WHAT EXACTLY IS FINANCIAL PLANNING?

Financial planning is the long-term process of wisely managing your finances so you can work toward your goals and dreams, while learning to prepare for the financial pitfalls that can arise in every stage of life goals. We often remind our clients that it’s not a matter of “if” something will happen, it’s a matter of “when.” Financial planning takes into account that something may happen to affect your finances and helps you prepare for the unknown.

IS FINANCIAL PLANNING JUST ABOUT INVESTMENTS?

No. People often confuse investment advice with financial planning. An investment advisor specializes in managing your investable assets, the money you’ve saved (and are hopefully growing) to help you meet your future goals. A financial planner will take a broader look across every aspect of your financial life – saving, managing debt and risk, investing, taxes and estate planning, and life insurance – and develop a plan that aims to to create a lifetime of financial independence.

DO YOU WORK WITH MEN, TOO? 

Yes, of course! Although our practice is designed to serve women specifically, we work with many couples. If you’re in a relationship, it’s very important to engage in financial planning together. It can be empowering to both of you to address the topic of money together. It can also bring a confidence to your relationship because you’ll both become clear on where you stand and where you want to go financially.

We also have several stand-alone male clients who appreciate Gretchen Meyer Financial's down-to-earth approach to financial planning.

DO YOU WORK WITH CLIENTS OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK?

Yes! We’ve built our business so we can work with people all over the country.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS?

We recognize that everyone is busy, so we offer evening and weekend hours to make it easier to fit financial planning into your life. Our goal is to help you get started and stay on track, and not let pesky things like 9-5 office hours get in the way of your long-term planning agenda.

The Gretchen Meyer Financial team of advisors are always available via cell phone in case of emergency. If something were to happen, such as a death in the family, it's important for you to know that you can call your advisor to address your financial situation immediately. We are here for you.

HOW DO YOU GET PAID?

Typically, we get paid in 3 ways, none of which involve you having to pay out of pocket to meet with us.

1. Assets under management. What does that mean? Well, we typically get paid to manage your money for you. The more money you have in your account (i.e., the more assets you have), the more money we make, so we are both incentivized to see your account balance grow.
2. Commissions. For certain kinds of products, such as life insurance or annuities, we make a commission. This is not something you pay us directly. The insurance company with whom we place the business pays the commission to me. The beauty of working in the independent channel is that we don’t have an incentive to place the business with any one carrier. Instead, we select the insurance company that provides the most suitable product or service offering for you.
3. Referrals. Referrals are by far the most rewarding way that we get paid. When we have done an outstanding job for our clients, they repay us by introducing us to the important people in their life. Again, it puts us on the same side of the fence - if we are consistently working to exceed your expectations, you will want to introduce us to people you’d like to see benefit from our advice.
   
   If you are not interested in investing or do not need a specific product, but simply want a money life coach, Gretchen also offers an hourly rate to tackle things like getting out of debt and budgeting. Contact us for details!
   Gretchen@gretchenmeyerfinancial.com
   518-608-1110

DO YOU HAVE A MINIMUM ASSET DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR NEW CLIENTS?

The minimum we can invest is $50. Most people think they need thousands of dollars to work with a planner, but that isn’t the case. In fact, if you don’t have a ton saved just yet, it’s even more important to work with a planner to get started on the right foot. Remember, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” - Lao Tzu

HOW CAN I WORK WITH YOU?

If you're ready to take your financial life to the next level, request a free discovery session with one of the advisors at Gretchen Meyer Financial today so we can begin the conversation. Our advisors have helped hundreds of clients take control of their financial lives and create a life they love using their money, and they are excited to help you do the same.