What Are the Benefits of Having a Financial Plan?

Creating a financial plan is like building a blueprint for your finances—it’s a detailed vision for your next step. But why is creating a financial plan so valuable, and how can it impact your life for the better? Let’s take a look.

A Financial Plan Allows You To Think Deeply About What’s Most Important

Creating a financial plan forces you to consider what’s most important to you. A variety of things could be especially valuable to you, including:

• Family
• Charitable giving
• Building wealth
• Financial stability and security
• Being debt free
• Financial freedom

But just knowing your values isn’t enough; you must know how to turn those values into concrete goals. That’s where an experienced financial advisor comes in.

For example, if your goal is to be debt free in 5 years, then your advisor can create a debt repayment plan that fits within your budget so you can pay off debt without over-extending yourself.

Your financial goals inform the rest of your strategy—how you invest, save, spend, and give—and your financial plan is a step-by-step document of how you will achieve those goals.

A Plan Helps You Confidently Navigate Life Transitions

Life can throw you many curveballs, but to hit a home run, you have to prepare for as many possible scenarios. A financial plan gives you vision and direction as you navigate the changes ahead.

A Charles Schwab study found that 65% of people with a written financial plan say that they feel financially stable and 44% of those planners felt very confident they would reach their financial goals.

Unfortunately, a financial plan is not a crystal ball. There are external events that can impact your well-thought-out plans and goals. But, a financial plan can help you prepare for foreseeable changes and protect against the ones you can’t (think: insurance and risk management).

Take retirement, for example. While the golden years are certainly sunny and exciting, there are several financial and personal elements to consider before transitioning away from your career to your next chapter. You will need to have a plan for:

• Medical expenses and long-term care
• Where you will live
• What your lifestyle will look like
• Taxes
• Income
• Estate planning and asset management

The list could go on and on. It may be overwhelming, but your financial plan can help you feel confident in your next step.

Your Financial Plan Can Help You Make More Informed Decisions

Sometimes, the most challenging part about managing your money is knowing what to do with it.

• How should I invest my next dollar?
• How can I leverage an inheritance?
• Am I saving enough for retirement?
• Should I reign in my spending?
• Can I afford to take on debt?
• Did you know that there could be so many questions about money management?

Your plan can help you answer those questions.

Take your spending habits, for example. When you take a deep dive into your finances, you may notice that you spend more on dinners and TV subscriptions than you initially thought. Or perhaps you’ve made some big impulse purchases that are starting to hurt your wallet. Your