When Teresa Fitzgerald, a financial planning consultant and advisor, founded Affinity Planning Partners in Peachtree City last year, she did so with a wealth of experience spanning 17 years and with a client-first philosophy.
Setting out to offer a more comprehensive overview, as a fiduciary and independent financial advisor, within financial planning, you could say she has an affinity for her field – and her clients.
Affinity’s process of understanding each client is essential to developing truly customized financial plans. Their initial consultation gains insights into their client’s goals, often lasting over an hour as advisors look into all aspects of a client’s financial wellbeing. When first working with a client Fitzgerald notes that it is important to “meet clients where they’re at,” knowing each person has a path that they’re on and that where they have been and where they are going financially matters. These details matter because each client’s needs are unique. Working with that information in mind, Fitzgerald establishes understanding and ultimately trust.
“We want to meet them where they’re both financially and emotionally,” she stresses.
Fitzgerald explains the importance of looking beyond numbers, noting that money’s value isn’t just about stats and graphs, but rather a tool clients can use.
“Money is about fulfillment and living life to the fullest,” she says.
With this view in mind, Affinity’s financial advisors analyze each client’s full financial picture, creating a financial plan from information on income sources, assets, expenses, debts, taxes, insurance policies, estate plans and more. Fitzgerald comments that multiple money issues can cause so much stress for individuals, but that it doesn’t need to be that way.
“We see people that will max out their retirement plans [because they feel] saving the maximum is making progress. Saving something is much better than saving nothing, but they’re doing that instead of meeting their company match and simultaneously paying off high-interest rate debt sooner. In turn, having better positioned assets with less liabilities that would put them in a better position long term,” Fitzgerald observes. Affinity then “deploys strategies to make progress while keeping clients feeling in control.”
In their work with business owners and entrepreneurs, they often find certain scenarios where those owners aren’t familiar with what personal and business liquidity is needed to positively impact their financial feasibility for growth, new acquisitions or planning for their tax position during the eventual sale of their business.
Fitzgerald also emphasizes balancing the financial metrics with happiness and peace of mind. Financial plans and advising will factor in variables and evolve over time for career and financial changes, health issues, and family additions or losses.
“We collaborate and create strategies around each client’s unique dreams, worries, and what really matters to them in life, to fulfill their meaningful legacy” Fitzgerald shares.
To keep plans adaptive, ongoing touchpoints are key. Fitzgerald meets with clients monthly, quarterly, or every six to eight weeks, depending on their needs.
“Our goal is that clients can never outgrow the value and strategy we provide to them!” Fitzgerald exclaims.
Affinity focuses on serving the underrepresented middle market with this personalized approach. Fitzgerald aims to give business owners, families, and local professionals the customized care and fulfillment-focused guidance larger firms often cannot provide at scale. Through understanding each whole person, Affinity helps clients achieve financial and life goals on their own unique terms. She has been recognized for her contributions to the industry, including being named twice to one of the Top Women Advisors of Atlanta and receiving nominations for prestigious awards such as Women Working in Wealth and The North Shore Chicago Woman in Business Award. Fitzgerald’s commitment to ongoing education and professional development is evident in her current pursuit of the Wealth Management Certified Professional Designation Scholarship by The American College.
Visit Affinity Planning Partners by appointment only at 259 Highway 74 North, Suite 2, Peachtree City, Georgia. Teresa can be reached by phone at (815) 210-1315 and by email at [email protected].
You can find additional information at https://www.affinityplanningpartners.com and by clicking here: Social Media Page (qrco.de)
Advisory services offered through Capital Analysts or Lincoln Investment, Registered Investment Advisers. Securities offered through Lincoln Investment, Broker-Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC www.lincolninvestment.com
Affinity Planning Partners and the above firms are independent and non-affiliated.
