Why do you need a personal financial planner?

Of all the investment decisions you'll ever make, the most important one might be to put a personal financial planner on your side.

A Personal Financial Planner makes it his or her business to learn who you are, where you are with your investment program and where you want to go.

Retirement Planning

Enhancing your after tax return opportunities.

Planning for your parent's financial needs in later years.

Funding your children's education

Your Personal Financial Planner can help you create a long term investment plan that fits both your objectives and your budget requirements . . . right down to how much you'll likely need to invest per month to reach your goal.

A personal financial planner helps you reallocate your portfolio to meet changing needs.Your personal financial planner will...

learn your objectives, time horizon and risk tolerance.
offer fund recommendations tailored to your individual needs.
inform you whenever there's a change in the fund's management style or objective.

A Personal Financial Planner . . .

1. may help you increase your investment results. Investors who used a Personal Financial Planner outperformed those who didn't by over 17% in their equity fund investments and approximately 21% in their fixed income fund investment.

2. analyzes how changing conditions affect you. Financial publications like to show lists of hot funds to buy now. But those recommendations change frequently. Whose list should you believe?
With a professional on your side, you can gain an understanding of how changing economic and market conditions affect your particular situation. So when you do make a change in your investment portfolio, there's a logical reason behind it.
Which would you prefer? The personalized services of an independent Personal Financial Planner who you know and trust? Or generalized information from a journalist?

3. takes the time to understand you and your goals. Your Personal Financial Planner makes it his or her business to learn who you are, where you are with your investment program and where you want to go. From this "getting to know you" process, your planner can offer customized strategies for retirement planning, increasing after tax yields, funding your childrens education, and planning for your parents financial needs in their later years.

4. helps make investing more convenient. What does it take to develop a personalized investment program, monitor your investments, and keep track of all the paperwork, too? More time than your busy schedule may allow.
Your Personal Financial Planner offers a professional approach to your customized investment program that may not demand a lot of work or time on your part... and a level of knowledge and expertise that may be difficult for you to achieve on your own.

5. can recommend funds that fit your needs. Mutual Funds offer professional management, diversification and liquidity. But how do you choose among the over 7,500 funds. Your Personal Financial Planner can help you see how well a fund's objectives, track record and management style match your specific needs and goals. You owe it to yourself not to overlook any potential fund opportunities. Your Personal Financial Planner can help you make your investment decision an informed one.

6. works to deliver information while it's still timely. By the time important investment news reaches the financial media, it may lose its value for the average investor.
Your Personal Financial Planner can let you know about an opportunity while it still is an opportunity. That's because they're supported by a team of analysts who have access to the latest research data. When you choose a Personal Financial Planner, you put a team of investment professionals on your side. The team: your consultant's broker/dealer. They offer ongoing research capability and advice.

7. helps you decide how to allocate your assets. Owning just one fund isn't always the best strategy. Diversifying your investment among a number of different funds can reduce overall risk.

8. is a friend who has your personal interest at heart.