Ready for professional financial advice? Seek a fee-only financial planner

Louisville, KY—August 17, 2017—The term “financial wellness” is getting a lot of play these days; primarily because there seems to be so little of it. Americans, by and large, are stressed by debt, lack of a budget and financial safety net, and too little retirement savings or improperly invested retirement funds. “While taking a DIY approach to managing your finances is laudable, most Americans lack the time, energy and skills to take on the task. Once you’ve determined you need assistance, the question is who do you call,” said Carla Dearing, CEO of SUM180, an online financial wellness service designed to make financial planning simple and affordable.

Many people assume that if they don’t have a lot of assets to invest, a financial planner can’t help them, but the truth is financial planning is about a lot more than your investments. It’s about strengthening your financial picture and building a secure future—and that covers a lot of ground,” said Carla.

Carla offers the following examples of how a financial planner can help:

  • Get unstuck. Many clients tell me that simply having an expert at their back defuses their anxiety and gives them the confidence to move forward and deal with their money. Many people put off dealing with their money for fear of making a mistake or being judged. Knowing you have someone on your team to help you course-correct if needed is hugely empowering.
  • Prioritize next steps. A financial planner can help you understand your financial picture and identify the most important next steps you should take to improve your situation – for example, paying down your credit cards or building an emergency fund. Everyone’s situation is different, and taking the guesswork out of the equation lets you focus your time and energy on what will benefit you most.
  • Protect what you have. A financial planner can help you do an insurance checkup once a year to make sure your assets and future are adequately protected from liability. Remember, dealing with your money is about protecting what you already have, not just growing your bank balance.
  • Navigate life transitions. A financial planner can help you navigate the financial implications of big life transitions, such as a new baby, divorce, or a career change. It’s very easy to ignore financial issues when your life is in flux, but the choices you make at these times can have long-term consequences on your financial wellbeing. Get help and make the best possible decisions.

For people who decide they can benefit from professional financial planning advice, Carla recommends selecting a fee-only financial planner. “Because they operate under a fiduciary duty, by law fee-only financial planners must have their clients’ best interest at heart,” Carla said. “You won’t have to worry about conflict of interest, because they don’t accept commissions based on product sales or their recommendations. Instead, they receive a flat fee for looking at your financial picture holistically and then giving you advice that’s unbiased and independent. Many fee-only financial planners also carry professional designations that hold them to strict codes of professional and ethical conduct. This is the kind of financial help the average person needs to plan and build for the future,” Carla concluded.

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About SUM180
SUM180 is an online financial wellness service designed to make planning and dealing with your money simple and affordable.

Specifically, SUM180 is differentiated in the following ways:

  • SUM180 meets people where they are. SUM180 plans are personalized to help people wherever they are right now on their financial journey; whether they’re just beginning, starting over or well on their way.
  • SUM180 plans are simple. They start with only the three (3) most important next steps, making them easier to accomplish, and gives clients a clear picture of where they are.
  • SUM180 doesn’t assume clients want to become financial experts to meet their financial goals. SUM180 provides the tools they need, without overwhelming them with “education” and details they don’t need.
  • SUM180 offers a community for users, unfiltered, which allows them to explore and share.
  • SUM180 serves; never sells. Earning and keeping client trust is SUM180’s highest priority. SUM180 never makes commissions from any of its recommendations, ever.

Additional information about SUM180 may be found at https://sum180.com/.

 

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Contact
Robin Schoen
Robin Schoen Public Relations
215.595.7542
rschoen@robinschoenpr.com

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