Since the turn of the 21st century, America has felt the impact of multiple national financial crises. Events such as the Dot-com bubble collapse, the tragedy of September 11th, the Great Recession of 2008, and the COVID-19 pandemic have all affected our clients in various ways. For instance, during the Great Recession of 2008, over 30 million people lost their jobs, and household net worth dropped by more than 18%.
Job loss, reduced income, increased debt, changes in spending🌱 behavior, housing market declines, and more are all potential obstacles people can face.
During these calamities, advisors are tasked with easing our clients' financial anxieties. As experts, we must prepare them with strategies and guidance on coping with stressful events and offer solutions for how crises may affect their finances.
Key Takeaways
- Prepare a robust life plan for clients to ensure operational continuity during personal crises, drawing lessons from past events like 9/11 and the Great Recession.
- Recognize how personal crises—such as illness or caregiving responsibilities—can affect clients' overall financial stability and adjust their financial plans accordingly.
- Regularly assess your client’s insurance needs, covering life, health, disability, and long-term care, to safeguard against potential financial drains and ensure long-term security.
What I’m Telling My Clients
Here are three areas of consideration that will help advisors 澳洲幸运5开🅘奖号码历史查询:navigate through a client’s financial cr🉐isis more efficiently:
1. Reevaluate the Current Budget
Should a client experience a personal crisis that financially impacts their ability to work consistently, it’s important to have a plan. Advising the client to review their previous 3-6 months' banking statements will help to determine which expenses remain non-discretionary and if 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:discretionary expenses can be eliminated, at least temporarily.
2. Create Financial Boundaries
Economic uncertainty may require clients to curtail spending and become more financially prudent. As the expert, it's important to have honest discussions about 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:how supporting family members can impact your client’s financial plan. Clients may need to decline financial requests from loꦑved ones to protect their own financial stability.
Warning
According to a 2022 survey by Creditcards.com, 42% of respondents said they had lost money through loans made to friends or family members. Clients should consider this rea♛lity, especially d🌼uring trying times.
3. Conduct an Annual Review
Review your client’s financial position annually and discuss life, health, and disability insurไance needs.
During tough economic times, one’s investments may have faltered, or a client’s portfolio may decrease. A review will help the client determine if they can stay the course with their initial plan or need to ma🥀ke adjustments to ensur💞e their overall goals can still be achieved.
In addition to the basic fundamentals of comprehensive planning–such as reviewing stock portfolios, updating 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:retirement plans–an advisor should also address longer-term needs by examining standard documents like wills, health care proxies, durable powers of attorney, and current beneficiaries. This includes planning for long-term care, 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:gap insurance, and other potential financial drains that go beyond the typical 3-6 months 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:emergency cash model.
This annual review will allow you to advise on the necessary adjustments that your client may need.
The Bottom Line
The best financial plan focused solely on wealth accumulation is incomplete if consideration isn’t given to the real effects national financial crises can have on a family. As the expert, it’s important to give your client the tools to be prepared for the unexpected. Let us remember that everyone needs a plan in place for the unknown and unexpected tragedies that will occur in life.
Harvest Wealth Financial and Vanderbilt Financial Group are separate and unaffiliated entities.
Vanderbilt Financial Group is the marketing name for Vanderbilt Securities, LLC and its affiliates.
Securities offered through Vanderbilt Securities, LLC. Member FINRA, SIPC. Registered with MSRB.
Clearing agent: Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions
Advisory Services offered through Vanderbilt Advisory Services
Clearing agent: Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions
Insurance Services offered through Vanderbilt Insurance and other agencies
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