64 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2017 It’s fall, and football is upon us once again. Just as your favorite team is working hard to develop their strategy for a winning season, now might be the time to make sure you have all the players in place to ensure you have a game plan for a successful financial future. THE OWNER: You’re the client, and you “own” the financial team. We’ve all seen how Jerry Jones pulls together his key team members, but ultimately they all answer to him. In the same way, everyone is accountable to you. THE GM (GOAL MANAGER): Your Wealth Manager is your GM and is there to oversee your team and get the right people on it. He or she is your direct link to your team. A game plan in place is terrific, but it’s their job to make sure it’s being implemented correctly. A financial plan has to be flexible enough to change as you go through life, and your wealth manager is there to guide you along the way. THE OFFENSE: A good offense will proactively look for solutions and meet with you frequently. These are the people who look for investment opportunities and tax strategies. For example, you may need: -Certified Financial Planner (CFP) – The planner comes up with best strategies and seeks out investments that work with your goals. Investments may be Tackling Your Financial Game Plan Requires a Dependable Team By Shashin Shah / Contributor 7 BIG GAME-CHANGING QUESTIONS FOR THE WIN! QUESTIONSTO ASKTO AVOID MISTAKES AND SEEK A LINE-UP CHANGE At SFMG, we commonly see new clients who have a few in-game adjustments we can assist with. A good wealth advisor can ask the important questions to make sure you’re headed for a win 1. Have your beneficiaries been updated in the past 3-5 years in your retirement and insurance documents? 2. Are you taking advantage of all of your tax breaks? 3. Is your college funding on track with your goals? 4. Is your family protected if your income suddenly drops? 5. Are all of your employee benefits being maximized? 6. Are your financial accounts needing consolidation to be in line with your goals? 7. Are you prepared for a sudden change including a business sale, inheritance, or divorce?