Summary: <p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;">Traditional financial planning focused on producing a plan with lots of numbers, charts, and graphs. This can leave clients feeling that finance is complex and hard to understand. For some clients, especially women, the perceived judgment by </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;">financial professionals gets in the way of them taking care of themselves financially. In this episode, Kathleen interviews Stephanie, an advisor dedicated to busting the myth that planning is all about the numbers and showing her clients that they can be empowered by working with a client-centric professional. </span></p><br> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;">Take aways:</span></p><br> <ol> <li style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;"><strong>Financial planning is the intersection between money and life</strong>. Knowing your numbers is important, but it is only one piece of your financial puzzle. Find an advisor who will help you identify your values and goals, then craft a financial and investment plan to assist you in living the life you desire. </span></li> <br> </ol><ol start="2"> <li style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;"><strong>You don’t have to have all the answers</strong>. You do, however, have to know the questions to ask when looking for a financial advisor. Consider what you want an advisor to help you with and then be clear about these goals when interviewing potential advisors. Take time, interview several professionals, and then hire the financial advisor who is the best fit for you. </span></li> <br> </ol><ol start="3"> <li style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;"><strong>Spend less than you make.</strong> Living within your means can be challenging because we live in a consumer-driven society. Practice mindful spending and examine your spending habits. Make sure you have an emergency fund to cover unexpected finances and develop a spending plan to keep you on track. </span></li> <br> </ol><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;">Bio: </span></p><br> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;">Stephanie McCullough is passionate about helping women make wise financial decisions so they can control their future. In 2011, she started Sofia Financial after 13 years working as a financial advisor because she saw the needs of women not being met by traditional firms. The women who come to Stephanie are concerned about getting ready for retirement, wondering about how best to manage their financial risks, and, in general, worried about making smart decisions with their money. </span></p><br> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;"><strong>Special Offer: </strong>Sign up for Sofia Financial’s quarterly newsletter and blog at <a style="color: #000000;" href="http://www.sofiafinancial.com">www.sofiafinancial.com</a>. Mention the Breaking Money Silence podcast and receive a complimentary 30-minute telephone call to chat about your personal situation.</span></p>
