Planning

• What brings you to a planner?
• What do you think financial planning can do for you?
• What past planning or financial experiences have you had?
• Are you committed to being involved in the process?
• How will you define planning success?

Goal Development

• Who and what do you care about, and why?
• How would you know if you were living life the way you want to?
• What would your ideal day look like? Your ideal year? How do you know?
• What is your wildest unfulfilled dream?
• If money was no issue: Where would you go, what would you do, who would you be with?
• If you had only one year to live would you have any regrets? Anything you want to address?
• What are you willing to do to live the life you want? What are you not willing to do?

• What makes you fret?
• What is your greatest fear?
• What one thing would you change about your life for the next year?
• What would happen if you don’t change it?

• How do you feel about money? About wealth?
• What do you think about money?
• What is important about money to you?
• What does success look like? What could happen to ruin your vision?

• Describe your personal wealth (life lessons learned, wisdom, knowledge)
• Describe your social wealth (family, friends, community)

• Five years from now, what personal and financial events would have happened for you to consider our relationship a success?

Budget and Discipline

• Do you spend less than you earn?
• Do you pay yourself first?
• Can you define your financial priorities?
• Define your true necessities.

Balance Sheet

• Do you have many accounts in different places?
• Are all of your assets supporting your goals and visions?

• Itemize your financial wealth (assets, liabilities, net worth)
• Are there any assets in another state? Country?

• Assets include: Cash, Savings/Money Market Accounts, Investment/Retirement Accounts, Options, Annuities, Real Estate, Business Interests, Personal Property (cars, furniture, jewelry, collections), Loans Payable to you, etc.

• Liabilities include: Loans, Mortgages, Taxes Payable, Alimony/Support Payments, Credit Card Balances, etc.

Emergency Planning

• Do you have ownership interest in a business? Is there a buy/sell agreement in place?
• Are there any current or potential health issues? With Parents? Children?
• What is the plan should an emergency occur?
• Cash on hand
• Family Support
• Insurance
• Homeowner’s/Renter’s
• Liability
• Car
• Life
• Disability
• Health/Dental/Vision/Drug
• Other

Debt

• Carrying any credit card balances?
• What are your rates on major loans? How do they compare to what you’re earning on your investments?
• Do you have a home equity loan or creditline?

Employer Benefits

• If you own your own business, are your benefits sufficient?
• Are you utilizing your employer benefit plans to their fullest?
• Tax deferred retirement savings/matching
• Pre-tax accounts for Health Care or Dependent Care
• Cost-effective Health/Dental/Vision/Drug Care Choice
• Reasonable Insurance Coverage
• Life
• Disability
• Long-Term Care

Financial Freedom (Retirement) Planning

• How do you define Freedom?
• What does Freedom look like?
• Where will you live? Where will you travel?
• Will you want to work part time? What will you do with your days?
• Will you volunteer? Where? Will you seek more formal learning?
• At what age would you like to achieve financial freedom? (Defined as: A time where you do not need to earn an income through working.)? Why?
• Would you like to support your children’s/grandchildren’s education?
• What will you be spending each year?
• What steps do you currently take toward financial freedom?

Legacy (Estate) Planning

• How would you like to be remembered?
• What do you want for your heirs? Why? Is your legacy only monetary?
• Do your heirs know why they will be receiving assets? Do you?
• Are you interested in watching your heirs enjoy their inheritance?

• Would you rather give money to charity or the government? What if your heirs get less?

• Who would you like to receive your assets should you die unexpectedly?
• Who would you like to manage your assets should you die unexpectedly?
• Who would you choose as custodian for your minor children?

• Do you know where important papers are? Original Wills/Trusts? Does someone else?

• Who else knows the location and combination to your home safe(s)?

• Does someone else know how to access your cell phone? Email? Computers/Tablets? Online Accounts? Password Manager? Home Wi-fi Network? Other Electronics or Cloud Storage?

• What would happen with your Digital Assets? Email, Cloud Storage, Ancestry Records, DNA results, Entertainment/Shopping accounts, Bank/Brokerage accounts, Social Media, Software Licenses, Website (hosting, blogging, domain names, content), Virtual Fax (eFax or equivalent), Travel Accounts, CSA/Wine/other subscriptions, online Photos, etc.

• Do you have any of the following: wills, living wills, powers of attorney, health care powers, trust documents?
• If you have a trust, is it funded? Do your asset titles support your plan?
• Are your beneficiary designations consistent with your wishes and tax deferral goals?
• Have you filed any gift tax returns for taxable gifts?

• Do you anticipate inheriting property of significant value?
• Are you a beneficiary of an existing trust?
• Have you considered lifetime gifts to reduce estate taxes?
• Are there enough liquid assets available to avoid rush sales of real property to pay taxes?
• Have you named backup executors or trustees in estate planning documents?
• What would happen if your chosen executor or trustee refuses to serve?

Investments

• Describe your past experiences with financial advisors of all types. Good? Bad?
• Why do you invest? How have you made investment decisions in the past?
• Are there any particular investments you like? Dislike?
• How do you react emotionally when you see ‘the market’ make large moves up and down?
• What is your need for current income from your investments?

• Describe your current investments:
• Cash
• Home/Mortgage
• Cars/Loans
• Personal Possessions/Liabilities
• Life Insurance/Policy Loans
• Collections of coins/stamps/antiques and art
• Other real assets and liabilities used to finance them
• Bank accounts and other money market securities
• Stocks, bonds, options and other capital market instruments
• Investments in real estate and mortgages on them
• Insurance

Tax Considerations

• How do you feel about your tax situation?
• Are you paying sufficient taxes to avoid penalties?
• Are you using tax deductible and/or tax deferred accounts?
• Which funds do you use for charitable donations?
• Have you considered taxes while saving and paying for college?
• Have you considered tax implications of your estate plan (or lack thereof)?

Personal

• List your advisors and indicate permission to contact directly:
• Accountant
• Trust and Estate Attorney
• Investment Advisor
• Insurance Agent
• Business Attorney
• Other

• Have you been married more than once?
• Do you have any children from a prior marriage?
• Are you a U.S. Citizen?
• Do you have any other dependents?