March 2022
Financial Planning

When financial uncertainty strikes—either because of personal job insecurity, losses of income, or local and national events such as economic recessions—many investors take a cautious approach to managing their money and shift their focus toward playing it safe and keeping their finances afloat until circumstances improve.

Although it is wise to exercise caution in the face of uncertainty, too many people respond to this uncertainty by putting their financial planning on hold. But pausing financial planning doesn’t put you in a better position to come out of uncertain times stronger than you were before. In fact, financial planning can help you turn uncertainty into an opportunity to actually increase your financial security and take strong steps toward a brighter future. Here are some tips on how to approach the financial planning process in the face of these challenges.

Start by Setting (or Revising) a Budget

If you don’t use a budget to manage your spending, it is time to develop one. A budget divided into spending categories can be a tool to help you manage your money, control spending, and even identify new opportunities to save. If you already have a budget, consider reviewing your spending limits to identify ways to scale back your spending. Look for opportunities to cut back on unnecessary expenses. You might also consider scaling back your budget even if you haven’t suffered a loss of income. This proactive approach can pad your financial cushion in case financial uncertainty increases in the future.

Prioritize Your Emergency Fund

If you don’t have a healthy emergency fund in place, now is the time to build it up. Emergency funds are designed to offer additional security in the event of financial emergencies that may develop during periods of economic uncertainty. Even if you have an emergency fund in place, you may consider building up your finances to give yourself extra padding to withstand unforeseen events. It is common for consumers to increase their cash reserves when they’re anticipating economic recessions, losses of income, or other disruptions to their financial plans.

Polish Up Your Credit Score

One of the frustrations of taking out credit is that, when your score is in great shape, you probably aren’t as dependent on credit to finance certain purchases. But when your financial circumstances change and you need to take out credit to bridge financial gaps, your credit score can drop, making it tougher to qualify for this credit. Take preventative action by getting your credit score in great shape before you need it. Pay bills on time, reduce your credit card balances, and check your credit report for errors. If you end up needing credit in the future, you’ll start from a stronger position.

Don’t Wait to Seek Out Help

If economic uncertainty has thrown your financial plans into disarray, don’t wait until your finances unravel to seek out help. Give us a call at the office and we can review your current outlook and recommend adjustments to your financial planning with the ultimate goal of curbing—or even avoiding altogether—the financial problems you’re worried about.

With our help and the Planning Portal (CLICK HERE), we can help you centralize your information, draw the big picture of your financial resources and the impact of spending, inflation, growth rates – everything you need to know to face down that uncertainty!  If you haven’t spent time with us creating that plan on your portal, please contact us at the office so we can get you started and you can sleep better at night knowing you are on track.

If you have questions, please contact us.

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To download the March 2022 Newsletter: CLICK HERE