Q.

What sort of triggering events would lead someone to update their financial plan? I am 50 years old and with the recent volatility in the stock market and talk of

new and prolonged tariffs

that may impact my job status in the near future, is now a good time to have another look at the plan I made five years ago? And if so, what should I be focusing on in the new plan?

—Anika

FP Answers:

Anika, if market volatility is bothering you then it is time for a plan review, especially if you haven’t looked at it in five years. The answer depends on whether your plan is an investment plan or a financial plan.

Maybe the best way to answer your question about triggering events is to write about what a financial plan is and why have one. For me, proper

financial planning

helps you get what you want and keep it, no matter what happens. It is that simple.

The planning process will walk you through three different steps in this order: life planning, financial planning and financial advice. That is my approach and each of these steps will have their own plan review triggering points.

The life planning stage is about identifying the things you are doing now and want to do in the future. These things often revolve around your home, lifestyle, family and career. After identifying these things you will put a value on your assets and liabilities and prepare a detailed cash flow statement, essentially putting a price tag on your lifestyle. A big lifestyle means big money and a small lifestyle means small money. Lifestyle drives everything and answers the question, “Enough for what?”

Financial planning follows life planning and answers the question, “How much is enough?” During this step you will look at your current and future assets and liabilities, and income inflows and outflows. After applying different financial planning and tax strategies to make things as efficient as possible you will know if you are on track to have enough, more than enough or not enough.

Financial planning lets you know what is possible. Once you know what is possible you can revisit your life plan, test out different scenarios, start setting realistic goals and prepare a game plan. With your game plan in hand, it is time for supporting financial advice.

It is at the advice stage when you will start incorporating financial products such as investments, insurance and mortgages into your plan. Without going through the first two steps and understanding your circumstances, how can anyone give you advice?

Anika, if that is how you constructed your financial plan, I believe you will recognize many triggering points for a plan review and what to focus on.

Think about the life planning step. If you experience or plan for significant life changes around your home, lifestyle, family or career, it is time to request a review.

The same is true with financial planning. If there are, or will be, significant changes to your assets, liabilities or cash flow then it is time for you to request a review. At the same time, there may be changes to taxes, account types, government benefits, and so forth, which your planner will be attuned to and they may contact you for a review.

I understand why market volatility makes some people anxious and wanting a planning review. And certainly if you have concerns, get in for a review. It will make you feel better.

In addition to using trigger points for a planning review, have a good review once a year. You will become more comfortable with the projections and gain a better understanding of how everything is coming together. As you gain knowledge, more possibilities will open up and you will be better able to deal with changes as they occur.

I also want to suggest that in the life planning stage be conscious that life is moving on and there are no do-overs. There will come a time when you won’t be able to do the things you are doing today or, the things that have meaning to you today may not have the same meaning in the future. If you can afford to do things you want to do today, what is holding you back?

Your awareness of time, life and moving on should bring a sense of urgency to financial planning so there isn’t five years between reviews. Use the passage of time as motivation to create a plan or have an annual review. What is the one thing you would really like to do this year? Let’s plan it out so you do it. Then let’s do it again next year, and the year after that. This is the way your money and decisions will help you live your life to the fullest.

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Allan Norman, M.Sc., CFP, CIM provides investment advisory services through Aligned Capital Partners Inc. (ACPI). ACPI is regulated by the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization ciro.ca. He also provides fee-only certified financial planning services and insurance products through Atlantis Financial Inc.