Question 1

What’s the difference between financial counselling and financial advising?

Accepted Answer

Financial counselling gets to the root of who you are, what you value, what you know/don't know and how you operate. From there, we set regular benchmarks and goals that will transform the way you manage your money while building confidence and healthy habits. It makes sure that you understand all your decisions from start to finish. 
 
Financial advising is a more transactional service that results in someone giving you a piece of very specific advice.
 
There are two major types of financial advisors: commission-based and fee-for-service. Commission-based advisors usually work for banks or other institutions and their advice tends to be specific to the investment and debt products that their institutions carry. Their intentions are often... questionable...
 
Fee-for-service advising is very similar to what a financial counsellor does, they will help you make decisions about your investments or taxes, but they don't tend to have the personal finance or coaching background that leads to transformative change or increased financial literacy.  
 
(My friends told me this section comes across as too competitive—ha! What can I say? I think financial counselling is the way of the future.)

Question 2

Can we meet in person, or just over zoom?

Accepted Answer

I used to do in-person sessions but Covid forced me 100% online.  I used to prefer meeting in person, but I've really come to love sessions over zoom.  I find it makes resource sharing much easier for all involved.

Question 3

How many sessions will I need?

Accepted Answer

I have found that typically three to four sessions is what it takes to get clients to overcome the inertia and build momentum towards their goals.  
 
However, depending on the person, their goals, their motivations, etc., it could as few as one session or as many as... a billion?

Question 4

Do I need to book a whole session if I just have a question or two?

Accepted Answer

Nope!  I'm a reasonable dude.  
 
If you think you've got a small goal you'd like a little advice on, contact me and let's work something out. 
 
If we've already met once and you've got a follow up question or two, just shoot me a text or an email, I'm happy to answer them as best I can. We're in this together.

Question 5

What do I need to get ready for a session?

Accepted Answer

We'll need easy access your banking statements. If you don't have your own device, that's not a problem, bringing your own just usually speeds things up a little bit. 
 
Other than that, coming in with an open mind and being emotionally prepared to pull back the curtain is always a good thing.

Question 6

What will I get at the end of a session?

Accepted Answer

If I've done my job, you'll leave the session with a feeling of being energized, confident and hopefull for the future. 
 
More tangibly, you'll also leave with a step-by-step plan for achieving your goal and an exact calculation of how much $$$ you stand to earn, save or collect by following through.

Question 7

I’m nervous!

Accepted Answer

Me too! Haha.  
 
But seriously, it's completely normal to feel nervous or anxious about revealing the hidden details of our lives. 
 
I've been doing this for a long time. I run a safe and caring session that is sensitive to the weirdness of the whole experience. I find that once we get past the first few opening questions, the nervousness melts away and clients quickly relax.

Question 8

Can I get more details on your accreditation?

Accepted Answer

I'm an Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada. It's an accreditation awarded by the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education and was developed in partnership with the Ontario Association of Credit Counselling Services. You can find some more info here.(https://www.afcpe.org/certification-and-training/afcc-accredited-financial-counselor-canada/)

Question 9

I have a question that's not answered here...

Accepted Answer

Awesome! You can find my contact details here.(undefined) Or strike up a conversation via that little chat bubble thing in the lower right corner.

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