1. Take the Pulse of Your Financial Future prepared by Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) Name, DESIGNATION Title, Company Name Date

2. Disclaimer This presentation was initially prepared by Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC). Comments and opinions based on the presentation that are expressed by (insert name – John Doe, CFP) are those of the C ERTIFIED F INANCIAL P LANNER ® professional and do not necessarily reflect the views of FPSC.

3. What is Financial Planning? Financial planning is:  More than investment decisions  More than RRSP’s and mortgages It’s the process of creating strategies to help you best meet your life goals, through the proper management of your financial affairs.

4. Why You Should Consider a Financial Plan?

5. Know How to Improve Your Finances  Fewer than 2 out of 10* Canadians have a comprehensive financial plan.  But 42% of people who have no financial plan say they also don’t know what to do to improve their financial situation. All statistics used in this presentation are from the Value of Financial Planning Study (2010) conducted on behalf of the Financial Planning Standards Council

6. Meet Life Goals Comprehensive financial planning can help Canadians achieve self-identified “life-goals.” Individuals with comprehensive financial plans report that they are more likely to achieve their goals.

7. Retire From Work, Not Life HALF of those with a comprehensive plan are on track to retiring in their desired lifestyle …while only 18% of those with no planning say they are on track

8. Have Peace of Mind 36% of those who’ve done no planning have “peace of mind” about their financial situation BUT 61 % of those with a comprehensive financial plan have “peace of mind”

9. Get Over “Getting By” 57% of Canadians who have done no planning feel they barely get by every month …70% of those with a comprehensive plan don’t worry about getting by

10. Be Ready for the Unexpected “If anything should happen to me, the people I care about would be financially looked after” 72% Comprehensive Plan 38% No Planning

11. Don’t Get Left Behind 31% of individuals with no planning feel they can get to their yearly desired vacation spot … 66 % of Canadians with a comprehensive plan feel they don’t have that problem

12. Stop Renting Nearly ¾ of those with a comprehensive plan are on track to owning their own home Less than ½ with no plan feel they are on the right path to owning their own home

13. The #1 Thing to Remember About Financial Planning  Financial planning is NOT REGULATED in most Canadian provinces (exceptions: B.C. and Quebec)  Provincial governments have NO RULES about who can call themselves a “financial planner”  ANYONE can call himself a “Financial Planner” - and solicit clients

14. When Choosing a Financial Planner… Its important you know:  what to look for in a prospective financial planner  the right questions to ask  what you can reasonably expect from the process It’s your money and you are making the decisions. You need to ask the hard questions!

15. Your Due Diligence Check into your advisor’s credentials  Is she in good standing with a licensing body, such as FPSC? Ensure the credentials are relevant to you  What are your needs? Do the credentials of your advisor or planner match with your needs? Check her professional history  Has any disciplinary action taken against her?  Are there any formal complaints?

16. What is FPSC?  A not-for-profit organization based in Toronto, Ontario  Purpose: To ensure the financial planning needs of Canadians are well served.  FPSC licences Certified Financial Planner ® professionals in Canada  More than 18,000 CFP professionals across Canada  FPSC enforces the CFP Code of Ethics.

17. CFP ® Professionals Are…  Competent  Met high standards of Education, Examination, Experience  Ethical  Abides by the CFP Code of Ethics, enforced by FPSC  Committed to putting your interest first, every time  Current  Keeps up-to-date through mandatory Continuing Education

18. What C ERTIFIED F INANCIAL P LANNER ® Professionals Know About  CFP professionals have education and experience in addressing these areas, and how they fit together:  Tax Planning  Retirement Planning  Estate Planning  Asset Management (including investments)  Financial Management (managing “Day to Day”)  Risk Management (including insurance)

19. CFP ® Professionals Make A Difference! Stay on track! 76% who deal with a CFP professional reported feeling more "on track" with their financial affairs Yet only 35% of people receiving no professional advice said they feel “on track”.

20. Resources at www.fpsc.ca  Find a CFP Professional  A searchable database of CFP professionals across Canada. Preview practice profiles, areas of specialty and compensation structures  Check a CFP Professional  Is your current or prospective planner a CFP professional?  10 Questions to Ask Your Planner  Make sure you are asking the right questions! Print this and take it with you to the initial meeting

21. 21 Thank you