 |
February 8, 2005
A Perfect Wedding Gift
Planner's teachings help lessen potential financial strife for a new husband and wife
Bodnar (left)has counseled some 200 young couples on key money matters.
|
WHEN JOHN BODNAR, CFP®, was asked to create and teach a financial component for the Pre-Cana class at St. Vincent Martyr church, he did what any diligent financial planner would: researched the numbers. He discovered that half of all divorces -- or one out of every four marriages -- results from money problems. "That lit the fire for me," says Bodnar. "I tell the couples I'm there to make sure it doesn't happen to them."
More than 200 couples later, Bodnar, president of Bodnar Financial Advisors, Inc., in Florham Park, N.J., is still offering lessons on money and its potential as a "love buster" at Pre-Cana, a daylong class the Catholic Church
requires of couples planning to marry.
Anthony Profaci was initially skeptical to see a financial planner on the program when he and his now-wife, LaRease, attended a few years ago. "But John made us realize how the partnership of marriage includes love and money," says Profaci. The couple later became clients of Bodnar. "Even though we were a young couple just starting out," Profaci says, "John has always treated us as if we were million-dollar clients."
Bodnar's discussion includes budgeting, money management styles, and the nitty gritty -- wills, insurance protection, retirement plans -- as well as recognizing and resisting a culture of consumerism. He urges couples to have weekly "board meetings of Our Marriage, Inc." to keep money issues from bankrupting and draining the love out of marriage.
"John always gets rave reviews," says Ronnie Kemp, Pre-Cana coordinator for St. Vincent Martyr, in Madison, N.J. "He brings a very fresh approach to what could be a boring topic."
"I love helping couples get off to the right start," says Bodnar. "I remind them they're going from financial independence to interdependence. With some effort and a lot of talking, newlyweds can find financial bliss."
|
|
Page disclaimer
This series profiles financial planners who take a fresh approach to help their clients or the community. To nominate a financial planner, click here.
John Bodnar offers securities through Multi-Financial Securities Corporation, member SIPC, a member of ING. Neither ING nor its companies are affiliated with FPA, Bodnar Financial Advisors, Inc. or the CFP Board of Standards, Inc. In addition, ING does not endorse the financial planners featured in this article. This article is provided for informational purposes only and the views expressed may not be suitable in every situation. Consult your tax, legal and/or financial professional concerning your own situation. CFP® is a certification mark owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. © 2004 TIME INC
|
|
|
|
| CHOOSING THE RIGHT FINANCIAL PLANNER FOR YOU |
In addition to requesting a comprehensive disclosure document from a prospective planner, you may want to follow up with a personal interview. Here are some basic questions you could ask:
- What is his or her basic approach to financial planning?
- What professional designations does the planner hold?
- What's his/her educational background and work experience?
- Is he/she licensed to sell certain products, such as life insurance or securities?
- Does the planner have any minimum net worth or income requirements?
- How would the planner address your particular financial needs?
- Will the planner personally implement recommendations?
- Does he/she have business relationships that pose a conflict of interest?
- How is the planner paid for services, and what are the typical charges?
The interview should leave you with a sense of trust and rapport with the planner, knowing that he is focused on your needs, not just selling products.
|
|
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE VALUE OF FINANCIAL PLANNING AND HOW TO FIND A FINANCIAL PLANNING PROFESSIONAL, PLEASE VISIT WWW.FPANET.ORG.
|
|
|
Back to the
