I love teaching, which is why I started my adult life as a teacher. More than just teaching, though, I love teaching people things that will improve their lives. That’s why I got into this business. Through financial education, I can help people live better, more fulfilling lives.
There are so many things that I enjoy teaching people about finances because there are so many different ways that they impact our lives every day. But if I could only teach one financial lesson, I think I would teach about the value of organization.
Benefits Of Being Financially Organized
Now, organization may not sound like a financial topic, and it isn’t always. But organization is foundational in personal finance. You cannot succeed in your financial life without being organized.
Why does organization matter so much? If your finances are unorganized, you won’t know what money you have or where it is. How are you going to make wise financial decisions if you don’t even know what you have to work with? And how are you going to have a secure future if you aren’t making wise financial decisions today?
Knowing Where Your Money Goes
The first step in financial organization is knowing how much money you have coming in and where it goes every month. Call it what you like, a budget, cash flow plan, or something else, you need to have one.
Having a budget will protect you against spending more than you have coming in, which leads to debt and financial struggles. It will also help you see where you are spending, so that you can ensure that your spending aligns with your values.
Having All Your Bases Covered
When you are financially organized, you can see your situation clearly enough to make sure all of your needs are met. Do you have enough set aside for emergencies? Do you have the right kinds of insurance and the right amount? Are you saving enough for retirement?
If your finances are an unorganized mess, you won’t be able to answer these questions. If trouble arises, you could be caught unprepared and financially devastated.
Having Every Aspect Of Your Financial Life On The Same Page
Let’s say you want to get into shape physically. What would it be like if you had to go to one gym to lift weights, another to do cardio and a completely different one to talk to a personal trainer? Getting into shape would be much more difficult because of the fact that none of your activities were coordinated to work together. And that doesn’t even factor in the time and hassle involved in going to so many different gyms.
Getting into shape financially can work much the same way. You go to your CPA to prepare your taxes. Then you go to your investment advisor to manage your portfolio. Then you have to go somewhere else to buy insurance. Getting financially organized would be so much easier if you had just one advisor that understood and managed every aspect of your financial life. Wouldn’t it be great if you could have all of those services under one roof?
How We Can Help
You can! DeLong & Brower is a unique kind of financial services firm that combines a tax practice, insurance agency, and financial advisory in order to take financial organization to a whole new level. With us, you can stay organized by managing all of your financial affairs in one place. If you want to get your finances organized, call us today at 616-396-0500 or email joel.johnson@ceterafs.com.
About Joel
Joel Johnson, AIF® is an Investment Advisor Representative with DeLong & Brower, P. C., a Holland, Michigan accounting, retirement consulting, insurance, and financial services firm. He specializes in providing comprehensive wealth management and retirement plan consulting for individuals, families, retirees, and business owners. Along with more than 15 years of industry experience, Joel is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® and Chartered Federal Employee Benefit Consultant. To learn more, visit www.cpaholland.com.