Some clients will save when advisors walk them through basic planning concepts, says Niv Persaud, a financial planner at Transition Planning & Guidance LLC in Atlanta.
“Clients are motivated to save when they know what they are saving for–whether it’s a tangible item or experience,” she says. “I use the ‘5 P’s of Life’ to help clients describe their current lifestyle and what they ideally would like to achieve.”
She notes the 5 P’s of Life are personal relationships, personal finance, profession, peace of mind and physical health.
Daniel Flanagan, an advisor with Canby Financial Advisors in Framingham, Mass., says he persuaded a client to start aggressively saving via her workplace.
“She said she had been accumulating cash in her checking account and asked how best to invest it,” Flanagan explains. “She then shared that her employer provided matching of retirement contributions up to 6%. I suggested that she contribute at least 6% of her salary so she gets the full match because it’s essentially free money.”
Karen E. Van Voorhis, director of financial planning at Daniel J. Galli & Associates in Norwell, Mass., says she tells young people not to fall into the trap of not saving because they don't have anything concrete in front of them to save for such as children or buying a home or a retirement that’s so far into the future that it’s almost like an abstract concept.
Her advice to them is as follows: “It’s okay to save a little every month and to not know what specifically you are saving for.”
Beginning early with regular savings has multiple benefits, Van Voorhis says. “Not only will a person be creating a pool of saved-up funds, it also does double duty by creating a valuable habit, which has been shown to be very beneficial. A good habit like saving becomes ingrained.”
Advisors should use psychology, says another financial advisor.
“You must use behavioral finance and have the client come up with their own action plan,” says Mike Alves, an advisor at Vida Private Wealth in Pasadena, Calif. “Otherwise, they will feel it was your recommendation and your idea, not theirs.”