Sean Rawlings

The first meeting with an advisor is filled with questions about you Here's the questions you have the obligation/right to ask them: 1. Do you have experience working with people like me 2. What does your process look like for new clients 3. How are you paid 4. How many times can I expect to hear from you 5. How many clients do you work with 6. What's your experience 7. How are you going to help me If you find the right advisor early on it will likely be the only advisor you ever work with

Creating a plan is just the first step It changes the moment it's created It should be fluid As life throws curveballs at you, you need to be in a position to adapt and pivot.

One of the hardest parts about investing is blocking out the noise. The News will tell you the world is ending. Seem like everywhere you look it's bad. Zoom out for peace of mind in times of volatility. "Recessions can be painful, but expansions are powerful."

The real value of ongoing planning is the ability to be proactive rather than reactive.

We should all be getting second opinions when making big decisions around money. I'm seeing more and more costly mistakes people have made just because they didn't have enough information. Not to mention, what your buddy told you he is doing might not work for you.

Nobody, let alone the news, knows which way the markets will go in the short term. What we do know by looking at history is the ability for the stock market to outpace inflation over long periods of time.

Retirement is not an age It’s an amount in an account It’s when you become “work optional”

It's a myth that you need to carry a credit card balance...

A large majority of us lack clarity in our everyday life. -Behind on bills -Stuck in a routine -Stressed about money -No overall gameplan for life What if you had a plan that excited you every morning...

Control what you can. Personally, professionally, and socially. Let the rest play out.

Using a taxable brokerage account gives you flexibility retirement accounts just can't offer. Most fail to realize how helpful this account can be over your lifetime planning around taxes and liquidity events.

Tax prep- Looking at last years taxes Tax Planning- Looking into the future It’s not about having the lowest possible tax bill today It’s about lowering you’re lifetime tax liability

Most people fail to protect their greatest asset early in their career For most that's disability insurance If you get it through work great, just know it's taxed and likely capped A personal policy can supplement the gap and it's inexpensive

Shiny object syndrome is something we're all guilty of I get it Focus on the foundational things first, then you can afford to take some risks with investments, toys, etc

Have your goals, income, lifestyle, expenses changed? Of course So why wouldn’t your financial plan That’s not something you set and forget

Money is simply a tool You need to educate yourself in order to use it to your advantage Not educating yourself leads to wasting a great opportunity

If you're under 40 there is very little reason to hold bonds/cash in your 401k/IRA I see so many people who have the wrong allocation in their retirement accounts simply because they never looked at it

If you have credit card debt and a large amount in cash savings i.e, savings account Just pay off the credit card There is no risk reward tradeoff here

Reverse budgeting works because it disrupts human behavior You can't spend what you don't have Pay yourself first, invest for the long run Spend whatever's left guilt free

If you’re young In an absolutely terrible financial position There’s great news You’ve got time on your side You can get back on track by making a decision Just decide you want to start and begin to put the pieces back together

Insurance is by far the least exciting thing in your financial plan However, it's too big a risk to ignore Make sure you have the proper insurance in place to protect yourself and your family