

A well-crafted operations plan ensures smooth operations, minimizes errors, and promotes a consistent, high-quality service experience for clients. Having this plan in place is essential to maintain efficiency, build trust, and nurture a growing client base.

Management Team

The management team section of a financial advisor's business plan highlights the individuals steering the firm towards its goals. It showcases the qualifications, experience, and expertise of key team members, underscoring their ability to execute the business's vision. 

By detailing their backgrounds and roles, potential investors or partners can gauge the leadership's competence and the firm's potential for success. This section provides reassurance to stakeholders that the business is in capable hands and that the team possesses the requisite skills and experience to drive growth, navigate challenges, and make sound financial decisions.

Financial Plan

The financial plan is a pivotal section of a financial advisor's business strategy, mapping out the fiscal foundation and anticipated growth of the firm. This section details the company's current financial status, projected revenue, expenses, and profitability. 

By laying out investment requirements, forecasting cash flows, and setting financial milestones, it offers a clear picture of the business's fiscal health and viability. Stakeholders, including potential investors and lenders, often scrutinize this portion to understand the sustainability of the business and to ascertain the potential return on investment.

Take Planning to the Next Level

Having created a business plan template is, unfortunately, only the first step to success. Lucky for you, Planswell has been perfecting the process of prospecting and closing deals for years. In fact, we’ve spent over $15 million on this learning process. 

We’ve developed a complete system advisors can use to boost their booking and close rate. We guarantee it.

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How to Create a Financial Advisor Business Plan

• March 21, 2024

According to CEG Worldwide, as many as 70% of top-earning advisors have formal business plans and marketing strategies . But some seasoned financial advisors skip over creating a business plan, as many see it as something only new entrepreneurs need.

While a well-written business plan doesn’t guarantee success, it certainly helps. With a business plan, you’ll gain more clarity on your goals, create an established measurement of success, and build a goal-oriented roadmap. Read on to learn what makes an effective business plan for a financial advisor.

5 Elements to Include in Your Financial Advisor Business Plan  

Creating an effective business plan involves several key elements. These components guide your strategy and decision-making, shaping your business’s growth and ensuring sustainability. 

1. Your Niche

Carving out your niche is step one to having an effective business plan. In other words, who are you marketing to, specifically? Knowing your ideal client and tailoring your services to meet their needs is crucial.

A focused niche not only improves service delivery efficiency, but also enables you to command a premium for your specialized advice. This way, you can align your services, marketing content, and development with those in your niche.

Whether your niche is clients from a specific profession, individuals undergoing life transitions, or employees from a particular industry, identifying the client segment you enjoy working with is essential. This helps you design a specialty practice that meets their needs, as well as establishing your business as a leading authority.

2. Your Services and Tech Stack 

After you have identified your target niche, it’s time to define your unique services and the technology that helps support them, which forms your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). Your UVP answers the question, “Why should I work with you?” and differentiates you from your competitors.

For example, if you’re targeting young entrepreneurs, consider what would appeal to them. Emphasizing your knowledge and comfortability with the most up-to-date technologies, as well as your firm’s ability to adapt to the rapidly-changing market would be your UVP.

Whether you serve entrepreneurs who are managing their personal and business finances, those nearing retirement age who need to plan for their later years, or engineers who need a financial plan, your UVP should attract your target clients.

3. Your Marketing Strategy Without an effective marketing strategy , no one will know about your business, regardless of how superior your UVP, product, or service is. So the next pivotal step in ensuring success is to build a strategy that will speak directly to your niche.

Remember: it’s one thing to attract your ideal buyer, but quite another to motivate them to take action. Developing an informed marketing strategy will help guide you in converting prospects into clients .

4. Your KPIs

Setting key performance indicators (KPIs) is critical for measuring your business plan’s success. Your KPIs should align with your ultimate goals. Track metrics like client relationship rates, Net Promoter Scores, referrals per client, and response times to ensure you’re delivering outstanding client experiences.

Your KPIs will be influenced by your ultimate objectives, which can range from amassing $1 billion in assets and building a legacy, to establishing a solo practice that enables you to maintain your lifestyle and serve the particular client base you enjoy working with.

Various financial planning indicators can be used to benchmark your practice. For instance, consider tracking metrics like the next-generation client relationship rate. If your primary aim is to deliver an outstanding client experience , focus on service KPIs such as Net promoter scores, referrals per client, and response times.

Calculate Your Business Growth Rate

As a financial advisor, objectively assessing your business’s needs and growth potential can be challenging. The Business Growth Rate formula simplifies this process by providing a clear metric of success, guiding your strategic decisions and necessary adjustments to your business plan.

Your business growth rate acts as a sort of barometer of the “pressure” on your firm. It helps you identify areas for improvement and guides you to resources that can enhance effectiveness and revenue.

5. Your Role & Operations

When seeking to improve your business strategies, try to focus on a few key areas at a time rather than spreading yourself and your resources too thin. Prioritize urgent responsibilities like business development and financial planning. Work smarter, not harder. Integrate the more substantial, critical tasks into your schedule, then utilize technology and repeatable processes for those less significant tasks. You may also consider outsourcing them, freeing up your time and energy to focus on more pressing responsibilities.

How IFG Can Help  

Integrated Financial Group delivers a unique, comprehensive solution for business development that goes beyond mere financial planning. Our Advisor Development team is not just a consulting entity, but a partner, committed to accompanying you throughout your journey from being a financial planner to a successful business owner.

We provide strategic support in areas such as transition and integration meetings, business planning, and strategic coaching, which can help you focus on the fundamental aspects of your business. Allow us to assist with the handling of those less critical responsibilities, enabling smoother day-to-day operations. Establishing a partnership with Integrated Financial Group will empower your business to flourish and reach its potential.

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5 Key Elements to a Financial Advisor Business Plan

As a financial advisor, the idea of building a business plan can seem a low priority—merely an exercise for entrepreneurs trying to launch a startup. But as a business owner, you may know that you should take care of it, but you also know that it’s going to be uncomfortable. Just like avoiding your annual physical or regular car tune-up, not creating a business plan can hurt further down the road.

A lot of the anxiety financial advisors have over building a business plan can be because it’s unfamiliar or daunting. However, research shows that businesses that plan grow 30 percent faster than those that do not . Despite these results, a study by the Financial Planners Association showed that only 28 percent of advisors actually have a business plan.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the common myths surrounding financial advisor business plans. We'll also highlight some signs to watch out for that could indicate your practice is in need of a business plan. Lastly, we'll discuss what elements you need to incorporate into your new plan for the future of your financial advisory practice.

3 Myths Financial Advisors Believe About Business Plan

1. “business plans require a lot of detail and effort to make.”.

This myth is a common one because it is, in certain circumstances, true. For example, if you were just starting your financial advisory practice and wanted to secure a loan from the Small Business Administration, you would want to build a highly comprehensive business plan that covers everything from market analysis to your financial projections.

Fortunately, most financial advisors’ business plans will be for internal use only and serve a narrower scope of purpose. Realistically, building a business plan doesn’t even have to take a full day.

2. “I don’t need a business plan because I’m not trying to grow my practice right now.”

Plenty of financial advisors have settled into a lifestyle practice, plan on retiring soon, or have any number of reasons why they may not want to grow their business . In fact, our data suggests that a full third of advisors aren't actively growing—and that they prefer it that way.

But there’s no law that says a business plan needs to have growth as its goal. Ultimately, the purpose of your business plan is up to you. Succession planning is an excellent reason to craft a business plan, as is wanting to maintain the same level of assets under management (AUM) or client load as you have now. If you want to grow, that’s great; if not, that’s fine too.

3. “I know what my goals are, so I don’t need a business plan.”

Having goals is important, but a business plan isn’t just about defining goals. It’s about making a plan to obtain those goals, a definite set of objectives and expectations you can hold yourself to, criteria for measuring success, and defining those goals in detail.

Even if building a business plan was just about defining goals, it would still be a worthwhile exercise. External pressures and the difficult reality of making changes make it easy to allow goals to slip or morph into something that feels more attainable. Six months down the line, you might discover that the goal you’re currently pursuing bears no resemblance to the one you set out to achieve. Writing your goal down formally ensures that you have something to refer back to when the going gets tough.

How to Tell Whether You Need a Business Plan

Now that you’re familiar with the common misconceptions surrounding a business plan, the next step is to determine whether you need one. At AssetMark, we believe that any financial advisor—no matter where they are on their journey or what stage they’re at in their career—can benefit from a business plan. Furthermore, it’s better to have a plan and not use it than to need one and not have it. That being said, there are some common signs of distress in a practice that a financial advisor business plan can help with:

That being said, there are some common signs of distress in a practice that a financial advisor business plan can help with:

1. Your projects tend to go unfinished.

When there are a lot of great ideas but not enough follow-through, a well-defined business plan can help you focus your efforts and ensure that you hold yourself and your staff to making progress.

2. Your wishlist is growing long.

Similarly to the above, maybe there are just too many things you’d like to do to even get started on them. Again, a business plan can help you prioritize your wishlist and ensure you’re on the right track.

3. You and your staff are suffering from change exhaustion.

In order to reach their goals, many advisors undertake initiative after initiative, project after project, campaign after campaign—at a certain point, all of these efforts drain any reserves you and your team had and it's time for a break. The first thing to do is take that break. Then, after a recharge, a business plan can help you focus your efforts in a sustainable way.

4. Your advisors are starting to feel frustrated.

Frustration can come from many sources. Your advisors could feel like they have an unmanageable number of clients, that their hands are tied in how they serve those clients, that their hours are too long, or their pay isn’t enough. Whatever the issue is, a business plan can help you narrow in on solving the root cause.

Learn how AssetMark can make a difference in your firm's business performance.

What Are the Essential Elements of a Financial Advisor Business Plan?

Knowing when you need a business plan isn’t much good if you don’t know how to put one together. For most advisory firms, these 5 key elements can serve as a financial advisor business plan template.

1. Your Vision

Where are you trying to go? If you don’t have some desired future for your practice, then it doesn’t matter what you do and you don’t need a business plan. But, if you want to bring in more clients, grow AUM, maintain your current caseload, or transition your practice off to a promising junior advisor, then defining that vision will give you the Point B to your Point A.

2. Objectives and Goals

Take your vision and break it down into achievable goals. This could be, for example, increasing your AUM by 15% next year or onboarding 3 new high-net-worth clients. As a best practice, follow the SMART framework—that is, define goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

3. A Plan of Action

In order to achieve these goals, you’ll need to establish a plan of action. Assign responsibilities to different members of your practice, set priorities, identify requirements, and document all of this so that whenever the wires get crossed, you’ll know who is supposed to get what done and when.

4. Measurable Metrics

Arguably the most important element of any financial advisor's business plan is the inclusion of metrics. Define the key performance indicators (KPIs) that you’ll track on the way to achieving your vision and goals. Evaluate your progress against these KPIs and, using those metrics, determine whether you need to take corrective action or stay the course.

5. Scheduled Reviews

You need to schedule your plan of action, of course. But, you also need to schedule regular reviews of and management sessions for your business plan. As you progress towards your vision, it's important to evaluate whether that vision still seems realistic or desirable, whether you need to tweak any metrics, reassign duties, and so on.

Build a Plan that Works for You

A financial advisor business plan doesn’t have to take weeks to craft together, nor is it only useful for advisors interested in growing their practice. The important thing to take away is that a business plan should be tailored around your goals. Whatever form it takes should be in service of those goals.

If that prospect seems a bit overwhelming, reach out to an AssetMark business consultant to walk you through the process. Any given financial advisor might make a handful of business plans over the course of their career, but our business consultants have worked with thousands of advisors on their business plans, so we’ve learned a few things about the practices that work best.

Take, for example, financial advisor Kit Tiell's experience. "At the onset of working with AssetMark, my goal was to spend 80 percent of my time in front of clients," said Tiell.

In addition to outsourcing administrative tasks to AssetMark, Tiell also leaned on our business consulting services: "I have also taken advantage of their practice management resources and business coaching to streamline office workflow, create business goals, and develop employee career ladders (among other things). My continued engagement with AssetMark’s elite practice management team has allowed me to continue building the practice that evolves with the current business environment."

If you're interested in building a business plan that—like Tiell's—sets a foundation for your practice, get in touch with us today to get started on your business plan, no matter what your goals are.

"AssetMark’s elite practice management team has allowed me to continue building the practice that evolves with the current business environment. "  -Kit Tiell

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The One-Page Business Plan Template for Financial Advisors

Stephen Boswell , Kevin Nichols | Dec 31, 2018

Ask financial advisors if business planning is important, and most will say, “yes, of course.” Then ask if they have a business plan. If they do, ask whether they refer to it frequently and use it to guide their business development activities. You know the probable answer.

While business planning is undeniably important, it’s too often an exercise in futility. Financial advisors spend days writing yearly business plans. They cram them full of ideas, projects and financial projects that often become a distant memory by February.

In our opinion, your business objectives for the coming year should able to fit on one page. Sure, there are always exceptions. But instead of writing an MBA thesis this year, consider honing your goals down to a one-page document you can share with your team and refer to regularly. There is brilliance in simplicity.

We’ve created a one-page business plan template which you can  access here for a limited time. Here’s how to use it:

1. Five-Year Vision: Start by envisioning your personal and professional life five years from today. Contrast where you are now and where you want to be in five years, so the gap between them becomes clear. Don’t be concerned about how you will close the gap between now and five years from now. The principle is this: If you can envision your future, you can achieve it.

2. One-Year Goals: Use this section to list you most important goals for the upcoming year. Most likely, these are financial goals related to assets, revenue and new households. However, feel free to include some personal goals as well. 

3. Projects: Whether it’s migrating to a new CRM system, adding more fee-based revenue or finding new financial planning software, there are always projects in the works. Use this section to prioritize projects by quarter.

4. Ideal Client Profile: You inevitably have an idea of the clients with whom you work best. That’s a good start. But you also need a list of criteria that will enable you to quickly identify the right people and qualify them as prospective clients. Your ideal client profile will drive all your marketing efforts.

5. Differentiators:  Fifty-six percent of financial advisors claim “outstanding personalized service” as their main differentiator. Doesn’t this seem a bit contradictory? You should be able to articulate and show what sets your practice apart from others.   

6. Marketing Strategies: Use this section to list the core marketing strategies you plan to implement in the coming year. In our survey, 524 financial professionals were given a list of marketing activities and asked which actually landed $1 million-plus clients and which did not. The most effective strategies were:

• Unsolicited Referrals
• Proactive Introductions
• Professional Alliances
• Social Prospecting
• Intimate Social Events
• Educational Events
• Social Media, Website and Content Marketing

7. $1,000/Hour Activities: For most financial advisors there are a handful of activities that drive the majority of their business revenue and future growth. We refer to these as “$1,000/hour activities.” High achievers try to spend the majority of their time engaged in these activities. Also, these activities should correspond with the marketing strategies you listed in section 6.

8. SWOT Analysis: No business plan is complete without a SWOT analysis. Make a list of your internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats. An honest analysis will help you identify what you’re doing well, where you need improvement in the competitive landscape. 

How do you plan to get from where you ARE to where you WANT to be in your business? Consider  hiring a coach who will guide you through our business planning tools and resources.

@StephenBoswell  is President of The Oechsli Institute and co-author of  Best Practices of Elite Advisors .  @KevinANichols  is the Chief Operating Officer of The Oechsli Institute and co-author of  The Indispensable LinkedIn Sales Guide for Financial Advisors .

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Creating Your Financial Advisor Business Plan

What Does It Mean to Be Wealthy?

Why don’t you own it equity investors need conviction in underweights, understanding why clients see value in advisors, is your marketing system a revolving door, need cash consider securities-backed lending, the end of the discovery meeting, in a slump as a financial advisor here's what to do, investing time in the relationship review.

A  business plan  is a critical step to success as a financial advisor.

An effective financial advisor business plan includes:

• Services you provide
• Commitment and philosophy
• Your ideal client, marketing plan, business goals, and financial numbers

Sample Financial Advisor Business Plan for [Business Name]:

Our financial advisory business, [Business Name], is committed to providing to  affluent women and couples  and closely held businesses:

• Comprehensive financial planning
• Insurance, retirement, and tax planning
• Investment management services

We understand the importance of financial security. Our goal is to guide our clients in making informed decisions. As a result, they can achieve their short-term and long-term financial goals.

Creating Your Financial Planner Business Plan

Executive summary.

[Business Name] is a full-service financial advisory firm located in [City, State].

Our team of experienced advisors offers personalized financial planning advice.

We also offer investment management, retirement planning, insurance planning, estate planning, and tax strategies to clients.

Our mission is to build deep meaningful relationships with our clients. We provide customized solutions that align with their financial goals and values.

Business Description

Our firm will operate as a registered investment advisory firm, offering commission and fee-based services. We offer financial planning to closely held business owners and their family.

Our advisors will assess clients’ financial situations, create tailored financial plans, implement investment strategies, and provide ongoing monitoring and support.

Market Analysis

The market for financial advisory services is continuing to grow. There is an increasing need for financial advice. Our target market comprises high-net-worth individuals, professionals, and closely held businesses in North America. We will continue to expand our reach and opportunities through online marketing, referral partnerships, and virtual consultations.

Financial Planning Services include:

1. Financial Planning

Our firm will offer a comprehensive evaluation of clients’ financial situation. The analysis will include our clients’ goals, cash flow analysis, budgeting, debt management, and risk assessment.

2. Investment Management

Our firm will create custom investment portfolios. The portfolios will include our clients’ risk tolerance, investment objectives, and time horizons.

3. Retirement Planning

We offer retirement income planning and projections. We analyze existing retirement accounts to help our clients maximize their retirement savings.

4. Insurance Planning

We provide insurance planning and analysis. Our review includes an assessment of the current insurance assessment and gaps in coverage.

5. Estate Planning

We assist with estate distribution, legacy planning, wealth preservation, and minimizing tax implications.

6. Tax Strategies

We provide guidance on tax-efficient investment strategies, tax planning, and coordination with clients’ tax professionals.

7. Generational Wealth Planning

We offer generational planning for our clients. As a result, our clients’ children and grandchildren have the tools and resources to create a bright financial future.

Marketing and Sales Strategy

To attract clients, we will implement the following marketing strategies:

1. Website Development

Our goal is to develop an informative and user-friendly website highlighting our services, team, and case studies. We provide weekly blog posts with relevant financial insights.

2. Social Media

We will create a presence on [Name of the social media platforms]. Our firm will consistently engage with our niche market of affluent clients and closely held businesses. We will share helpful financial tips, insight, and industry news.

3. Networking

We will join [name of the business organization], [name of the community events], and [name of online forums]. By doing so, we can build relationships, establish our credibility, and talk with prospective clients.

If you want more referrals, click here:

4. Referral Marketing

Our firm will thank current clients for their business and referrals. We will also communicate the value of receiving warm introductions.

We will continue to expand and grow our network of reciprocal referral partners. By growing our network, we connect with partners who are committed to giving and to getting referrals.

We will develop strategic partnerships with traditional referral partners, such as accountants or attorneys. We will also expand referral partnerships with non-traditional referral partners such as commercial lenders, business bankers, and business brokers.

5. Operations and Management

[Business Name] is managed by experienced financial advisors. Our services include financial planning and investment management.

Our firm will continue to improve our knowledge and skills. As a result, we will provide our clients with the most up-to-date financial solutions.

We leverage technology tools for efficient operations, data security, and streamline client communication.

6. Financial Projections

We will identify our annual revenue goal and then determine and monitor our daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly numbers.

Based on our actual numbers, we will adjust our financial advisor business plan.

By combining market research and conservative assumptions, we project the following financial performance over the next three years:

a) Year 1: Generate total revenues of $X and achieve a net profit margin of X%.

b) Year 3: Increase total revenue by X% and improve the net profit margin to X%.

c) Year 5: Continue revenue growth, reaching $X, and maintain a net profit margin of X%.

7. Risks and Challenges

The financial advisory industry is highly competitive. Gaining clients’ trust requires consistent performance and proven results.

Market uncertainty and regulatory changes can also impact our business. We will mitigate these risks through continuous professional development, staying informed about market trends, and adapting our strategies accordingly.

Conclusion – Financial Advisor Business Plan

Financial advisors and money coaches need a business plan. The plan should include a solid foundation, winning strategy, and consistent execution of your plan.

A well-crafted business plan provides a roadmap for success. It also helps you achieve their long-term objectives while navigating the ever-changing financial advisory industry.

Related:  11 Reasons Financial Advisors Fail

Financial Advisor Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business ideas » Financial Service Industry » Financial Advisory Business

Are you about starting a financial advisory business online? If YES, here is a complete sample financial advisory business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE .

One of the trades which you may consider to readily commence is the financial advisor business. This is isn’t a skill set to be acquired. However, there is need to be well versed in the knowledge of it. After that has been done, all other things can follow.

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One of the things that readily follow the zeal and enthusiasm to own a business as being a financial advisor is drawing up a business plan. Below is a sample financial advisory business plan.

A Sample Financial Advisory Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

Talking about financial service industry wouldn’t be complete without first talking about financial advisors. The basic responsibility of a financial advisor firm is to offer their clients with financial products and services, subject to the licenses / professional certifications they possess and the training they have had. A financial advisor may create financial plans for clients or sell financial products, or a combination of both.

Furthermore, financial consulting firm provide their customers with specialist advice on how to manage their finances. They carry out their jobs by researching the marketplace and recommending the most appropriate financial products and services available.

They also ensure that their clients are aware of the product and also understand the product that best meet their needs and before sealing a business deal.

Financial advisors are known to sell some financial products such as; employee pension schemes to companies or offering mortgage, pension or investment advice to private clients who can afford it. Some financial consulting firm are generalists; they offer financial related advice to clients in all of these areas, as well as saving plans and insurance.

The financial consulting industry is expected to be one of the fastest-growing industries over the next decade, with a projected growth rate of 30 percent through 2024, based on the report released by the Labor Department. That obviously is an additional 73,900 new positions on top of the 249,400 jobs financial advisors held in 2014.

So also the retirement of baby boomers in need of financial planning advice will facilitate appreciable growth in the industry.

If you are tinkering with the idea of becoming a financial advisor or starting a financial consulting business, you would need to acquire financial expertise and also an aspiration to help people. Basically you would need a bachelor’s degree from financial related course or business related course.

Aside from a bachelor’s degree in related financial discipline, you would also need professional certifications. Basically, The Certified Financial Planner exam is required to become a CFP –a distinction that looks good to employers. You can also acquire other related designations if you want to specialize in a certain area of financial planning.

For example, you can also complete the necessary certification exam to acquire the Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, or CRPS, designation.

Over and above, as a financial consulting firm, your core responsibility is to improve your client’s finance by effecting changes in response to your analysis; you should be able to change the fortune of their finance within an agreed timeline. Individuals and even organizations are willing to pay expensive fees as long as they are going to get results.

No business person will be willing to pay you for a financial consulting service if you don’t have a track record that shows that you know what you are doing. It is one thing to convince a client to patronize your financial consulting services and it another thing for you to deliver solutions as agreed.

Lastly, one good thing about the financial consulting industry is that there is readily available market for their services simply because individuals and even organizations naturally would want to improve and effectively manage their finance. So if you are well positioned and you know how to deliver results as a financial advisor, you will always smile to the bank.

2. Executive Summary

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP is a standard financial Consulting firm that will be located in the heart of Madison Street, New York City, New York. The firm is going to operate as a standard financial consulting firm with bias in offering financial advice and financial management, financial planning and wealth management to our highly esteem clients.

Our services will also cover areas such as; Auditing, Accounting and Financial Services Consulting, Tax Consulting, Insurance Consulting, and any other related financial services.

We are quite aware that financial consulting businesses these days require diverse and sophisticated approach; which is why we will position our financial consulting firm to offer a wide range of financial consulting services as requested by our clients.

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP is a client-focused and result driven business financial consulting firm that provides broad-based results at an affordable fee that won’t in any way put a hole in the pocket of our clients.

We will offer a complete range of financial consulting services to both individual and corporate clients and we will ensure that we work hard to provide the required services and financial solutions needed by our clients to accomplish their retirement or financial goals and objectives.

At Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP, our client’s best interest come first and everything we do is guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hire financial consultants who are well experienced in a wide variety of financial consulting and wealth management et al.

We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely. We will cultivate a working environment that provides a human, sustainable approach to earning a living, and living in our world, for our partners, employees and for our clients.

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP will at all time demonstrate her commitment to sustainability, both individually and as a firm, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible.

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP is founded by Darlington Schneider (MBA, CFP®) and his business partner Williams Sinclair (MBA, CFP®). The organization will be managed by both of them. They both have extensive experience in a diverse range of finance consulting, wealth creation and wealth management.

The combination of their experiences revolves around being a stockbroker, finance manager, financial adviser, financial consultant, wealth manager, investment banker, financial planner, investment advisor, investment consultant, investment representative, branch manager, broker and certified financial planner (CFP®)

3. Our Products and Services

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP is going to offer a variety of financial advisory services within the scope of the financial consulting industry in the united states of America. Our intention of starting our financial advisor firm is to make profits from the industry and we will do all that is permitted by the law in the United States to achieve our corporate goals and objectives.

Our business offering are listed below;

• Investment (Business Portfolio) Management
• Financial Advisory Services
• Wealth Creation and Wealth Management
• Asset Management
• Mortgage, Pension, Retirement and Investment Advisory Services
• Income Tax Preparation
• Financial Auditing
• Estate Planning
• Budgeting and Financial Planning
• Accounting and Financial Services Consulting
• Tax Consulting
• Insurance Consulting

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to provide our clients with highly professional financial advisory services; giving them good value for their money.
• We strive to handle each client with accountability and responsiveness, as if we are managing our own finance.
• We focus our attention on the providing workable financial solutions for our clients so that our clients can focus their attention on other aspect of their lives.
• Our vision reflects our values: integrity, service, excellence and teamwork.
• Our mission is to make available professional and trusted financial advisory services that assist individual and corporate organizations in operating sustainably.
• We provide workable financial advisory services in combination with our own business backgrounds, and deliver valuable services in a timely and cost-effective way.

Our Business Structure

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP will build a solid business structure that can support the growth of our organization. We will ensure that we hire competent and well experienced hands to help us build the business of our dream. Below is the business structure that we will build Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP on;

• Chief Executive Officer / Lead Financial Advisor
• Financial Advisors

Financial Risk Analyst

Legal Secretary

Admin and HR Manager

Business Developer

Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Office / Chief Financial Advisor:

• Responsible for providing direction for the firm
• Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Conducting in-depth reviews of clients’ financial circumstances, current provision and future aims
• Responsible for handling high profile clients and deals
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization
• Reports to the board
• Responsible for drawing up contracts and other legal documents for the company
• Welcomes guests and clients by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Produces information by transcribing, formatting, inputting, editing, retrieving, copying, and transmitting text, data, and graphics; coordinating case preparation.
• Provides historical reference by developing and utilizing filing and retrieval systems; recording meeting discussions; maintaining transcripts; documenting and maintaining evidence.
• Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
• Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
• Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
• Makes recommendations to reduce or control risk, which may involve an insurance strategy
• Works with traders to calculate the risk associated with specific transactions;
• Liaises with underwriters and insurers
• Forecasts and monitoring market trends
• Considers proposed business decisions
• Conducts research to assess the severity of risk
• Conducts statistical analysis to evaluate risk and using statistical software such as SPSS and SAS
• Reviews legal documents
• Presents ideas via reports and presentations, outlining findings and making recommendations for improvements
• Purchases insurance
• Analyzes a bank’s market position and running figures through complex modeling techniques to find value at risk (VAR) measurements
• Carries out quantitative analysis
• Uses financial packages and software, including portfolio management software
• Studies government legislation, which may affect a company, and advising on compliance
• Protects the organization’s assets and public image
• Develops contingency plans to deal with emergencies.

Financial Advisor

• Contacts clients and sets up meetings, either within an office environment or in clients’ homes or business premises
• Analyzes information and preparing plans best suited to individual clients’ requirements
• Completes risk analyses
• Researches the marketplace and providing clients with information on new and existing products and services
• Designs financial strategies
• Assists clients to make informed decisions
• Researches information from various sources, including providers of financial products
• Reviews and responding to clients changing needs and financial circumstances
• Promotes and selling financial products to meet given or negotiated sales targets
• Negotiates with product suppliers for the best possible rates
• Liaises with head office and financial services providers
• Communicates with other professionals, such as estate agents, solicitors and valuers
• Keeps up to date with financial products and legislation
• Producing financial reports
• Contacts clients with news of new financial products or changes to legislation that may affect their savings and investments
• Meets the regulatory aspects of the role, e.g. requirements for disclosure, costs of the services provided and also the advised products.

Asset Manager

• Oversees local third party property managers and leasing agents.
• Propose goals and objectives for each property.
• Assists in the preparation and approval process of property operating budgets.
• Monthly, quarterly and annual reporting of the portfolio.
• Monthly review of operating statements.
• Assists in the due diligence and underwriting of potential acquisitions.
• Financial analysis, market studies and industry standard reporting (i.e. variance reporting, discounted cash flows, IRR’s, etc.)
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily office activities.
• Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
• Document all customer contact and information
• Represents the company in strategic meetings
• Helps to increase sales and growth for the company
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for the company
• Serves as internal auditor for the company

Client Service Executive

• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the manager in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the company’s products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries
• Receives Visitors / clients on behalf of the organization
• Receives parcels / documents for the company
• Handles enquiries via e-mail and phone calls for the organization
• Distributes mails in the organization
• Handles any other duties as assigned my the line manager

6. SWOT Analysis

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist the firm in building a well – structured financial consulting firm that can favorably compete in the highly competitive financial consulting industry.

Part of what our team of business consultant did was to work with the management of the firm in conducting a SWOT analysis for Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP;

Our core strength lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team that can go all the way to give our clients value for their money. We are well positioned and we know we will attract loads of clients from the first day we open our doors for business.

As a new financial consulting firm, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market; that is perhaps our perceived major weakness.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities in the financial consulting industry is massive (both individual clients and corporate clients) and we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way.

Some of the threats that we are likely going to face with as a financial consulting firm operating in the United States are complex financial landscape, expanding industry compliance, regulation, fears of declining asset values, unfavorable government policies , and the arrival of a competitor within our location of operations and global economic downturn which usually affects purchasing power.

There is hardly anything we could do regarding these threats other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

In recent time, financial advisers / financial consulting firms are in the center of a larger industry wide change. With the steady advancement in technology, changing business regulation, retiring financial professionals, and innovative types of financial services are indeed impacting the trend in the industry.

In view of that, financial consultants know that for them to survive the changing trends in the industry, they must ensure that the keep tap with latest happening in the industry, and also ensure that they position their organization to change and flow with the trends.

No doubt, most of the current trends affecting financial advisors today is what is responsible for the reduced fee structure in the industry. Of course the financial consulting industry is experiencing a shift from a transactional based fee structure to one that is fee based.

Take for instance, the regular stock broker who is remunerated for each client trade, is going by the wayside. This obvious change in the industry puts downward pressure on the financial advisors’ profit margins.

Talking about technological advancement, experts can confidently state that it has given huger leverages to financial advisors in areas such as data management, forecasting, portfolio management and analytical tools alongside expedient and effective communication applications.

In as much as the financial advisory industry has gained leverages on technological advancement, they also experience some challenges as well. With technological advancement, it is now easier for clients to get financial advice at a pretty low fee from online financial advisors (robo – advisors) from the comfort of their homes, hotels or offices.

As a matter of fact, the introduction of strictly internet based financial advisory services makes the financial advisory industry more competitive. Despite the fact that most online – based financial advisory firms are relatively small in size, in comparison with the brick and mortar (established) financial advisor firm, their growth is explosive when compared.

Aside from the state challenges, employment may be seriously affected by the increasing number of online advisory tools, which may likely turn away clients from seeking financial advice in person. No doubt, as the cost of financial consulting services continues to increase and as individual and corporate spending falls, new financial consulting delivery methods will continue to emerge and gain momentum going forward.

In addition, the market for financial consulting services has shifted from a sellers’ market to a buyers’ market. A market where financial advisory firms provide software solutions that will make it easier for their clients to monitor their asset and progress of their investment from their smart phones or computers et al.

8. Our Target Market

Although Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP will initially serve individuals clients and small to medium sized businesses, to be able to compete with the leading financial consulting firms in the United States. We hope to someday merge or acquire other smaller related consulting firms and expand our financial consulting services beyond the shores of the United States of America.

As a standard financial consulting firm, Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP have a variety of practice areas to help individual clients and corporate clients effectively manage their finance, assets and grow their wealth.

While we works with a variety of organizations and different class of individuals, Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP will also specialize in working with startups, real estate investors, and contractors, manufacturers and distributors, banks, lending and financial institutions.

Our target market cuts across people of different class and people from all walks of life, local and international organizations as well. We are coming into the industry with a business concept that will enable us work with the highly placed people and companies in the country and at the same with the lowly placed people and smaller businesses.

In other words, our target market is the whole of the United States of America and subsequently other parts of the world. Below is a list of the people and organizations that we have specifically design our products and services for;

• Retirees and Pensioners
• Accredited Investors
• Business Merchants
• Businesses and Entrepreneurs
• Blue Chips Companies
• Corporate Organizations
• Manufacturers and Distributors
• Real Estate Owners, Developers, and Contractors
• The Government (Public Sector)

Our competitive advantage

If you take your time to closely study of the financial consulting and advisory services industry, you will realize that the market has become much more intensely competitive over the last decade. As a matter of fact, the supply of financial consultancy and advisory services has significantly exceeded demand.

This is so because there are quite a number of online based financial consultancy and advisory firm who are willing to offer their services at a much lower cost than what the conventional financial advisors offers. As a financial advisor, in other to position to take on the market, you just have to be more creative and diversify your services as against restricting your services to just a niche in the industry.

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP might be a new entrant into the financial consulting and advisory services industry in the United States of America, but the management staffs and board members are considered gurus in their own right. They are people who are core professionals and licensed and highly qualified financial advisors in the United States. These are part of what will count as a competitive advantage for us.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category (startups consulting firm) in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the consulting industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to attract clients on a regular basis and sign retainer – ship with most of our clients.

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP will generate income by offering the following financial advisory services for individuals and for organizations;

10. Sales Forecast

As long as there are people living in the United States of America and business men and women expanding their investment portfolio and people getting retired et al, the services of financial advisors and financial consulting firms will always be in demand.

We are well positioned to take on the available market in the U.S. and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income / profits from the first six month of operations and grow the business and our clientele base beyond New York City, New York to other states in the U.S. and even the global market.

We have been able to critically examine the financial consulting and services market and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to startups in New York.

Below is the sales projection for Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP, it is based on the location of our business consulting firm and the wide range of consulting services that we will be offering;

• First Year-: $100,000
• Second Year-: $450,000
• Third Year-: $750,000

N.B: This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are mindful of the fact that there is stiffer competition amongst financial consulting firms in the United States of America; hence we have been able to hire some of the best business developer to handle our sales and marketing.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of the organization.

We will also ensure that our excellent job deliveries speak for us in the market place; we want to build a standard financial consulting business that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied clients (both individuals and organizations).

Our goal is to grow our financial consulting firm to become one of the top 10 financial consulting firms in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategy that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in the U.S but in the world stage as well.

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to organizations and key stake holders in New York and other parts of the U.S.
• Promptness in bidding for consulting contracts from the government and other cooperate organizations
• Advertise our business in relevant business magazines, newspapers, TV stations, and radio station.
• List our business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
• Attend relevant international and local expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver quality consulting services to them
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Engage direct marketing approach
• Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We have been able to work with our in house consultants and other brand and publicity specialist to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to take the financial consulting industry by storm which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our consulting firm.

Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise our financial consulting business;

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to households and stake holders in the United States of America
• Advertise our financial consulting firm in business magazines, newspapers, TV stations, and radio stations et al
• Promote our financial consulting firm online via our official website and all available social media platforms
• Adopt direct mailing coupon marketing approach
• List our business on yellow pages / local directories (both offline and online)
• Position our billboards, signage / flexi banners at strategic places
• Encourage our loyal customers to help us make use of word of mouth to promote our financial consulting firm
• Sponsor relevant TV programs, Radio programs and community based programs.
• Brand all our official cars

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Generally, a financial adviser is remunerated either through fees, commissions, or a combination of both. For instance, a financial adviser may be paid in any of the following means; an hourly fee for advisory services. A flat fee, such as $600 per year, for an annual portfolio review or $2,500 for a financial plan.

They could also be paid on commission basis especially on the securities they bought or sold for their clients such as $10 per trade et al. Financial advisor are also paid a commission that is based on the amount a client invested in a mutual fund or variable annuity.

It could also be termed a “mark-up” especially when a client buys “a property” products (such as bonds that the broker holds in inventory), or a “mark-down” when they are sold. A fee for assets under management, such as 1% annually of assets managed

Hourly billing for financial consulting and advisory services is a long – time tradition in the industry. However, for some types of consultancy services, flat fees make more sense because they allow clients to better predict consultancy costs.

As a result of this, Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP will charge our clients a flat fee for many basic services such as financial advisory services and tax consulting et al. At Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP we will keep our fees below the average market rate for all of our clients by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance.

In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to start – ups, nonprofits, cooperatives, and small social enterprises. We are aware that there are some clients that would need regular access to financial consultancy and advisory services and assistance, we will offer flat rate for such services that will be tailored to take care of such clients’ needs.

• Payment Options

At Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP, our payment policy will be all inclusive because we are quite aware that different clients prefer different payment options as it suits them. Here are the payment options that we will make available to our clients;

• Payment by via bank transfer
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft
• Payment with cash

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will help us achieve our plans with little or no itches.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

No doubt starting a financial consulting firm can be cost effective; this is so because on the average, you are not expected to acquire expensive machines and equipment.

Basically what you should be concerned about is the amount needed to secure a standard office facility in a good and busy business district, the amount needed to furnish and equip the office, the amount needed to pay employees for the first few months, the amount needed to by the required software applications, the amount needed to pay bills, promote the business and obtain the appropriate business license and certifications.

Basically, this is the area we are looking towards spending our start – up capital on;

• The Total Fee for incorporating the Business in New York – $750.
• The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license – $2,500
• The Amount needed to acquire a suitable Office facility in a business district 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) – $40,000.
• The Cost for equipping the office (computers, printers, fax machines, furniture, telephones, filing cabins, safety gadgets and electronics et al) – $2,000
• The Cost of Launching your official Website – $600
• Budget for paying at least two employees for 3 months and utility bills – $30,000
• Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,500
• Miscellaneous – $1,000

Going by the report from the research and feasibility studies, we will need about $150,000 to set up a small scale but standard financial advisory firm in the United States of America.

Generating Funding / Startup Capital for Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP

Darlington & Williams Financial Advisors, LLP is going to start as a private business that will be solely owned by Darlington Schneider (MBA, CFP®) and his business partner Williams Sinclair (MBA, CFP®). They will be the financier of the firm, but may likely welcome partners later; which is why they have decided to restrict the sourcing of his start – up capital to 3 major sources for now.

These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings
• Source for soft loans from family members and friends
• Apply for loan from my Bank

N.B: We have been able to generate about $50,000 (Personal savings $40,000 and soft loan from family members $10,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $100,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The truth is that, it is easier for businesses to survive when they have a steady flow of business deals / customers patronizing their products and services. We are aware of this, which is why we have decided to offer a wide range of financial consulting and advisory services to both big and small clients (individual and corporate clients).

We know that if we continue to deliver excellent financial consulting and advisory services to our clients, there will be steady flow of income for the organization. As such, our key sustainability and expansion strategy is to ensure that we only hire competent employees, create a conducive working environment and employee benefits for our staff members.

In the nearest future, we will explore the options of either merging with other consulting firms or acquire one or more consulting firms in order for us to increase our market share and service offerings. We know that if we do well to implement our business strategies, we will grow our financial consulting and advisory firm beyond New York City, New York to other states in the U.S in record time.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check:>Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
• Securing a standard office facility in Madison Street, New York City: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating part of the start – up capital from the founder: Completed
• Applications for Loan from our Bankers: In Progress
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the Needed furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with key players in the industry: In Progress

How To Start A Consulting Business In 2024

Published: Aug 22, 2024, 5:34pm

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Table of Contents

1. outline your plan, 2. register your consulting business, 3. determine services and pricing, 4. build your website, 5. market your consulting business.

Those with a high degree of expertise in a particular field can leverage their knowledge to build a profitable consulting business. Whether you’re in between jobs or looking to make a change, learning how to start a consulting business is the first step to making great use of your skills. In return, you can create a lucrative business and can charge upwards of around INR 25,000 per hour–all for sharing your expertise with others. Here’s everything you need to know.

To get started, you’ll want to put together a strong business plan . While you don’t have to stick to every single thing, it’s a good idea to have guidance for your business.

The first choice to make is your business name. Since you’re starting an individual consulting business, your business name can be your personal name as a trade name or a business name. If you have a name that you want to use that feels more recognizable and eye-catching, make sure you factor the registration costs into your original budget.

If you need to design a logo, you can do that yourself or reach out to designers. The logo will help you start marketing to your target audience, whether that’s business owners or companies or individuals. If you want to consult in a certain industry, you should start building a list of contacts to reach out to when you’re ready to launch and take on new clients.

With all of this information ready to go, you can start on the administrative side of your business.

Before you start doing official business, you’ll need to register with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs as a sole proprietorship or as an LLC. You should also check to see if there are other legal requirements for small businesses in your state. If you are planning to grow the business, registering as an LLC will make it easier to track your business expenses for taxes. It can cost about INR 3,000 to INR 10,000 to register your business online, depending on the state.

If you’re starting a consulting business as a side hustle, it might be worth it to invest in a business to register your LLC for you.

Determining your rates also means determining what kind of services you want to offer. Consultants offer a variety of services. You can offer a wide range of support for a business, but do less of a deep dive. Alternatively, you can be hyper-specific in your expertise and go deep on a certain aspect of a company’s business. For example, if you’re an HR consultant, you can take a larger view of a company’s HR operations, or focus on their hiring practices for a specific department.

You should also consider if you want to take on short-term or long-term clients. Doing one-off consulting sessions is still a lot of work, even compared to long-term consulting. Your pricing strategy should reflect the amount of preparation you have to do. It also may depend on your industry to decide how you want to price your services: either a one-time payment, hourly rate or monthly retainer.

A consulting business needs a website so clients can find you easily. If a business is doing research into finding a consultant in your industry, you want your website to pop up for them. If you are familiar with SEO best practices , you can do this yourself, or hire someone to optimize your website.

Here are the best platforms for building a professional website:

• Squarespace : This platform is very user-friendly and has plenty of award-winning templates. In addition to great designs, it’s also affordable with all-inclusive plans starting at around INR 1,355 per month. However, it does lack more robust customization options for more experienced coders.
• Wix : This all-in-one website builder offers a drag-and-drop site editor, making web design both easy and highly flexible. However, it’s a bit more expensive than Squarespace with plans starting at around INR 1,355 per month.
• WordPress : The world’s most popular content management system, WordPress, is not the most user-friendly, though it is one of the most customizable and affordable options (as you only have to pay for web hosting for around INR 150 to INR 1,000 per month). It’s the best option for those who have very unique website needs or experience with the CMS.

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Building a website can seem intimidating, but many of the best website builders make it easy for beginners to create a site without any experience or coding knowledge. However, keep in mind that websites do require ongoing maintenance, so you might want to hire a virtual assistant or work some time into your calendar to do regular website maintenance and updating.

Marketing a new business can be difficult, but being diligent about finding new marketing channels and leveraging connections will make it a lot easier. Try these simple and low-cost solutions to start marketing.

• Search engine optimization to rank on Google
• Online business directories, such as Google My Business, Yelp or Yellow Pages
• Pay-per-click advertising, such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads or YouTube Ads
• Subreddits for entrepreneurs or your industry
• Slack groups for freelancers
• Find local networking groups, such as local business associations
• Participate in industry networking events

Working on this yourself, in the beginning, will require a fair amount of time, but when your business grows, you might be able to hire a social media strategist or partner to work on finding business leads.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can a consulting business get clients using fiverr.

Fiverr allows anyone to sign up and sell their services as a freelancer. A lot of companies looking for freelance writing, design or marketing work use Fiverr, so it would be a good place to do consulting for content strategy.

Is it possible to start a consulting business on the side?

If you are comfortable with working with a smaller number of clients and are realistic about your time, you can easily run a consulting business on the side. It’s important to be open with your clients about your time constraints to build trust.

What are some good fields to start a consulting business in?

The consulting business you start is going to be based on your strengths and skills, but some of the potential fields where you might enjoy some of the most success include public relations, publishing, human resources (HR) marketing, computer programming, career consulting, advertising and accounting .

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Yahoo Finance

6 signs you need a financial advisor to build wealth.

When handling your money, sometimes you may want to leave it to the professionals. If that’s the case, you can work with a financial advisor who will help you plan and achieve financial goals and offer guidance on handling your money and building your wealth.

Discover More: I’m a Self-Made Millionaire — 6 Steps I Took To Become Rich on an Average Salary

Check Out: 6 Money Moves You Must Make If You Want To Be Like the Wealthy

To become a financial advisor, one is required to complete training and earn registration, so these are highly qualified individuals when it comes to working with you and your finances.

Sometimes, if you’re facing a financial conflict or trying to figure out how to build wealth, you might not know whether you require the help of a finance expert. Here are the common signs that will determine whether you need a financial advisor .

Earning passive income doesn't need to be difficult. You can start this week.

Significant Life Changes

One of the biggest signs you need a financial advisor is if you’ve recently faced any significant life events that may affect your money. These events could include getting married, getting divorced or the death of a family member or spouse.

“If your previous advisor primarily communicated with your spouse, it might be time to find your own advocate,” said Hazel Secco, president and founder of Align Financial Solutions, LLC . “A one-sided relationship with a trusted advisor can be disheartening, especially during times of emotional and financial upheaval.”

You’re Approaching Retirement

Retirement is another significant life event that may impact your finances, especially during the five years before and after retiring. Working with a financial advisor to create a strategy for yourself during this time could make a huge difference.

“For instance, deciding how much to contribute to your pre-tax versus after-tax accounts can greatly affect your future cash flow,” Secco said. “If you could maximize the value of your savings with the same amount of money, wouldn’t you take that advice? Timing and professional guidance are key, as implementing a well-thought-out strategy early on can help you reach your goals more efficiently.”

Investment Decision Confusion

If you feel confused or unsure about how to manage your investments, this is a telltale sign that you need the help of a financial advisor. A finance professional could even help you if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your investment options.

Growing Complexity

If you are starting to gain more income sources, or if you currently have multiple sources of income, this is a sign you may need a financial advisor who can help manage and keep track of these growing financial resources.

“If you have multiple income sources, own properties or own businesses, you may come across complex tax situations where you may not have enough experience to make educated decisions,” said Markia Brown, financial counselor and financial education instructor at The Money Plug .

No Time for Finances

If you find yourself with a busy schedule and can’t find the time to sit down and analyze your finances, seeking a financial advisor could help. Finding professional assistance could take away the stress and anxiety you may feel about not being able to take care of your finances.

Losing Sleep

Money concerns can result in high stress. If your finances are causing you so much concern that you’re losing sleep over it, then it might be time to hire a financial advisor.

“Some of the triggers that keep us awake and activated, such as nervous system reactions, anxiety and cortisol levels, can come up when we have money on the mind,” said Nathan Astle, client counselor at Beyond Finance . “This is especially true when coming from a place of desperation or feeling like we won’t be able to make ends meet. Even if you aren’t drowning, you can still experience these symptoms if you’ve had financially traumatic experiences in the past.”

Finding the Right Financial Advisor

As your investments and life become more complex, it will become more likely that you need a financial advisor. However, it’s important to know how to find the right person to help you.

“Keep in mind that anyone can call themselves a financial advisor, including people who only sell products such as insurance,” said Jay Zigmont, founder and CEO of Childfree Wealth . “Look for a fee-only, fiduciary, certified financial planner.”

Benefits of a Financial Advisor

If you aren’t feeling great about your financial situation, getting help from a financial advisor can relieve any anxiety you may be feeling. Additionally, working with an advisor means you won’t have to manage your finances alone. You also will be more likely to have more money saved for retirement.

“Working with an advisor can help shed light on your finances, which lowers some of the uncertainty and helps create a better place to start working on a strategy to help you move forward and grow into the future,” said James Grace, director of wealth management at Silver Pine Capital .

“We also know that when you are feeling stressed or anxious that’s not the right time to make big financial decisions,” he continued. “Working with an advisor can not only lower some of the stress and anxiety you feel about money, but clear a path for you to get to a place where you can make better financial decisions and provide the professional expertise you might need to evaluate your options.”

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : 6 Signs You Need a Financial Advisor To Build Wealth

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Just 125 feet above sea level Houston, Texas, the 4th most populous city in the US is home to 26 Fortune 500 companies. Houston is considered a top job producing city with a low cost of living, 2% lower than the national average. If you are looking for a fiduciary financial advisor in Houston to secure your finances, make the right investments or just create a retirement plan. It may be quite daunting to choose the right advisor from the 4600 plus financial advisors in the Houston area. All the financial advisors have their own business style, different methods of compensation and fee structure, levels of experience etc. That's where WiserAdvisor can help.

We have been in business for the last 2 decades and constantly update and maintain a highly trusted directory of vetted fiduciary advisors that meet rigorous standards. You need a financial advisor who will understand your specific financial situation, and has the relevant financial qualifications in Houston, Texas.

Finding the Top Financial Advisor in Houston, Texas

Houston has 8 WiserAdvisor vetted Financial Planners and Advisors on the online list below for you to choose from. These financial advisors in Houston, Texas have an average of 25 years of experience. NOTE: The list of vetted financial advisors in Houston, Texas mentioned below does not include all the advisors in our network due to their compliance listing restrictions. More vetted advisors may be available when you use our free match service to compare financial advisors near you in Houston, Texas.

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Information on Qualified Financial Advisors in Houston, Texas

Alex Shurin , CFP ® , ChFC ®

Qualifications CRD# 4425226 Firm CRD# 104510 Series 66

Office Location 1885 St. James Place, Suite 1340, Houston, TX 77027 Phone Number 713-338-3011

I became a financial planner in 2006. My favorite part is helping my clients achieve financial security and peace of mind, whether they're saving for a house, child's education or retirement. I speak fluent Russian, love all things technology and in my spare time enjoy running, swimming, biking and martial arts.

About Edelman Financial Engines, LLC

Since 1986, Edelman Financial Engines has been committed to always acting in the best interest of our clients. We were founded on the belief that all American investors - not just the wealthy - deserve access to personalized, comprehensive financial planning and investment advice. Today, we are America's top independent financial planning and investment advisor, recognized by both InvestmentNews 1 and Barron's 2 , with 180+ planner offices across the country and entrusted by more than 1.1 million clients to manage more than $200 billion in assets. Our unique approach to serving clients combines our advanced methodology and proprietary technology with the attention of a dedicated personal financial planner. Every client's situation and goals are unique, and the powerful fusion of high-tech and high-touch allows Edelman Financial Engines to deliver the personal plan and financial confidence that everyone deserves. 1 Ranking and status for 2017. For independence methodology and ranking, see InvestmentNews Center (http://data.investmentnews.com/ria/); 2 The Top 40 Independent Advisory Firm Ranking issued by Barron's is qualitative and quantitative, including assets managed, the size and experience of teams, and the regulatory records of the advisers and firms. Firms elect to participate, but do not pay to be included in the ranking. Investor returns/experience are not considered. 2018 ranking refers to Edelman Financial Services (EFS), which combined its advisory business in its entirety with Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. (FEA) in November 2018. For the same survey, FEA received a precombination ranking of twelfth.

Allworth Financial

Qualifications Firm CRD# 111167

Compensation/Fee Fee-Based

Office Location 1800 West Loop South, Suite 1980, Houston, TX 77027 Phone Number 888-242-6766

About Allworth Financial

Allworth Financial has been providing transparent, straightforward, and honest financial advice to individuals and families for more than 26 years. They are a fiduciary, fee-based firm that focuses on helping people achieve financial confidence. The advisors at Allworth are not salespeople, so their sole interest is providing the recommendations and advice people need to hear. During your free consultation, the advisor will listen to your goals, answer your questions, and lay out a series of next steps for success.

Advisory Services Provided:

Retirement Planning, Tax Advice and Services, Estate Planning & Trusts

Doug Gibson , LUTCF ®

Qualifications CRD# 5626771 Firm CRD# 29087 Series 6, 7, 63, 66

Office Location 4801 Woodway Dr, Suite 305W, Houston, TX 77056 Phone Number 832-731-7619

Doug Gibson has helped countless individuals and business owners navigate the many challenges investors face daily. His philosophy is simple, have a plan, and play it S.A.F.E. The S.A.F.E investment philosophy is simple, the market is unpredictable but by having a disciplined approach and focusing on the factors we CAN control, we can significantly improve the ability for clients to achieve their goals. Those factors are Strategy, Allocation, Fees, and Expenses. Adhering to this philosophy along with a tax centric, comprehensive financial plan, his clients have total transparency, and a vital understanding of their financial objectives. By putting the needs of his clients first and using the S.A.F.E investing philosophy he pioneered, his clients not only understand the implications of financial decisions but can make the ones that will have a positive impact on their financial future.

About SMART Group Houston

SMART Group Houston is not your ordinary Financial Services firm. Most firms are transactional, focusing strictly on the accumulation of assets using arbitrary risk/reward criteria to select financial products. In our experience taking on additional risk will not necessarily yield greater returns. We approach our clients finances from a broader perspective. We focus not just on accumulating wealth but protecting it as well. We focus not just on your immediate needs, but how each piece fits in within your entire financial strategy. Our approach enables us to identify opportunities that other firms may, and usually do, overlook. We look for ways to make your money work harder for you in ways that you might never have imagined. We have found that many common investment strategies seriously underestimate the challenges facing you as you transition into other phases of your financial journey. Ultimately, we strive to give each client the opportunity to spend less time worrying about their portfolio and wondering whether your money will be enough to give you the financial freedom you expect. We do this, not through unrealistically optimistic and risky investments, but through a comprehensive strategy that outlines the ideal path to your financial success. In our view, taxes remain one of the biggest risks to wealth creation and accumulation. Every dollar is taxed in 4 ways, when you EARN it, when you GROW it, when you SPEND it, and when you PASS AWAY. At SMART Group, we won't file last years tax returns, but we will do your FUTURE tax returns by providing you with custom strategies designed to help you save taxes in each of the 4 phases of taxation. Our team of licensed CFP's and CPA's will help guide you throughout each step of your financial journey.

Financial Planning, Portfolio Management, Retirement Planning, 401K Rollovers, Wealth Management, Money Management, Risk Management, Education Funding and Planning, Financial Advice & Consulting, Financial Planning for Individuals, Financial Planning for Businesses, Investment Advice & Management, Tax Advice and Services, Legal Advice and Services, Estate Planning & Trusts, Insurance Products & Annuities

Quotient Wealth Partners

Qualifications Firm CRD# 326819

Compensation/Fee Fee-Based, Flat Fee, Based on Assets

Office Location 1980 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 1500, Houston, TX 77056 Phone Number 346-235-1330

About Quotient Wealth Partners

As an independent wealth management firm, we are deeply committed to helping clients, particularly corporate executives and professionals, properly plan for their financial future. We are an SEC-registered investment advisor, operating on an open architecture platform. This allows us to offer our clients a vast array of investment options and the freedom to pursue their financial future with confidence and anticipation.

Financial Planning, Portfolio Management, Retirement Planning, 401K Rollovers, Wealth Management, Money Management, Risk Management, Education Funding and Planning, Financial Advice & Consulting, Financial Planning for Individuals, Financial Planning for Businesses, Investment Advice & Management, Tax Advice and Services, Estate Planning & Trusts, Insurance Products & Annuities

Chance Vogel , CRPS ® , CRPC ®

Qualifications CRD# 2800255 Firm CRD# 104510 Series 65, 66

Office Location 1600 Highway 6, Suite 450, Sugar Land, TX 77478 Phone Number 281-207-2124

I began my financial services career in 1996. I have always focused on educating my clients about the complexities of retirement planning. I specialize in assisting my clients to define their needs and developing a long-term investment strategy to help them achieve their goals.

Wealth Consulting Group

Qualifications Firm CRD# 6413 Series 7, 8, 9, 10, 24, 63, 65

Compensation/Fee Fee-Based, Hourly, Commissions, Flat Fee, Based on Assets

Office Location 13310 University Blvd, Suite 240, Sugar Land, TX 77479 Phone Number 281-491-2800

About Wealth Consulting Group

Our first priority is helping you take care of yourself and your family or business. We want to learn more about your personal situation, identify your dreams and goals, and understand your tolerance for risk. That cornerstone of open and honest communication allows us to deliver tailored, professional services designed to help our clients rise to their financial independence.

Centric Wealth

Qualifications Firm CRD# 282477

Office Location 12549 Louetta Road, Cypress, TX 77429 Phone Number 281-819-2252

About Centric Wealth

Centric Wealth is a fully independent, privately held wealth advisory firm that assists clients from around the nation in making effective financial decisions through a relationship based on trust, personalized service, and uncompromising integrity. We make your financial journey simple and straightforward providing consistent, anchored support every step of the way. Our entire team is centered and focused on helping you plan all key areas in your financial life and take the necessary steps to accomplish your goals. Financial empowerment means taking charge of tomorrow today. Our experienced advisors are passionate about helping people from all walks of life discover their Best Life. That means helping you define what living your Best Life looks like, putting a strategy in place to get there, then helping you maintain your new lifestyle.

Jeff Rhame , CFP ®

Qualifications CRD# 2516452 Firm CRD# 283027

Compensation/Fee Fee-Only, Based on Assets

Office Location 1330 lake robbins dr, suite 360, The Woodlands, TX 77380 Phone Number 832-789-1100

Jeff Rhame is one of the founders and President of Rhame & Gorrell Wealth Management. Jeffs vision for starting Rhame & Gorrell was to deliver wealth management services and investment strategies typically available at the highest levels of wealth. Today, clients benefit from these sophisticated financial services, targeted to meet their unique needs. Jeff leads a team of investment specialists that develop asset allocation strategies for high-net worth families. They seek out the most appropriate investment ingredients and then construct portfolios to meet our clients goals from income generation and capital preservation to tax-efficiency and growth.

About Rhame & Gorrell Wealth Management

At Rhame & Gorrell Wealth Management, we have built a firm for the future of financial planning, with the tools, research, resources, and talent that you deserve. We are local financial advisors in The Woodlands, providing Wealth Management, Investment Management, Financial Planning, Tax, and Retirement Planning. Because of our dedication to getting to know our clients better, we're able to be more effective in creating a plan that helps you achieve your goals. We thrive on the relationships we build and establish a foundation of transparency and trust. Contact us for all of your investment and wealth management needs in The Woodlands.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do i know if a financial advisor in texas is legitimate.

To determine if a financial advisor in Texas is legitimate, you can check if they are properly licensed and registered with the appropriate regulatory organizations, such as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), or the Texas State Securities Board. It's also important to review each financial advisor's years of relevant experience, credentials (CFP, ChFCs, CFAs, etc.), education, method of compensation, client testimonials, and ensure that they adhere to a strict code of ethics. Additionally, to ensure a financial advisor is legitimate, we recommend using the free financial advisor match tool to connect with pre-screened and vetted advisors in Texas who meet your specific needs.

What fees should I expect to pay when working with a financial advisor in Texas?

The fees you can expect to pay when working with a financial advisor in Texas can vary depending on the type of advisor and the services they provide. Some advisors can charge a fee only on a percentage of assets under management, or an hourly rate for their services. Alternatively, some advisors use a combination of commissions and fees or solely earn commissions by selling financial products. It's important to make sure you understand the fee structure of your financial advisor to ensure transparency and manage potential conflicts of interest. To learn more about the fees an advisor may charge for their services, explore the costs of hiring a financial advisor.

Can a financial advisor in Texas help me with college savings planning?

Yes, a financial advisor in Texas can help you plan for your children's college education by analyzing your finances, setting savings goals, and recommending investment strategies. They provide guidance on college savings plans like 529 plans, help navigate financial aid options, and offer insights on the tax implications of education expenses. To learn more about effective ways to save for college, read on about the best approaches to plan for a college education.

How can a financial advisor in Texas help me with retirement planning?

A financial advisor in Texas can help you plan for retirement by assessing your current financial situation, determining your retirement goals, and creating a personalized retirement plan. They may consider factors like your desired retirement age, lifestyle expectations, and risk tolerance to determine the savings needed. Advisors can also help select suitable retirement accounts like IRAs, 401(k)s, etc., guide investment decisions, analyze Social Security benefits, and provide the guidance you need for a successful retirement. If you are seeking to learn more about how a financial advisor can help you secure your financial future in retirement, learn more about why you should hire a retirement advisor.

What should I look for when choosing a financial advisor in Texas?

When choosing a financial advisor in Texas, you should consider factors including their qualifications, years of relevant experience, method of compensation, and services offered. Additionally, it's important to ensure that an advisor has the necessary licenses and registrations with trusted regulatory organizations such as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), or the Texas State Securities Board. To learn more, read the guide on how to use FINRA's BrokerCheck tool to evaluate a financial advisors credentials.

What kind of financial planning services do advisors offer in Texas?

Financial advisors or planners listed on our directory for the state of Texas may offer multiple financial planning services to help their clients, including retirement planning, investment planning, estate planning, and financial planning. The specific services provided by an advisor can vary depending on the advisor's education, area of expertise, credentials, licenses, as well as your financial needs and goals. To learn more, read on to better understand how financial advisors can assist you.

What approach to investment management do advisors take and how do they select investments for clients in Texas?

A financial advisor in our directory for the state of Texas can help you with your investment strategy by providing guidance on different investments to diversify your portfolio, monitor your investments, help you navigate market fluctuations, and suggest necessary adjustments to your investment strategy that aligns with your goals and risk tolerance. If you are looking to improve your investment portfolio, read on about why professional investment management may be right for you.

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If you want money advice you can trust, your best bet is to hire a fee-only financial planner. The trick is finding a planner who’s willing to be hired for a reasonable fee.

Fee-only planners don’t accept commissions or kickbacks and are paid solely by client fees. Most use an “assets under management” model where they manage their clients’ investments and charge an annual fee of about 1%. To make the math work, these financial planners usually require people to have hundreds of thousands of dollars to invest. Otherwise the advisors would reap too little from their fees to justify the hours spent creating financial plans.

This is obviously a problem for people who don’t have enough assets. It also can be a problem for those who do, since the advisors collect their fees year in and year out, regardless of how much advice they’re actually dispensing. Plus, not everyone wants or needs an advisor to invest their money.

It’s even becoming a problem for the planners themselves. A client with a small portfolio may have more complex needs, and require more time, than one with a larger portfolio, but the fees won’t reflect that.

Plus, what these planners are technically charging for — investment management — can be had for much less from robo-advisors . These digital investment services use computer algorithms to invest and typically charge one-quarter of one percent.

» Which type is right for you? Learn how to choose a financial advisor

Planners are essentially giving away the valuable part of what they do, the financial advice , while charging premium prices for the commodity that a machine can essentially do for much less.

Advisors (and financial consultants ) are increasingly recognizing the flaws in this approach and some are exploring alternatives, such as charging flat monthly or quarterly fees, says financial journalist Bob Veres, owner of Inside Information, a site for advisors.

If you’re looking for financial advice that’s not based on the size of your portfolio, here are a few places to check and what you can expect to pay.

XY Planning Network. This is a network of financial planners who typically focus on clients in Generations X and Y, or millennials, who don’t have a lot of assets to invest. There’s no age limit, though, and some of the planners specialize in helping baby boomers as well. Advisors must be certified financial planners , or CFPs; swear to uphold a fiduciary client-first standard, which means they put their clients' interests first; and offer flat monthly fees (although they may offer other options, including hourly or assets-under-management fees). Monthly fees are typically $100-$200, with some planners requiring an initial or setup fee of $1,000 to $2,000.

Garrett Planning Network. Planner Sheryl Garrett’s network represents planners willing to charge by the hour, although many also manage assets for a fee. Members are either certified financial planners or on track to get the designation, or they’re certified public accountants who have the personal financial specialist credential, which is similar to the CFP. Garrett also requires its planners to be fiduciaries. Hourly fees usually range from $150 to $300. A consultation focused on one subject, such as a portfolio review, may take two or three hours. A comprehensive financial plan that covers taxes, insurance, estate planning, college planning and other relevant topics could require 20 hours or more.

Advice-Only Financial. Financial blogger Harry Sit started his service to connect people with fee-only advisors who just charge for advice and don’t accept asset management fees. Sit’s concern is that advisors who do both will be tempted to push people toward asset management, since it’s more lucrative. Sit charges $200 to help people find fiduciary CFPs who are either local or, if none are available, willing to work remotely. The planners typically charge $100 to $400 an hour.

Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education. Not every tax return requires a CPA and not every financial situation requires a CFP. An accredited financial counselor or financial fitness coach can be a more affordable alternative. Coaches and counselors in private practice typically charge $100 to $150 an hour, although many work on a sliding scale, says Rebecca Wiggins, executive director of the association, which grants both credentials. Others are employed by the military, credit unions or other organizations and offer their services for free or at reduced charge, she says. These counselors or coaches focus on issues relevant to middle- and lower-income Americans, including budgeting, debt management and retirement planning.

“The main thing is that these professionals are affordable, unbiased, and highly trained,” Wiggins says. “Their focus is on the needs of the clients and establishing healthy financial management.”

A previous version of this article misstated the name of the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education. This article has been corrected.

This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press.

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Financial Advisor Cost

Written by True Tamplin, BSc, CEPF®

Reviewed by subject matter experts.

Updated on February 15, 2024

Are You Retirement Ready?

Table of contents, fee structures of financial advisors.

Financial advisors assist clients in developing long-term plans for increasing wealth , controlling risk, and various other financial decisions and challenges. To do so, they have differing services and fee structures.

We analyzed all 19,490 Form ADV filings registered with the SEC as of 2023. Below is a table of what percentage of firms offered that fee structure:

Have questions about advisor costs? Click here .

Percentage of Assets Under Management (AUM)

This fee structure charges a percentage of the assets under management by the firm. Fee structures are often tiered based on the amount of assets managed, with higher AUM often charged a lower rate.

Typical Cost: Between 0.50% and 2.00% of assets under management (annually), often lower for a robo-advisor . Fees are typically charged quarterly by the firm and will show on your investment statement.

How Common: ~96% of registered firms offer this fee structure

Example: If you have $1 million managed by a firm at a 1% management fee, you would be charged $10,000 / year to manage your assets (or $2,500 per quarter). This would be automatically deducted from your investment portfolio.

Similar to an attorney, a financial consultant might charge fees based on hourly rates. This fee structure can be advantageous when seeking specific or ad hoc advice.

Typical Cost: Charges generally span from $150 to $400 per hour, depending on the extent of the services required.

How Common: ~33% of registered firms offer this fee structure

Example: If you needed hourly consulting to sell a business or transfer your estate to your children but did not want your assets managed by a firm, you could consult a firm at an hourly rate to answer any questions you may have.

Fixed fees are a one-time, lump-sum payment rendered for a specific service, such as creating a financial plan without ongoing management or implementation. This option is beneficial if you solely require guidance for a particular objective rather than a long-term consultancy or asset management .

Typical Cost: Fixed fees for creating a financial plan often range from $1,000 to $3,000.

How Common: ~49% of registered firms offer this fee structure

Example: If you did not want a firm to manage your assets but needed to create a retirement plan , life transition plan such as divorce or loss of a spouse, estate transition plan , business financial plan, or any other financial planning , you could consult with an RIA firm to help you with the creation of that plan.

Commissions

Occasionally, advisors are compensated through commissions by selling certain financial products, such as mutual funds or life insurance policies , or as a broker-dealer by facilitating the buying and selling of securities. Advisors who receive commissions may be incentivized to make specific suggestions to clients in order to secure a commission. Advisors who operate on a fee-only basis do not earn commissions, whereas fee-based advisors may do so.

Typical Cost: Often 3% - 6% of the value of the security

How Common: Only ~3% of registered firms say they offer this fee structure, but other advisors may receive “ soft dollars .” Many mutual funds charge 12b-1 fees to cover the promoting and selling of the fund’s shares. While your advisor does not charge these fees, they may receive a kickback for recommending the investment.

Example: An advisor selling their client on a life insurance policy and receiving a commission on the sale of that policy, or recommending a specific investment and receiving a kickback for that recommendation.

Performance-Based

Advisors typically obtain performance-based fees if a portfolio surpasses a predefined benchmark. This fee is determined through various methods, but is most commonly assessed as a percentage of investment gains. Performance-based fees may incentivize advisors to undertake riskier decisions in pursuit of generating higher returns.

Typical Cost: “Two and Twenty” is common among hedge funds with a 2% management fee and a 20% incentive fee above the “hurdle rate,” or performance threshold the fund is compared against.

How Common: 32% of registered firms offer this fee structure

Example: A hedge fund earns a 15% return with a 20% performance fee in above the performance of the S&P 500 , which grew 7% that same year.

20% of fund growth in excess of S&P 500’s 7% growth for that year = 15% hedge fund growth - 7% S&P 500 growth = 8% difference x 20% = 2% performance fee (in addition to the management fee)

Subscription

Firms charge this fee for offering educational resources, such as a monthly periodical. This arrangement is helpful if you aspire to independently learn about investing or financial management.

Typical Cost: Anywhere from $10 - $800 per month depending on the level of educational resources offered by the firm. Firms often include financial education as a benefit to clients whose assets they manage.

How Common: <1% of registered firms offer this fee structure

Example: For $50 per month, a client can subscribe to an educational periodical that teaches the fundamentals of investing.

Miscellaneous

Firms occasionally offer unconventional fee structures when charging clients. For more detailed information about a firm’s specific fee structures, please refer to their Form ADV and Part 2 Brochure .

Average Cost of Financial Advisors

The average cost of working with a financial advisor in 2023 is 0.5% to 2.0% of the assets they manage, $200 to $400 hourly consultation, a flat fee of $1,000 to $3,000 for a one-time service, a 3% to 6% commission fee on the products that they sell.

These estimates vary widely by firm and service offering.

Ways to Minimize Financial Advisor Fees

There are ways to lower the cost regardless of your financial advisor's fee structure. Here is some advice:

Choose an Appropriate Fee Structure

The fee structure should align with your financial needs. Consider the type of advice you seek, the number of times you will be consulting them, and the complexity of your financial situation.

You can use negotiating tactics such as asking for a lower rate or including additional services in the agreement. Feel free to ask for a better deal.

Research and Compare Fees

It is essential to research and compare different advisors' fees thoroughly. Be sure to read the fine print for details on any additional costs that are not in their base fee.

Monitor Your Investments Regularly

When you monitor your investments regularly, you can identify potential problems before they become costly. In this way, you can keep your financial advisor fees in check.

Robo-Advisor Fees vs Traditional Advisor Fees: Which Is For You?

The choice of advisor depends on the type of assistance you require and your financial resources. Traditional advisors are often more expensive than online alternatives.

For simple investment goals, Robo-advisors may be a cost-effective option. They charge lower fees than conventional advisors and provide an automated, algorithmic approach to managing your investments.

On the other hand, if you have more complicated investment goals or require advice about non-investment-related matters, then a traditional financial advisor may be the better option. They provide personalized advice.

Both advisors offer portfolio management , but only conventional financial advisors cater to services related to estate, insurance , and retirement planning . Make sure to know what services you need.

Traditional advisors usually charge higher fees. Their average AUM percentage is 0.5% to 2.0%, while Robo-advisors are less than 0.5%.

How to Choose a Financial Advisor

Working with a financial advisor is a sensible option for anyone who wants to organize their money and establish long-term goals; they are not just for the wealthy. To locate the ideal financial advisor for your requirements, follow these steps.

Step 1: Understand What Financial Services You Need

It is essential to understand the services you require from a financial advisor before deciding. Consider your current financial goals and needs to define the advice you are looking for.

Step 2: Select Which Type of Financial Advisor You Need

Financial advisors can have different specializations , from those offering retirement planning to those focusing on estate planning or tax advice. Choose an advisor that can meet your needs and has the experience and qualifications you are looking for.

Step 3: Consider How Much You Can Pay

The cost of financial advice varies greatly depending on the type of services you need, the advisor's experience, and the advisor's fee structure. Make sure you understand the costs associated with each service. Your capacity to pay is an essential consideration before deciding.

Step 4: Research Financial Advisors

Once you have a list of potential advisors, research their credentials and experience. Ask friends or family members for recommendations. Explore their websites to see their services, read reviews, and learn more about their background.

Step 5: Interview Multiple Financial Advisors

Interviewing multiple advisors is essential to ensure you find the right fit. Ask questions about their experience and services, fees, and any other information you feel is necessary. Pay attention to how they communicate with you and get references from past clients.

Final Thoughts

Financial advisors are professionals who offer an extensive range of services to help manage your finances. The cost of hiring an advisor depends on the services you agree to.

Financial advisors' most common fee structures include AUM percentage, hourly rates, flat fees, and performance-based fees.

In 2023, the average cost of getting financial advisor services is expected to be 0.5% to 2% of your AUM. Consultation with them would cost $200 to $400 per hour.

Financial advisors charge a flat fee of $1,000 to $3,000 for a one-time service. They impose a 3% to 6% fee on the products they sell for commission based.

It is essential to carefully research and compares fees before selecting a financial advisor. You may also negotiate and ask for a lower fee or additional services included in the agreement to make the most of your money.

To select the right financial advisor, you need to understand what services you need and research potential advisors. Consider the amount you can afford to pay and thoroughly interview multiple financial advisors before selecting one.

By following these tips, you can guarantee that you make the most out of your financial advisor at the best possible rates. Understanding your options and using negotiation strategies will help minimize the cost of working with a financial advisor.

Financial Advisor Cost FAQs

What is the average cost of a financial advisor, what are the additional financial advisor costs.

In addition to the average cost of working with a financial advisor, additional costs may be associated with their services. These can include performance-based fees, account set-up fees, annual maintenance fees, research and analysis fees, and other miscellaneous or management fees. It is essential to understand all the costs of hiring a financial advisor before making a decision.

How do you ensure that a financial advisor's cost is fair?

It is helpful to compare fees and services offered by different advisors to make an informed decision. Negotiating with your potential advisor can also minimize the costs associated with their services in the long run. Additionally, researching any promotions or discounts available can be a great way to save money.

How are financial advisors paid?

Financial advisors' most common fee structures are AUM percentage, hourly rates, flat fees, and commission-based. It is helpful to understand what type of fee structure your advisor uses so you can be sure that their services align with the cost.

How much do Robo-Advisors charge?

Robo-advisors typically charge a lower fee than traditional financial advisors. They usually charge between 0.25% and 0.50% of assets under management.

About the Author

True Tamplin, BSc, CEPF®

True Tamplin is a published author, public speaker, CEO of UpDigital, and founder of Finance Strategists.

True is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF®), author of The Handy Financial Ratios Guide , a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing, contributes to his financial education site, Finance Strategists, and has spoken to various financial communities such as the CFA Institute, as well as university students like his Alma mater, Biola University , where he received a bachelor of science in business and data analytics.

To learn more about True, visit his personal website or view his author profiles on Amazon , Nasdaq and Forbes .

Related Topics

• 12 Questions to Ask a Financial Advisor
• 12b-1 Funds
• Administrative Fees
• Advisory Fees
• Are Financial Advisors Worth It?
• Commission Structure
• Custodial Fees
• Do You Need a Financial Advisor?
• Fee Benchmarking
• Fee Levelization
• Fee Schedule
• Fee-Only vs Commission-Based Compensation
• How Financial Advisors Make Money
• How Much Do Financial Advisors Make?
• How to Tell if a Financial Advisor Is Fee-Only
• Management Fees
• Soft Dollars
• What Is the Value of Partnering With a Financial Advisor?
• Wrap Fee Program

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How to Start a Financial Advisor Business

A financial planning firm is a company that provides financial advising and planning services to individuals and businesses. Financial advisors offer advice on managing investments, insurance, mortgages, and other financial matters. If you’re looking to start your independent financial planning firm, there are a few key things you need to know. 

In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of starting your own financial planning firm and provide tips for launching your business.   On This Page:

12 Steps to Starting a Financial Advisor Business

How big is the financial planning & advice industry, what are the key sectors of the financial planning & advice industry, what external factors affect the financial planning & advice industry, who are the key competitors in the financial planning & advice industry, what are the key customer segments in the financial advice market, what are the typical startup costs for a new financial advisor, what are the key costs to launching a successful financial planning firm, is a financial advisor business profitable, what type of financial advisor business model should i choose, what are the keys to launching a new financial advisor business, starting a financial advisor business faqs, other helpful business plan articles & templates.

Importantly, a critical step in starting a financial planning business is to complete your business plan. To help you out, you should download Growthink’s Ultimate Financial Advisor Business Plan Template here .

Download our Ultimate Financial Advisor Business Plan Template here

1. Figure out your Niche

The financial and investment advisor industry can be very competitive, so you have to find a way to set yourself apart from the rest of the investment advisers out there. Find your niche, and focus on it.

A few niches include:

• The “mass affluent,” which is a financial services market made up of individuals with investable assets between $100,000 and $1 million.
• Retirees who have accumulated savings that they can’t afford to lose in a volatile market

2. Choose an Investment Management Style

Once you’ve identified your niche, it’s time to choose a method of financial planning you’re going to focus on. Here are the most popular styles:

• Asset management – focuses on how much money a client can save in a given year, and helps them budget accordingly
• Wealth preservation – works with clients to ensure their assets are being protected from market volatility and inflation
• Income planning – focuses on a client’s long-term financial stability, helping them create a sustainable income flow
• Consultative sales – offers a wide range of services for large fees that can be covered through loans or investments

3. Consider your Target Audience

Next, think about who you’re targeting. Your ideal audience will be the clients that value your services the most and are more likely to pay for them.

Some things to consider when choosing a target audience include:

• Geography – where do they live?
• Age – will they need financial education or wealth preservation services?
• Wealth – how much money do they already have?
• Occupation – are they educated professionals, or are they self-employed?
• Gender – how will this affect your financial advisor marketing strategy ?

4. Find your Competitors

Now it’s time to find out what your competition is up to in the financial advisory industry. Think about whom you’re going after and which companies offer services that might compete with yours.

5. Get your Business Plan in Order

Once you’ve set up your niche, chosen an investment style, identified your target audience, and found out what your competition is doing, it’s time to create a financial planner business plan for success.

To enhance your planning process, incorporating insights from a  sample financial advisor business plan  can be beneficial. This can provide you with a clearer perspective on industry standards and effective strategies, helping to solidify your own business approach.

Your business plan should include:

• A general description of the company
• The services you will offer
• A description of the market you plan to target
• How you will attract clients and get them to pay for your services
• A financial summary of how much money you need to start a successful business

Be sure to include all of this information in a well-thought-out plan that will help you get funding from investors and convince clients that your financial services are the best choice.

6. Secure Funding for Startup Costs

The nature of a financial advisor business means you will need funding to provide initial marketing, advertising, and operational costs. This is generally done through personal investments by the founders or loans from local banks or other institutions interested in lending money to small businesses.

To get outside funding for your business, follow these steps:

• Conduct market research to find potential investors and lenders
• Get referrals from clients or other financial planners you know of in the industry who have already received loans or investments
• Create a list of possible lenders and investors you want to approach with your business plan
• Create an advertising plan to show how you will attract clients and make money for your business

Be prepared to answer questions about your financial services, your target audience, and the market in general; also be ready to explain how much startup funding you need and what it will be used for.

How to Finish Your Financial Advisor Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your financial advisor business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Financial Advisor Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

7. Start Marketing Yourself

Now that you have a financial planner business plan in place, it’s time to start marketing yourself. Begin by creating an online presence and using the Internet to attract potential clients for your services. You can start with these things:

• A website with specific information about your services, fees, and target market
• A social media presence on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. to help you promote your business online
• Blogs related to comprehensive financial planning that allow you to include links back to the main website for clients or potential clients to see

Once you’ve started to build your online presence, start building relationships with other financial advisors in the business. Hang out in chat rooms or forums where they’re already congregating and offer advice whenever possible. This establishes you as an expert in the field to people who might need your services later on.

Building a name for yourself will take time, but starting a financial advisor business is rewarding and you’ll soon find yourself with plenty of new clients.

8. Develop an Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a 30-second explanation of your financial advisor business that you can use to introduce yourself to potential clients. Your investment advisor elevator pitch should highlight the unique aspects of your Financial Advisor business and immediately communicate what makes you stand out from other financial advisors in your Financial Advisor niche.

Focus on capturing attention as soon as possible. Your elevator pitch should be simple and straight to the point; you want your clients to remember what sets you apart from other financial advisors, not a long speech about how great you are.

Pitch yourself at networking events and financial advisor business startup seminars.

9. Create your Client Acquisition Plan

Once you’ve built up an online presence, it’s time to create a client acquisition plan that will help you meet your goals for getting new clients and start bringing in money. To develop this plan, identify your ideal client and decide how exactly you will attract them to your business:

• What types of clients do you want? What’s the best way to reach them through online and offline marketing?
• What about referrals from other local financial advisors or people currently using your services? How will you get more referrals to grow your business even faster?
• How will you make your clients want to spend their money and come back for more services?

Once you’ve identified the right clients and found the best way to attract them, it’s time to start filling those client coffers. You’ll be surprised at how much business can grow from word-of-mouth referrals alone, so don’t hesitate to ask satisfied clients for a referral whenever possible.

10. Work on Client Retention

A happy client is a client who will come back for more services and tell their friends about your financial planning firm. You can stay in touch with clients through digital or paper newsletters, phone calls, text messages, social media, email blasts – whatever works best to keep you at the forefront of their minds.

The first sale is always the hardest, but after that client has purchased a service, you’ll find it much easier to sell them other services down the road. To start this process, create a basic financial plan for your clients; take time to sit down with each of them, identify their needs and goals, and develop an investment strategy that makes sense for their current financial state. You can also offer services like estate planning, tax preparation, and insurance to give your clients more options when they’re ready to expand their financial portfolios.

11. Achieve Success by Setting Goals and Measuring Results

Setting goals is one of the most integral parts of operating a successful business, so it’s important to set clear, attainable goals for your financial advisor business. For example, if you want to grow your client base by attracting ten new clients in the first month of operation, start with smaller goals like attracting five or three new clients and work up from there so you know what to expect throughout the process.

Once you’ve set your initial client goals, develop a strategy for how you’ll measure your progress. Set up Google Analytics or another program to track how many people visit the website and social media presence of your financial planning firm so you can see which sources bring in the most traffic and clients. This will help guide future marketing efforts and help you see what’s really working when it comes to promoting your financial planning business.

12. Get the Training and Licenses You Need to be Successful

Financial advisors are governed by strict legal and ethical standards, so it’s important to get enough training to stay in compliance with both local and federal laws. While many states allow financial planners to operate under their own licenses (and sometimes without any license at all), other states require financial planners to have a license from the Series 65 exam. If you live in one of these regulated states, be sure that your education and experience meet the standards set forth by the state: Finra .

    Want to Start a Successful Financial Advisor Business?

The financial services industry is growing at a rapid pace and continues to grow despite the recent economic downturn. The industry is worth over $59.2 billion and is expected to grow by 4% every year over the next decade.

The financial services industry is made up of five main sectors:

• Personal Financial Planning and Investment Services – The business of helping individuals make investment decisions along with managing their investments, such as retirement accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs, stocks or bonds, mutual funds, and retirement savings accounts.
• Broker Dealer –  The business activities involving buying and selling securities, such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds on behalf of investors.
• Trust Services – The business of providing trust, custody, and related services to customers/clients who have entrusted their money or investment products with the financial institution.
• Financial Management Consulting – The business of providing one-time financial management and planning services to clients.
• Estate Planning Services – The business of providing financial advice and services to clients when they are ready to distribute their assets after death.

The financial planning and advice industry is affected by external factors such as market performance, economic trends, and the overall state of the economy.

For example, advisors that focus on selling investments or providing investment services must consider the performance of the stock market. If the market is performing well and people feel good about their money, it’s likely they’ll invest more funds in stocks, which will affect how brokers make a living.

The other external factors that affect the financial planning profession are macroeconomic trends that affect the population’s confidence in the economy.

For example, during an economic recession, it’s important for financial advisors to understand that their clients may be more risk-averse, and not investing as much money into stocks or mutual funds would be wise.

On the other hand, if the economy is doing well and people are feeling confident about their financial stability, then it’s wise to invest more money into stocks.

The financial planning and advice industry is highly competitive, and there are over 130,000 financial advisors in the United States alone. Although many of these advisors work for large financial institutions such as banks and credit unions, many others run their own business full-time or on a part-time basis.

Some of the key competitors in the financial advising industry are:

• Banks & Credit Unions – These financial institutions provide many of the same services as a financial advisor, such as investment advice and personal finance guidance. They can be a source of competition for advisors because they’re equipped with similar services, but they don’t necessarily compete directly in terms of clientele.
• Insurance Companies – These financial institutions provide services such as life insurance and annuities, so they can be a source of competition for advisors if the advisor is also selling these types of products.
• Other Financial Advisors – Most financial advisors have to compete with other advisors from the same company, especially within a large financial advisory firm where each advisor specializes in a different investing sector.

The financial advising industry provides services to individuals of all income levels, but there are some key differences in the type of client each advisor typically deals with.

• High-Income Clients – These clients have a high net worth and can afford to hire an advisor on a full-time or part-time basis. They’re typically more willing to pay for financial advice and services, especially if the advisor specializes in a specific industry that pertains to their financial situation.
• Middle-Income Clients – These clients have a moderate net worth and can afford to hire an advisor on a part-time basis for monthly or quarterly checkups. They’re often satisfied with what they receive from the financial advisor, but typically don’t require as much service or attention to their finances.
• Lower-Income Clients – These clients typically have a low income and struggle with managing their personal finances on their own. They’re more likely to benefit from the types of services that advisors provide, such as budgeting advice or debt management plans.

From growing family needs to save for retirement, financial advisors provide services that help clients meet their individual goals.

Financial advisors have two primary types of startup costs: the cost to set up a legal entity for their new company and ongoing costs that must be met in order to keep the business running.

The Legal Entity

If you want to set up a financial advisor business, you’ll need to create a legal entity for your company. Your startup costs will depend on how you choose to structure your company, but these options are the most common:

• Sole Proprietorship – This is the cheapest option for creating a legal entity, but it also provides the least amount of tax-related benefits.
• Partnership – This is another cheap option for starting your company, but it requires at least one other co-founder who contributes to the partnership equally.
• Corporation – You can register an S Corporation or C Corporation through your state’s Secretary of State’s office, but this type of entity comes with the highest startup costs.

Ongoing Business Expenses

The other primary cost you’ll need to consider when starting a financial advisor business is how much it will cost to keep your company running on a monthly basis. These are some common expenses that every financial advisor has to pay:

• Salary and Wages – The cost of hiring employees and freelancers can vary significantly, depending on their expertise and area of focus.
• Insurance Costs – These costs will typically include life insurance, health insurance, and business liability insurance.
• Utilities – You’ll need to pay for electricity, water, internet access, telephone services, and other standard utilities to keep your business running.
• Loans – Any loans you take out will need to be paid back within a set amount of time, which will add to your ongoing expenses.

The good news is that there are many different financial advisor business models you can choose from depending on what startup costs you’re able to cover. You can either start a full-service financial planning company, which will require more overhead because you’ll need to hire employees and freelancers, or you can start a fee-only financial planning company that only charges clients through the services they use.

The key costs you’ll need to cover when launching a successful financial planning company include:

• Operating Expenses – These are the ongoing fees that make it possible for your financial planning firm to remain in operation, such as paying for employees and freelancers, insurance costs, and other standard utilities.
• Technology – The more sophisticated your technology needs become, the more financial resources you’ll need to cover them. For example, if you want to offer clients the ability to submit their financial plan proposals online and check on their progress towards goals with web-based software and apps, you’ll need to cover the initial investment.
• Marketing – Marketing costs typically include online advertising, trade magazine ads, direct mail campaigns, and other promotional expenses.
• Additional Costs – These additional costs will vary depending on the financial advisor model you choose to adopt, but they could include anything from client meetings in person at their homes or place of business to covering the cost of hiring freelancers.

Even though you’ll need to invest money initially, having your own financial planning company can save you thousands of dollars per month in fees, which means that advisors who go independent typically recoup their startup costs within three years. Plus, once you establish yourself as a success and gain clients, you’ll be able to cut back on your marketing expenses, which means that you’ll see a return on investment much sooner.

The amount of money you’ll make as a financial advisor depends on how much work you put into establishing your business and what financial advisor business model you adopt. Advisors who work with institutions and rely on investments to generate their income will generally earn more money annually compared to smaller financial advisory businesses.

When you launch a financial advisor business, you’ll need to choose between the following business models: fee-only financial planning, concierge service, and full-service.

• Fee-Only Financial Planning – This type of financial planner typically charges clients hourly rates for consultations and other services, and there are no commissions or fees involved. Most fee-only financial planners work with clients on a retainer basis instead of just a one-time consultation.
• Concierge Service – Under this model, advisors typically charge based on the services they provide rather than an hourly rate or retainer. For example, you can charge clients by the hour for phone consultations or monthly fees for access to planning tools.
• Full-Service – As a full-service financial advisor, you can offer all types of services to your clients without having to specialize in one specific discipline. This model is typically only appropriate if you have enough financial resources to hire other advisors and financial planners, such as accountants and tax specialists.

The model you choose to adopt depends on the financial advisor business you establish. For example, if you plan to launch a fee-only financial planning business that offers high levels of personalized service, then you’ll probably want to choose the concierge service model for your business. If you’re more likely to attract prospective clients who are interested in investing their money with you, then you’ll likely want to choose the full-service financial advisor business model.

Once you’ve decided on a financial advisor business model and have gathered all of the necessary tools, it’s time to launch your new company. Below are some tips for a successful launch:

• Set Up Your Business – Before you can begin offering any services as a financial advisor, you’ll need to set up your business. You’ll want to choose a business structure, create your company’s website and social media pages, and get all of the necessary licenses.
• Establish Relationships – Even though you can launch a financial advisor business online by establishing an online presence through websites and social media platforms, you’ll most likely want to establish personal relationships with clients by meeting face-to-face. Whether you travel to meet with clients or find a suitable office space to work from, building relationships is essential for your financial advisor business’ success.
• Market Yourself – In order to attract as many prospects as possible and stand out from other financial advisors, it’s important that you market yourself properly. Through your company website and social media pages, you can post articles, blog posts, and videos that educate consumers about financial planning.
• Reach Out to Clients – Once you’ve reached out to prospects and generated some interest in your financial advisor business, it’s important that you reach out to clients frequently. You can do so through email or phone contacts, online surveys, or social media engagement.
• Grow Your Business – To grow your financial business, you’ll need to develop a sound business strategy and create a long-term plan. You’ll also want to establish goals that will make it easier for you to meet your financial targets.

Additional Resources

Financial Advisor Mavericks

What are the qualifications needed to start a financial advisor business?

To start a financial advisor business, you'll typically need at least two to three years of experience in the financial planning field. You can meet this requirement by holding various financial planning positions or taking relevant online courses and continuing education classes.

How can I find financial and investment advisor business leads?

The best way to find financial planning leads is by utilizing your company website or social media pages. You can also track down prospects through online directories, referrals from friends, personal networking engagements, and cold calling techniques.

What are the benefits of starting a financial advisory business?

The primary benefit of launching your own financial advisor business is establishing control over how you make money. Aside from that, there are many other benefits including building lasting relationships with clients, gaining greater flexibility in your work schedule, and enjoying the satisfaction that comes with helping others achieve their financial goals.

What are the risks of starting a financial advisory business?

One of the main risks associated with launching a financial advisor business is going into debt. You'll want to have at least six months' worth of living expenses saved up as well as an emergency fund in place to help balance this risk out. Another risk to consider is not having enough time to focus on your company due to the demands of your full-time job.

Who are some successful financial advisors?

A few well-known, highly successful financial advisors include Charles Schwab, Kenneth Fisher, and David Bach. These advisors have written numerous books on their financial strategies and how they can be applied to everyday life.

What is my financial advisor business plan?

In order to become a financial advisor, you'll need to have a sound financial advisor business plan in place. It will help you determine how much money you'll need to make the annual salary you desire, your marketing strategies going forward, and how much money you can spend on expenses each month.

How do I become a registered investment advisor?

In order to become a registered investment advisor, you'll need to meet certain requirements regarding your education and professional background as well as pass the Series 7 exam. You can find out more about the requirements by visiting websites such as Investment Adviser Association or FINRA.

Where Can I Download a Financial Advisor Business Plan PDF?

You can download our financial advisor business plan PDF template here. This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.

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Estate Planning Guide and Checklist for 2024

Key takeaways.

• Common estate planning documents are wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and living wills.
• Everyone can benefit from having a will, no matter how small their estate or simple their wishes.
• Online estate planning services offer basic packages for less than $200.
• Estate planning attorneys can cost several hundred dollars per hour.
• Estate plans must be updated after significant life events.

Why you can trust us

Our Reviews Team consists of trained lawyers who have spent hundreds of hours researching estate planning and using the services we recommend. We only recommend services we find to be helpful and accurate. To develop our reviews and guidance, we:

• Spent 300 hours researching and using online estate planning services
• Consulted with legal experts, probate attorneys, and financial planners to learn the best practices in estate planning
• Went behind the paywall to gain firsthand experience with five of the top online will creation services to review and compare them with each other
• Read hundreds of customer reviews on trusted third-party websites, such as Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot

What is estate planning?

Organizing your affairs in preparation for the end of your life is an important task, and estate planning is an ongoing process that includes much more than writing a will. This type of planning helps determine who can make decisions on your behalf, who takes care of your dependents, and how to avoid unnecessary taxes and waiting periods.

Estate planning covers any decisions regarding money, property, medical care, dependent care, and other matters that can arise when a person dies.

The biggest benefit of estate planning is peace of mind—you’ll know your wishes will be fulfilled for the benefit of your loved ones. At the very least, everyone should have a simple estate plan in place.

Elements of estate planning

Most of this process consists of creating and finalizing estate planning documents, such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and living wills. You can be as detailed as you want. Some people even include a letter of instruction with their estate to walk their family members through the documents.

A will, formally called a “ last will and testament ,” is a legal document stating how you want your executor (the person legally obligated to administer your estate) to distribute your assets when you die.

Dying without a will is known as dying “intestate,” which means state law will dictate what happens with your estate.

Probate refers to the process of distributing your estate after you’ve died. Your estate will go through the probate process whether you die with or without a will, but having a will ensures your executor honors your wishes. Going through probate court without a will is more time consuming and expensive, with the money coming out of your estate first.

If you already know where you want your assets to go, it’s easy to make a will without a lawyer . Online will services offer interactive questionnaires to help you create a legally binding will specific to your state.

A trust is a legal contract that allows another person (the “trustee”) to hold property for you (the “grantor”). This is typically so the beneficiaries (individuals or institutions who stand to inherit something) can use the property at some point in the future. You can place money, physical assets, or anything else of value in a trust.

Trusts are also helpful to hold property when beneficiaries are minor children who are not yet fit to handle their full inheritance. In that situation, the property will stay in the trust until the beneficiaries reach a certain age.

Property is also distributed faster in a trust because you avoid a lengthy probate court process, so it’s sometimes preferred for that reason.

Living trust vs. testamentary trust

You can create a living trust , also called an inter vivos trust, to hold property both before and after your death.

A testamentary trust is a type of trust that a will creates, so it only becomes effective after the grantor’s death.

The difference between these two kinds of trusts is that a living trust is effective while the grantor is alive, and a testamentary trust only becomes effective after the grantor’s death.

Revocable vs. irrevocable living trusts

A revocable living trust is one where the grantor retains the right to modify, amend, revoke, or terminate the trust. In an irrevocable living trust, the grantor is not allowed to make changes to the trust, but some states may allow the trustee to transfer property in and out of an irrevocable trust with permission from the trust’s beneficiaries.

A revocable trust becomes irrevocable when the grantor dies, since they can no longer make changes to it. Some people choose to place their assets in a revocable trust rather than only using a will. Upon the grantor’s death, the executor distributes assets in a trust faster because they don’t have to go through probate.

Helpful hint: Trusts are not just for wealthy people. Anyone who wants their property to go to their relatives in a quick and easy manner can create a trust. For example, parents of young children may put property in a trust specifically designated to fund a child’s education.

Power of attorney

Power of attorney (POA) refers to the authority you give someone else to make legal, financial, or medical decisions on your behalf. These documents are commonly included in online estate planning service packages.

The person to whom you grant power of attorney is called your “agent.” You identify this person in a document that only takes effect when you are considered unable to act on your own behalf, or you can grant someone POA for a specific purpose, such as purchasing a vehicle for you.

If you become unable to manage your own legal or financial affairs and you have not designated an agent to act on your behalf, a court may appoint one for you. Each state has its own laws on POAs, but the general types to be aware of include (but are not limited to) durable, limited, and financial.

A durable power of attorney means your agent can continue to act on your behalf even when your situation changes, such as if you become ill and are unable to make decisions. It can grant broad authority or be restricted to a specific purpose.

Helpful hint: Some states allow “springing” durable POAs, which means the POA only takes effect when you are deemed incapacitated. This is useful if you don’t want to give someone else decision-making authority right away, but want protection if you ever need someone to advocate on your behalf.

A limited power of attorney gives the agent authority to make decisions for a specific purpose, or for a limited period of time. In contrast, a general POA gives the agent broad authority to act.

A financial power of attorney gives the agent authority to manage your financial affairs. You can make this effective immediately or at the time of an event, like a sudden incapacitating illness or death.

Health care decisions

Health care is one of the most common aspects of estate planning. You want someone you trust to help ensure your wishes are respected if you become unable to advocate for yourself. Living wills, health care proxies, and advance health care directives are tools you can use to protect yourself in the future.

Living wills

A living will states your preferences regarding health care planning, such as whether you want life-extending treatment, how you want to manage long-term care, what procedures you do or do not want, and other end-of-life matters.

Health care proxies

A health care proxy is a durable POA specifically for medical treatment—you appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf when you are deemed unable to do so by a medical professional.

Advance health care directives

Advance directives is an umbrella term that can refer to any document regarding future medical decision-making. It can refer to a living will, health care proxy, or other legal document.

One document to include with your advance directive is a HIPAA authorization. HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (1996). 1 This federal law protects your medical records by requiring a signed authorization form before you grant access to someone other than yourself. Having a signed authorization for your agent ensures they can access your medical records when the directive takes effect.

Tax planning documents

Taxes can take an alarming percentage of what you leave to your beneficiaries, but you can limit what taxes your estate pays in a few ways. Each state has its own tax laws, so your obligation will depend on where you live. While financial and tax planners are best equipped to advise you on these matters, you should consider a few types of taxes when organizing your affairs: estate, inheritance, and gift taxes.

According to the IRS, an estate tax applies to estates valued more than a certain threshold at the time of death. 2 You calculate the tax by:

• Adding the fair market value of everything a person owns
• Taking out deductions
• Adding the value of gifts made during the person’s lifetime
• Taking out any credits

If the estate value is above $13.61 million (as of 2024), the estate pays a tax to the federal government.

Inheritance tax

Only six states impose inheritance taxes:

• Pennsylvania

While estate taxes are owed to the federal government, inheritance taxes are owed to the state government. Additionally, while estate taxes are paid directly from the estate itself, inheritance taxes are paid by the heir or beneficiaries based on what they received in probate.

These taxes do not apply to surviving spouses or to payouts from life insurance policies. Instead, inheritance taxes usually only apply to more distant relatives and heirs. It’s unlikely this tax affects you, but it’s good to be aware of it if you live in one of the six states that apply it.

Many people choose to make gifts during their lifetime to reduce the value of their estate when they die. According to the IRS, gifting can take different forms : selling something for less than its full value, transferring the right to use income from property, or transferring money or property without expecting to receive the full value in return. 3 Usually, the person giving the gift owes the tax, but other arrangements are possible with the advice of a tax professional.

Estate planning checklist 2024

The best way to approach estate planning for the first time is to make a checklist for yourself. Everyone has unique needs, and an estate planning attorney may be helpful if your needs are complex. Before making the choice whether to hire an attorney or do it yourself, these are general steps you can take to get started.

☐ Take an inventory

Write down everything you own of value that you can think of. This may seem overwhelming, but keeping a running list of assets is worth the time to make sure nothing important is left out. Make sure to consider both tangible and intangible assets. Tangible assets are:

• Other physical items of value

Intangible assets are:

• Bank accounts
• Retirement accounts, like 401(k)s or IRAs
• Life insurance plans
• Financial elements, like bonds or annuities
• Other nonphysical items

Listing liabilities, like mortgages, lines of credit, and other debt, is a good idea as well. That’s because certain debts must be paid—even after death. In that case, it will come out of your estate.

☐ List your family members

The purpose of listing your family members is to account for the needs of immediate family and dependents. Your will and life insurance policies are the primary ways to plan for the needs of your surviving spouse and make guardianship designations for children and other dependents. Many people also make arrangements for pets.

☐ Choose which directives you want in place

The more you plan ahead, the fewer decisions you’ll have to make during an already stressful time. The tools discussed in this article (such as living wills, powers of attorney, and trusts) make navigating illness and other end-of-life matters easier because you’ll have a plan for most scenarios. Decide which tools you want in place and how to set them up.

Once you know which directives you want to include in your life plan, talk to anyone you are considering naming as an agent. You’ll want to be sure they are willing to act if needed. You should also consider naming secondary agents if the first person is unavailable when the directive takes effect.

☐ Designate your beneficiaries

A beneficiary is a person or institution inheriting a piece of your estate, such as money, physical property, or control of or interest in a business.

You should name your beneficiaries on your bank accounts, retirement accounts, and life insurance policies. If you name beneficiaries to those accounts in your will, make sure the names match to avoid any confusion.

Choose backup beneficiaries for your assets if a person is unavailable or dies before your estate distribution. You can also name a beneficiary in a “residuary” clause in your will. This person will inherit anything left over after your estate distribution.

Helpful hint: This is a good time to check the named beneficiaries on all of your accounts to make sure they are updated. For example, if you are married for the second time, and your first spouse is still named as a beneficiary of a bank account, you can change it to your current spouse to avoid conflict in the future.

☐ Look up your state’s laws

States have different laws regarding what happens when a person dies. To ensure you have optimal asset protection, check your state’s probate and estate or inheritance tax laws . If you believe an estate or inheritance tax may apply in your state, contact a professional to help you reduce your tax burden as much as possible.

☐ Choose a law firm or online service

Now that you have a clear picture of your estate and who should receive it, you can decide whether an online estate planning service is right for you.

If you aren’t leaving behind any dependents and you have a good idea of how you want to distribute your estate, you can easily find an online legal service to get you started with estate planning documents and help you create a will online. Many services include living wills and POAs, as well as the option for attorney advice.

If you have dependents who will need care after you’ve died, you want to disinherit a family member, or you’re generally having trouble deciding how to divide your estate, you have two options. The first is to use an online estate planning service and opt for the package that includes attorney assistance. Services will typically charge an annual fee to have access to an attorney. Still, this fee is likely to be less than paying for a private attorney.

Our top choices for estate planning services offer basic will packages starting at $39.99. But you can get a package that includes attorney assistance, as well as additional estate planning documents, for around $249. Estate planning attorneys will either offer services for a flat fee or charge several hundred dollars per hour to work with you.

If you have more complex needs, you may want to contact a law firm specializing in estate administration and planning. Many attorneys offer free consultations to help you find the best fit.

After estate planning

Once you’ve finalized all the necessary documents and the originals are in one safe space, remember to keep them updated.

We spoke with Tim Hurban , Esq., an estate planning attorney licensed in Georgia and Michigan with more than 12 years of experience, about how often and when you should update your estate planning documents. He advised “updating your will and other estate planning documents . . . based on individual circumstances and life events.” Specifically, Hurban told us you should review and update these documents in situations such as changes in:

• Family structure (marriage, divorce, children, grandchildren)
• Assets and liabilities (property, business, financial circumstances)
• Laws (tax, inheritance)
• Personal wishes
• Health care preferences

Typically you should revisit your estate plans every three to five years—even without major life changes. If you create your documents using an online will maker service, many services offer free, unlimited changes for at least the first 30 days after purchase. With services that offer a membership, you’ll generally be able to make unlimited updates to your estate documents, so long as you pay the monthly or annual subscription. The Reviews Team chose Trust & Will as the “Editor’s Pick” in our roundup of the best online will makers of 2024 because of their helpful guidance and ongoing updates, a service that costs $199.99.

You can supplement the benefits of estate planning by using other tools to plan for your future. NCOA’s Age Well Planner gives personalized guidance on financial, health, and other decisions.

Frequently asked questions

Estate planning is not only about your peace of mind—it gives your loved ones guidance on how to move forward after you’re gone. It also plans for the care of individuals or animals who depend on you. Effective estate planning can also minimize the tax burden and probate costs that would typically deplete your estate.

The biggest mistake you can make in estate planning is failing to have a plan at all. A simple will is better than no plan—even if your situation is complicated. Other common mistakes are not properly executing estate planning documents, not providing for future care of dependents, and not expressing wishes for end-of-life care.

Not necessarily. Many small or straightforward estates can be managed using a low-cost online service. These services sometimes provide the option of consulting with an attorney for an additional fee. For very large or complex estates, consulting a specialized attorney or tax professional is a good idea.

Absolutely not! Everyone benefits from estate planning. In fact, failing to plan can lead to lengthy court processes and high probate fees, which affect small estates to a greater degree than large ones. Planning ahead allows your loved ones to keep as much of your estate as possible by avoiding unnecessary costs or taxes.

Have questions about this review? Email us at [email protected] .

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/hipaa.html
• IRS.gov. Estate Tax. Found on the internet at https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estate-tax
• IRS.gov. Frequently Asked Questions on Gift Taxes. Found on the internet at https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/frequently-asked-questions-on-gift-taxes

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I'm a financial planner, and I have a 529 plan for my child, but I intentionally don't max out my contributions

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• It's never too early to start thinking about saving for college, and a 529 plan can help with that.
• However, I only contribute a small amount to my daughter's plan each month.
• A 529 plan is great for saving on taxes, but its lack of flexibility makes it less valuable to me.

A college education comes with a hefty price tag, which means it's truly never too early for families to think about saving for this potential expense.

My own daughter turns 3 this fall. She's had a 529 plan since she was only a few weeks old. We do contribute some money to her plan, but there are other ways we're planning for her future — educational and otherwise — beyond that.

As a financial planner, here's how I think about college savings and what we do to plan in my own family.

529 plans are useful for a specific purpose

529 plans were created for a very specific purpose: as college savings vehicles that rewarded savers with tax advantages.

Your contributions can grow tax-free in a 529 plan. Distributions from the accounts are tax-free too, so long as the money goes to qualified education expenses . 

The SECURE Act 2.0 also lets 529 account holders do Roth IRA rollovers . This is a fantastic benefit that can give families the ability to diversify the taxability of accounts for a 529 plan beneficiary in the future. 

529 plans sound like a great deal, because they are! I recommend virtually all my financial planning clients open these plans for their children.

And yet, my wife and I only contribute about $400 a month to our daughter's 529 plan. This would leave us far short of our college funding goal … if it were the only way in which we were financially planning for her future.

The big drawback of college savings plans

The feature that makes 529 plans great also contains their main limitation: You get tax benefits only if you use the money for qualified education expenses. You may be subject to taxes and penalties if you take money from a 529 plan and spend it on anything else.

If flexibility and choice are top financial priorities, you need other tools in addition to a 529 plan at your disposal — tools that allow you to grow your wealth for any purpose, not just education goals.

Saving and investing for maximum flexibility

My wife and I do save and invest more money on our daughter's behalf. We just contribute most of what we can save into a joint taxable investment account in both of our names.

Based on our current overall savings rate, we could pay for college out of pocket by the time our daughter is due to start her freshman year without relying on her 529 plan.

Or we can pay for whatever other goal we need to fund based on what actually happens in our lives over the next 15 years. The only constant in life is change , so flexibility and choice are incredibly important to us.

By investing heavily into our investment account, we're laying the groundwork to support ourselves (down the road, in retirement) and our daughter (for whatever her individual goals may be 15 to 20 years from now), regardless of whether traditional college is in her future or not.

It's important to enjoy life today, too

We want to maximize our entire family's future financial flexibility, which means we prioritize contributions to our taxable investment account above all else — even though doing so means giving up some tax advantages along the way.

It's also really important for our family to enjoy life together today . Maintaining our savings rate target is our top priority; spending on experiences that we value in the present is second.

That means we will opt to spend $500 on the ballet class our daughter is obsessed with rather than put that $500 into her 529 plan. If there is extra available to put into a 529 plan after our other expenses, that's great, but it's icing on the cake rather than a requirement for us.

This is also the strategy I tend to recommend to our wealth management clients: Yes, open and fund a 529 plan and take advantage of all its benefits. (That includes giving other family members, like grandparents, a specific place to directly contribute to a child's education if that is important to them.)

But also save and invest aggressively into a taxable investment account so that you have the financial resources you will need in the future to fund whatever life may look like down the road — and don't miss out on very important experiences with your family today for the sake of putting just a little more into the college fund.

• Main content

Hub acquires retirement plan specialist 401(k) Advisors

• Apr 7, 2022

Chicago-based Hub International Ltd. acquired the assets of retirement plan consultant 401(k) Advisors Inc. for an undisclosed amount, WSIL TV reports. Located in Wilmette, Illinois, 401(k) Advisors provides retirement plan consulting services. With $1.3 billion in assets under advisement, 401(k) Advisors assists plan sponsors in the areas of plan design, benchmarking, investment advice, fiduciary compliance and participant outcomes.

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What's open, what's closed on Labor Day 2024

These stores and businesses plan to be open on Monday, Sept. 2.

Whether you're planning to travel this Labor Day or are staying close to home, you might be curious about what stores and businesses will be open and what will be closed on Monday, Sept. 2.

Here are some of the major stores and businesses that plan to be open this Labor Day.

What's open on Labor Day 2024

Open normal hours

• Trader Joe's
• Walgreens (Some pharmacies may be closed.)
• AMC Theatres
• Planet Fitness
• Chick-fil-A
• Olive Garden
• Sam's Club

Operating limited hours

• Public libraries and government agencies
• Post offices
• FedEx (Some FedEx Office locations are open with modified hours.)

RELATED: What to know about Labor Day and its history of celebrating the American worker

ABC Owned TV Stations contributed to this report, modifying copy originally published in 2021.

The-CNN-Wire & 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

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