• Questions to Ask Myself
• Making an Appointment
• Getting Ready
   

Questions to Ask Myself

To begin, the following exercise will help me properly understand my needs.
 

• Prepare a Personal Balance Sheet to evaluate my net worth. This step is the foundation of all sound financial planning.
• Determine my financial goals and put them in order of priority (for example, maintaining my purchasing power in the event of a critical illness or disability, protecting my family from the financial consequences of my death, preparing for retirement, or purchasing a home).
• Do I want my spouse to be present at the meeting? Would I prefer an individual or a joint action plan?
• How much am I prepared to invest to insure my financial security and that of my family? I consider this budget item an investment, not an expense. Using the Budget simulator will help me determine how much I have available every month.
• How much individual and group insurance do I have?
• Because I don't want to have to postpone my plans, I've established an investment horizon. To that end, I can use the Saving Up For Something Special simulator.
• What is my investor profile? In other words, in keeping with my personal situation and risk-tolerance level, how should I allocate my investments? A good representative should be able to help me determine my profile.
• What is the value of my assets and savings? Am I satisfied with the results I've obtained in relation to my retirement goals? To answer these questions, I can use the Retirement simulator.
• In what areas do representatives specialize? What licences and training should a representative have in order to meet my needs? For more information on this subject, I can consult the definitions of Representative and Financial Planner in the glossary.
   

Making an Appointment
 

• When setting up a meeting, I should feel free to ask the representative the following questions: 
  
   
  
  • What is your professional training?
  • What licences do you have?
  • How many years have you been working in this field?
  • What are your areas of expertise?
  • Is there a fee for your services?
  • How are you compensated for your services?
  • What services do you offer?
    
     
• I should clearly pinpoint the objectives of the meeting.
   Example:
  
  
  
  • Do I need life or health insurance or an investment program?
  • Do I need a comprehensive financial plan? 
    
     
• I should specify how much time I have available for the meeting.
• I should ask which documents I need to bring with me (insurance policies, tax returns, etc.).