Financial Planning

1. Data Gathering: This is the "paper intensive" first step necessary to get an accurate snapshot of where you are today. We look at everything you own, everything you owe, how you own it, and how you acquired it. Call this "Point A".
   
   
2. Goal Exploration: This step is the most important part of financial planning; an inward look at your life and values to help you define where you want to go with your life. Where do you want to go, and what you want to do along the way? What are your dreams? Do you like your career? When do you want to do something different? What does retirement mean to you, and to your spouse? This step defines where you are heading. Call this "Point B".
   
   
3. Planning: Based on the data gathered in the above steps, we perform a comprehensive analysis of your current situation. Through a series of face to face meetings with you, we expand on and explore the possibilities, constraints, and issues which evolve and develop a plan to take you from Point A to Point B.
   
   
4. Implementation: This is THE critical step following the identification of the issues and financial planning recommendations. This is the step that takes your plan from paper to reality. Unfortunately, this is also the point where some plans fail, because clients do not have the time to commit to finishing the process. We strongly recommend that our clients keep the momentum going at this stage because it is so critical to the plan's success.
   
   
5. Retained Services : At the conclusion of the financial planning engagement, most clients prefer an ongoing relationship with Carpenter Associates to invest their portfolio, keep the financial plan on track and keep their goals and dreams in focus.