Having your first baby is a big learning curve. And not just from a parenting perspective. Yes, there are the nappies you learn to change, settling techniques to try out and the logistics of getting everything a small baby needs for a day out into one bag. Not easy. But there’s more to it than that.
Planning your family’s financial future is also a big learning curve. Beyond the weekly or monthly number-crunch of the family budget and coming up with the mortgage payment, there are questions to be answered about education, lifestyle, and - with any luck – planning for your child’s life post-school, and your life post-child!
But how do you do it? When you’re not sure where life will take you, how do you plan a future for your family?
The very first thing you need to do is a family budget.
It’s important for future planning to know exactly what your lifestyle expenses are. Do a budget so you can know what’s necessary and what’s discretionary. At the end of the day, any future plans you may have depend on that discretionary income. If you have a bit left over, you can make serious plans. If not, it’s more difficult and you may be better off focusing on the here and now for the time being. Once you’ve established where you’re at, it’s time to start thinking about the future.
There are three key areas to consider:
Estate planning
This is an area that many of us close our eyes to, particularly when planning for the future. Wills, powers of attorney, guardians – no-one wants to consider these. But it’s essential that families, especially those with young children, think about this first.
It’s very important to have this in place. You have to think of who’s going to be the guardian for your children if something happens to you? Who will make medical decisions for you if you’re in a coma? Manage things if you’re not around? It is not things we wish to think of – but we have to.
Insurance
There’s a significant financial impact on the family that loses one parent, irrespective of whether it’s the working parent or the stay-at-home one.
Think about it. If you’re a stay-at-home parent and your family lost you, who would do all the things that you do? They would need to be paid for. Who’s going to pay for that?
Wealth creation
Once you have all the foundations in place, it’s time to consider investments. Look at the equity in your home and look at ways to create wealth. One of the best routes to freeing up disposable income for a family is to pay off the family home first.
Once you have made the decision to consider wealth creation, get some financial advice. A financial planner can help you to consider all your options.
How to find a financial planner
Choosing a financial planner to help you create your family’s future is not easy. The first step is to think about what you want from your expert – what are your goals and do you have any ideas about how you want to meet them? Prepare yourself by gathering all your financial information in one place – superannuation statements, bank statements, and, of course, your budget.
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Finding financial planners in your area is as simple as visiting your bank or searching online with the financial institutions of South Africa. You can also simply ask around – as with most things, word of mouth is a great recommendation.
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The next step is to meet with two or three planners. Yep, you get to interview them. This person is going to have a lot to say about what you do with your money, so it’s important that you are comfortable with him or her. Don’t forget to ask about how they are paid – some have a straight fee-for-service, while others are paid on commission from financial services providers. Be clear and comfortable about the payment system.
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Once you have chosen your planner, set up an appointment and then review the plan or Statement of Advice they provide you after your meeting. Think carefully about whether you are happy to go ahead with the advice they’re offering. If you are, congratulations – you’ve made a huge step towards planning your family’s future.
