Financial planner can help you realize yor dreams

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Whether you're a young person just entering the workforce or an older person counting the years remaining before retirement, a young couple thinking of starting up a family, or a parent wondering how you can afford to send your children to university, you could benefit from the services of a financial planner.

Stacey Agecoutay is a financial planner with the CIBC in Regina.

A member of Cowessess First Nation, Agecoutay has been working in the financial services industry since 1990.

Agecoutay started out as a bank teller after completing the Native Bank Teller Training Program offered by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. He started working with the CIBC parttime while still in the training program, then continued on with the bank, taking advantage of various internal training opportunities and working in a number of banking positions. He developed an interest in relationship building and personal financial planning and, with the encouragement of CIBC management and mentors, he became a financial advisor. Currently, he is responsible for managing the financial investments of 310 client households-a portfolio worth $47 million.

The most challenging part of his career as a financial advisor is finding a balance between his work commitments, his family life, and the ongoing training required to keep on top of the ever-changing world of financial planning, Agecoutay said. He began that training in 1998, when he completed the Canadian Securities Course. Since then he has also completed the Professional Financial Planning Course, the Certified Financial Planner Course, the Conduct and Practices Course, the Wealth Management Course and the Investment Management Techniques Course. Over the past three years, he has also obtained Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Financial Management Advisor (FMA) designations.

"As a financial planner, my main responsibility is to meet with clients to help identify their financial goals, analyze their situation and recommend solutions to enable them to satisfy their goals," Agecoutay said. "Once a plan has been implemented, I monitor the progress of the plan and review with clients on a regular basis."

The typical client that comes to Agecoutay is in their mid-40s to late 50s, has between one and three children, has an annual family income of between $100,000 to $150,000, and a net worth of $250,000 to $500,000, although he also sees young families who are buying their first house and just starting their retirement planning, as well as older clients in their retirement years.

"The most rewarding part of my career is helping Canadian families plan for their futures by analyzing their financial goals and dreams and implementing plans to accomplish those goals. There is great satisfaction in helping clients increase their net worth and make their dreams become a reality," Agecoutay said.

"I believe a family needs to consider meeting with a financial planner as soon as possible, as every family has specific goals and can benefit from a planner's expertise. Goals may be as simple as retirement by age X and as complex as structuring a business to most effectively benefit shareholders. Every Canadian has financial goals and some can articulate those goals without my assistance, however most people find it necessary to work with a professional like myself to discover their dreams."

Agecoutay sees a need for more First Nations people to get involved in the financial services industry, a need that will only grow as the population continues to age.

"My career path was very comfortably paced and enabled me to understand the many facets of the banking industry before becoming a financial planner. For those wishing to enter the financial services industry, I recommend to start at the entry level as a bank teller, find a good mentor within the organization and take advantage of the endless learning opportunities available," he said.