Think about the reasons you give for putting off a trip to the doctor. We all use many of the same excuses even though we know we’d be better off getting a check-up.  

After your physical health, financial health should be near the top of your list, which is why it’s not too surprising that people procrastinate in that area as well. In this episode, we’ll explore the most common excuses people use to avoid meeting with a financial advisor and then let Joel address each one individually.

The first thing on the list deals with cost. One of the main reasons we don’t go to the doctor is because we’re worried about how expensive that trip will be. But the first consultation for many financial firms is going to be complimentary. Often times they’re looking to see if you’re a good fit just like you are doing with them. Everyone wants to make sure the match works so take advantage of that first visit to see what planning might look like.

The second similarity is that we often want to avoid what we don’t want to hear. Many people don’t go to the doctor because they know they’ll tell them to drop the bad habits, but will an advisor always direct you on the things you shouldn’t be doing? For us, we don’t really give budget advice because most clients are beyond that point. But we will give specific guidance on best practices to get finances on track.

The next excuse is feeling like you don’t know much about finance and thinking it will be embarrassing to sit down with an advisor. This is a common feeling but the only way you’ll learn more is to sit with someone that can explain it to you in a simple way. That’s what the best lawyers, doctors, advisors, and other successful professionals do really well. 

The last reason people have for avoiding advisors is they just don’t want to hear bad news. For some, it’s better to not know than to hear the bad news. Regardless of how uncomfortable it makes you feel, you’ll always be better to know the truth and have the time to make adjustments. You need to do the right thing in regard to your money and take a proactive approach to retirement income planning. An advisor will help you through that process and make it as easy as possible for you.

For us, we offer the Money Map review process that can help give you a full financial check-up and determine problem areas in your retirement plan. Contact us if you’d like to start that process.

0:10 – Does Joel get regular physical check-ups?

1:56 – It’s going to be expensive

2:48 – Being told what not to do

4:32 – Embarrassment over how much you don’t understand

6:40 – They’re going to give me bad news

8:26 – Our Money Map review