The French author and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry famously wrote that a goal without a plan is just a wish. It can pay to bear those words in mind when thinking about your future life plans – particularly when it comes to funding them. Financial planning might seem like a daunting bit of extra admin, but it basically entails making sure that some of your life goals can actually happen instead of remaining just dreams.
For professional financial planners, the process starts by understanding how their client visualises their future being mapped out – their dreams and aspirations, and when they would like to achieve them. Typical things to consider include retirement plans, and what type of retirement they would like. Are they hoping to buy a second home, or pay for a child’s education or wedding? Do they want to travel or take a second honeymoon? But other dreams and aspirations can also warrant a proper plan – for instance, if you’ve always wanted to own a piece of artwork, an expensive musical instrument or buy a classic car. The key thing is mapping out how you get there from where you are now.
