Financial Planning Basics

Financial Planning Basics

Embarking on the journey of financial planning can often feel daunting, especially if you’re new to the world of personal finance. Our guide, Financial Planning Basics, is crafted to ease this journey, offering a friendly and clear roadmap to help you navigate the complexities of managing your finances confidently. Whether starting from scratch or looking to enhance your existing financial strategy, this guide is your go-to resource.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something we have recommended. This commission comes at no additional cost to you but will help us keep this site up and running and ad-free! Thank you for all the support. You can read our full privacy policy here.

1. Budget

A budget is the building block for everything else. By keeping track of what you earn and what you spend your money on, you get a complete picture of your financial situation and can quickly identify areas for improvement. If you’re unsure where to start, try a budgeting tool like this- or if you’re more tech-savvy and prefer Excel or Google Sheets -this platform offers customizable and flexible spreadsheet templates for personal finance tracking. For more information on creating a budget, check out our previous post.

Budget spreadsheet on laptop

2. Emergency Fund

Life is unpredictable. Having an emergency fund helps protect you from life’s uncertainties. Start by defining a monthly savings goal and set up automatic transfers into a dedicated savings account. You’ll save money without realizing it. Your emergency fund may fluctuate as your financial position evolves, so revisit your budget to be sure you’re prepared. Typically, financial advisors suggest having $1,000 readily accessible and at least three to six months’ worth of funds available for emergencies. Starting small, you can build an emergency fund regardless of your financial situation.

3. Retirement Money

A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored retirement plan. You fund this account with a part of your paycheck. An employer may match your 401(k) contributions to a specific threshold. The IRS caps 401(k) contributions, but company matching is not included. However, total contributions, including employer matching, have a larger yearly cap. Financial advisors can answer all your 401(k) questions. If you work for a company that offers a 401(k) or other retirement planning, take advantage of it. At a minimum, try to maximize any employer matching they offer. If you don’t have a company-sponsored retirement plan, speak with a financial advisor about other retirement planning options, such as an IRA or a Roth IRA. We offer more suggestions to help you save for retirement, too.

Man and Woman Sitting on Wooden Dock during Sunset

 

4. Insurance

Insurance helps defray costs when unexpected things happen. Your unique circumstances, such as dependents, age, and lifestyle, will determine the kind and quantity of insurance you should purchase. Still, you’ll want to consider the following types of insurance: health, auto, home (or renters), life, and long-term care insurance.

5. Will and Other Legal Directives

Your will provides plans for your estate after your passing. It may also include Trusts or other financial programs. In creating your will, you may also want to set up a healthcare directive and financial power-of-attorney so it’s clear who can make decisions on your behalf if you cannot do so.

This Financial Planning Basics guide offers a straightforward approach to managing your finances, providing essential insights into budgeting, emergency funds, retirement planning, and insurance. Tailored for individuals at various stages of their financial journey.

Join Our Mailing List

Get the latest news and insights from True Assisting delivered straight to your inbox 📪 Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Pursuing blogging as a writer and a business owner has been exhausting, but reading this has been an empowering experience for me. Whatever you do, set your mind right first and head on. I have another one with information on the power of financial planning for business growth. Your website is doing so much to help people with your content and I appreciate you for that.

    1. dtrue05

      Thank you for your comment! We appreciate it.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.