Why Should You Work with a Financial Professional?

Financial professionals go by many names: personal financial advisor, investment consultant, financial planner, financial coach...you can probably come up with at least a few more. Their varying backgrounds and credentials come with different designations and titles. And there are at least as many reasons to work with a financial professional as there are ways to call them.

Whether you want guidance for retirement planning, insurance, or savings and investment goals, you want your money to do more for you and don’t know where to start, or you’re in need of a third-party expert’s objectivity to help you plan, the financial professional located right here at your credit union can help.

Six Reasons to Work With a Financial Professional

Let’s be honest: life can be complicated. Most hardworking folks have enough to think about before even considering their long-term financial goals. That’s why a financial professional can be such a great help. An experienced professional can help you understand your own financial situation, plan ahead, set up long-term saving and investment goals, monitor your progress, and make adjustments to stay on course.

1. You could use help achieving your financial goals. Maybe you’re clear about where you would like to be financially — whether that means managing debt, increasing your emergency savings, building assets, protecting your family’s financial well-being, planning for retirement or investing — but you haven’t yet been able to achieve those goals.
2. You want your money to work a little (or a lot) harder. Financial advice and planning is not solely for high-wealth individuals. Sound advice can help you make wise choices and get closer to your individual vision of the good life.
3. You’re facing a financial milestone. Major life events are also major money events: Marriage or divorce, starting a family, buying a home, saving for college or retirement, or losing a spouse can all have profound effects on your financial life.
4. Your emotions are getting in the way. Financial decisions can be emotionally fraught, especially when they involve relationships and, potentially, conflict. The objectivity of a financial professional can help you keep a clear head when making important decisions about your money and your future.
5. You don’t have time. It takes time to build, update, and manage a financial plan. It takes time to stay abreast of changes that can affect your outcomes and influence your decisions. Working with a financial professional can help you save time.
6. You recognize the limits of your own financial expertise. There’s good reason to call in experts when we have questions, such as mechanics for cars and doctors for our health. An experienced, impartial financial professional will work to understand your individual needs and recommend solutions.

What Can A Financial Professional Do for You?

You don’t need to wait for a windfall — or worse, a money crisis — to benefit from professional financial advice. When people think of a financial professional, they often envision someone who serves only high-wealth clients; fortunately, the professionals at your credit union are experienced, prepared and happy to work with all members to meet their individual financial needs today and tomorrow.

Maybe today you need help creating a plan to pay down your debt and grow your savings. Down the line, you might be looking for the right investment vehicle for an inheritance or monetary gift. Both now and then, you have plenty to gain from the expertise of a trusted professional, available to you right at your credit union.

The financial professionals at your credit union can offer guidance on a variety of products and ways to help you navigate your own financial journey. These may include:

• Retirement savings, including 401(k) rollovers, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), Roth IRAs and more;
• Holistic financial management for building net worth and creating income from assets
• Life, disability, and long-term care insurance to provide financial protection for you and your family
• Goal-setting and saving for education or long-term care
• Custom investment management
• Stocks, bonds, mutual funds and annuities

The financial professional located at your credit union not only has access to a great range of investment and insurance products geared toward helping you achieve your goals; they’re also knowledgeable about different product’s risks and benefits. They can help you evaluate options to determine your own comfort zone in terms of risk and potential return, and then help you create and carry out your own personalized plan for managing debt, savings, insurance, retirement planning and investing.

Why Have Confidence in a Financial Professional at Your Credit Union?

Credit unions are mission-based, cooperative organizations focused on serving the needs of their members, rather than answering to outside shareholders. That means the financial professionals at your local branch look for investment products tailored to meet your needs, rather than pushing investment vehicles and programs that focus on profits through expensive fees, or put your money at greater risk than you’re comfortable with.

Your credit union membership means you’re part of a financial community. Here, you’re served by professionals who truly care about you as an individual. You’re much more than a number or a portfolio. The financial professionals with WESTconsin Investment Advisors are here expressly to serve your best interests.

If you have any questions or concerns about how to reach your goals or how to begin or grow your current investment portfolio, reach out to Tim Carlson, Alex Burian, or Bob Dillon, Investment Advisors at WESTconsin Credit Union.



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