At SDP Personalized Planning, we believe that money is a resource to be used to help create our best lives and not as an end in itself. For us, this philosophy influences our planning process profoundly. If financial planning were an exercise in creating the most money, then our job would be to hold you accountable to spending as little money as possible. Instead, our job is to help you create the life that you want by making smart decisions about your money. For example, if that means spending money on hosting your family’s annual vacation to your grandchildren’s favorite destination or buying an RV so that you can travel with your children, let’s talk about it. If it means donating to causes that you believe in, enjoying simple comforts or traveling, let’s find the most efficient and meaningful ways to pursue those things without jeopardizing the long-term well-being of your plans.

This is what Values-Based Financial Planning is all about. It describes the process of identifying and prioritizing your values, setting financial goals within the context of these values, and then making decisions along the way that are consistent with the values and goals that you have identified. It is about keeping your unique “big picture” in mind as we navigate the day-to-day and year-to-year decisions as they arise, being held accountable and course-correcting when needed with the help of a Trusted Advisor. Our hope in giving you this book is to have the opportunity to guide you through the Financial Roadmap exercise, and, if it’s a fit, to be that Trusted Advisor for you.