Voice of the expert: Financial planning isn’t just for the wealthy

Financial planning is not an exercise exclusive to the well-heeled. That’s the message that will spread across the state during Georgia’s Financial Planning Week Oct. 5-11..

From Athens to Savannah, Columbus to College Park, there will be a steady drum beat from experts advising people on a wide range of topics: how to prepare for retirement, budgeting on a fixed income, learning money skills while still in high school and other areas of interest.

“The whole idea is to educated consumers about financial planning,” said James Daniel of The Advisory Firm and this week’s Voice of the Expert. “While some of the topics from last year are not front page news right now, people are still interested in learning more.”

Last year, Daniel said, many of the questions the certified financial planners addressed dealt with investments, retirement and 401(ks). Those are still pressing issues, but people also want to learn about saving and budgeting. Unemployment in the state is over 10 percent, and foreclosures remain chronic.

That’s why the series will reach out to a variety of consumers, not just the wealthy. In Athens, for instance, they’ll go to the housing authority.

“We’ll talk to the unemployed and the under-employed,” Daniel said, “working with people with minimal cash flow. People are in all different types of situations.”

That includes students.

Part of the program includes several sessions called Money Matters — Financial Literacy Program, presented by the FPA of Georgia Members’ Planner in the Classroom Program. Some of the schools on the stops are Marietta High, Meadowcreek High, Bannekar High and Pope High. At Grady High School, a two day forum will be held in conjunction with Junior Achievement of Georgia.

Both Georgia and Georgia Tech campuses will host panels, and the Atlanta-Fulton County Library Peachtree Battle branch will host Real World Retirement Planning for Pre-Retirees and Retirees.

“Financial planning can work at all ages,” Daniel said. “It can work for high school kids, so they won’t make silly financial mistakes that could haunt them the rest of their lives; It’s for working folks, all the way through retirement.”

To get a complete schedule of events, click here.

Have a story idea? Email rcash@ajc.com

Follow me on Twitter @atlbargains