Expanding My Skill, Not My Scope

August 2019 Newsletter | By: Ian Sachs, CFP®
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I am now a CFP® certificant (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™). I’ve spent the better part of the past two years completing the education and exam requirements, and I’m now much more knowledgeable and well-rounded in overall financial planning. The areas of focus for a CFP® include: investment, tax, risk management and insurance, retirement savings and income, and estate planning.

Compared to where I was two years ago, I now understand at a much more granular level the many intricacies of financial planning and I did this for one specific reason – to become more proficient at implementing life insurance for current and future clients as part of their overall financial and estate plans.

Most of my clients and friends know me as a life and disability insurance expert, and that will always remain the case. There are many applications for life insurance, and I specialize in all of them. When it comes to implementing other types of insurance, I refer to my other trusted advisors who have their individual specialties.

Will the scope of my work expand over the coming years? Maybe, but I don’t foresee that happening in the immediate future. I truly love risk management and insurance planning and want to be the best at what I do. Of all the financial advisors in the United States, only about 20% hold a CFP®. And when it comes to selling insurance, I think it’s important to go beyond the basic requirements of becoming a licensed insurance agent. It’s crucial to fully understand how life insurance ties into the bigger picture and how it impacts taxes, investments, retirement and estate planning, etc.

If you or anyone you know needs or would like to learn more about life insurance, I would genuinely love the opportunity to speak with you or them. And if it’s not insurance related but might fall into any of the other financial planning areas previously mentioned, I would appreciate that introduction too. I’d like to be a resource to anyone who needs it – current and future clients, friends, family, and even to those who might just want a second opinion.

I feel passionate about the business that my Dad (and business partner) started over 40 years ago and am extremely enthusiastic about the direction it’s going over the next 40+ years. We have built a reputable practice in Scottsdale, Arizona with a strong presence not only in the Valley, but across the country. Our team consists of experienced and committed people having worked with many of our clients for decades.

Now to conclude, I would like to hear from you. Below is a list of previous topics that I’ve written about for my monthly newsletters. Please let me know what other areas may be of interest so that I can address them in the future. I look forward to continuing to share succinct and thought provoking topics along the lines of insurance and financial planning.