Financial counseling and coaching
What is Financial Counseling?
Financial counseling, maybe better referred to as "financial coaching," involves meeting with a financial counselor who will evaluate your financial situation and goals to help you chart a course for your future. The counselor will give you specific recommendations to help you reach your financial goals, but in the end your progress will be directly related to the effort you put in. Achieving financial freedom is not easy, but it is so, so rewarding!
We are often asked by clients, "Shouldn't I just file bankruptcy and start over?" In most cases the answer is a resounding "No!" Bankruptcy is a path of last resort that will affect your financial situation for at least 7 and usually 10 years. Additionally, bankruptcy relieves the "symptoms" but not the "disease." Unless you address the behaviors that got you into financial trouble, bankruptcy is a very drastic decision that provides only temporary relief. In the vast majority of cases, there are far better options available to clients.
We offer a free 30-minute no-obligation consultation, either in person or by phone, so you may determine if our services are right for you, and if so, what specific services are recommended. If you are interested in finding out more, please click on the "Contact Us" tab on the left and we will get in touch with you.
Prior to the 30-minute free consultation, we would ask you to fill out a one-page financial summary so we can get a brief picture of your current situation. We'll then discuss your problems as well as your goals to determine what level of service will best help you achieve those goals. Each counseling program is tailored to fit your particular financial situation, whether you are in the debt-payoff stage or the wealth-building stage.
Each counseling program consists of an initial two-hour meeting at which we will carefully evaluate your situation. You will leave this first meeting with a written budget for the next month, along with a plan for attacking your debt. Within a few days of this meeting we will mail you a comprehensive financial report that will detail all of our recommendations for your situation. This 25- to 30-page report will cover everything from budgeting to retirement and everything in between!
The initial meeting is followed by three months of coaching and counseling by phone and e-mail. At the end of that three month period we will meet with you in person once again to evaluate your progress and give further direction. Each program will be tailored to your individual needs and situation. Our clients are at all different financial stages, so we will work with your specific situation to make sure you're on track for a successful future.
Our personal counseling programs are of three types:
Pre-marital counseling - Did you know that the number one cause of divorce in America is disagreements and arguments over money? The way we handle and spend money represents our value system; a disparate way of handling (or mishandling!) money can show one spouse that the other's value system is different, and that can cause major problems! We can help by helping couples communiciate about money before the knot is tied, by identifying and working through any problems early on, and by helping to set a strong financial foundation that will support a lifelong marriage.
Debt-Freedom - This program focuses on freeing up your best wealth-building tool: your income. We'll get you on a plan to get out of debt and stay out of debt. Depending on your situation, this may involve teaching you to negotiate with creditors, avoid bankruptcy, or simply to get on a workable budget.
Wealth Builder - This program is for those who are out of debt except for maybe a mortgage, and focuses on preparing for the future. We'll get you on track to properly save for retirement and other future needs such as children's college expenses, and help you best protect that wealth that begins to accumulate.
We also offer other counseling services for those whose situation might not quite fit any of the ones outlined above, including offering small-business counseling to business owners who are needing assistance with financial decisions or with applying sound personal finance principles to a business setting. Again, each counseling programs will be tailored to fit your specific needs. For those who complete one of the programs but would like additional counseling and coaching, we offer discounted continuing programs that will help you maintain course long into the future.
Please note that if you are married, with only rare exception both spouses must attend all counseling sessions including the initial consultation.
Please contact us with any questions you might have regarding our counseling services. You may e-mail us using the "Contact" tab at the top of this page.