Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue. My Co-Worker Got a Facet Advisor and You Can, Too!

The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

Nothing says Valentine’s Day like a meeting with a certified financial planner, and that’s what my co-worker’s husband got her for Valentine’s Day. 

“I just want to make sure you’re taken care of, babe,” he said. 

How romantic is that?! Here’s why he jumped on it:

• My co-worker, Jessa, and her husband, Aiden, owe $35,000 combined in student loans. 
• They owe $12,000 on their car loans and have a $200,000 mortgage. 
• Her husband realized they needed professional help to achieve their financial and personal goals. He reached out to Facet Wealth for coaching and a money partnership that will help them for their whole professional lives and beyond.

Here’s What Happened Next 

My cubemate thinks I’m insanely boring. While I research stocks at lunch, Jessa gets her nails done. I can always count on her to offer a new tidbit of where to go out to eat, shop or go on vacation. I love living vicariously through her because for some reason, I have a deeply embedded FOSM — fear of spending money.  

Anyway, I was literally dyingggg when Jessa went off to her first appointment with Facet Wealth because I wanted to tag along. I know, weird, right? 

Here’s what happened. (I asked Jessa for a blow-by-blow.)

1: They attended a complimentary session with a Facet Wealth CFP Professional.

“She was sooo nice!” Jessa gushed about the Facet Wealth CFP® Professional they met via video conference. “And did you know the first meeting is free? She went over our goals and talked through how they could help us.” 

Jessa said she made sure to talk about the goals that were important to her and Aiden — yes, including Jessa’s obsession to go to Paris for her 35th birthday. “Oh, and our mortgage,” she said, with a wave of her hand.

2: They talked about 86’ing their debt. 

Aiden talked about how he’s tired of the money suck of everything — student loans, their mortgage and their credit card debt. Their Facet Wealth CFP® Professional talked about the debt snowball method, which means they concentrate on paying off their debts in order from smallest to largest to free up some more income and save more money.

3: They strategized on how to automate their investing together. 

Jessa and Aiden’s Facet financial advisor walked them through how they could set their bank account to automatically transfer money to Facet Wealth every month to invest. Aiden expressed reservations about this at first. “Where will it come from?” he asked. 

“But then our advisor said we could invest as little as we want. Basically, we could invest what we felt comfortable doing,” Jessa said. 

4. They talked about the ways saving more money would benefit them. 

At some point, they might need to pay for a large vet bill for Jessa’s many cats, buy a new dishwasher or replace one of their cars. 

Their Facet Wealth professional explained how built-up savings can make situations like that easy to handle. Having an emergency fund (around three to six months’ worth of built-up savings) is a goal to shoot for, though she said they could start with one month of savings and build from there. 

Their Facet Wealth CFP® Professional said they may be more likely to pay for things out of pocket if they had the cash for them and could avoid racking up credit card debt and other types of debt.

Finally, they talked about how money is a common source of stress. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association (APA), 72% of adults report feeling stressed about money. It’s one of the top causes of divorce and the source of many health issues.

They both breathed a sigh of relief because their Facet Wealth CFP® Professional said it doesn’t have to be that way for Jessa and Aiden. 

5: They talked about how to retire with at least $1 million in their accounts. 

This is where Jessa really perked up and listened hard. 

Aiden and Jessa, both 28, still have time on their side, said their Facet Wealth CFP® Professional. “If your employer offers a 401(k) match and you aren’t taking full advantage of it, you’re missing out!” she said. “Talk to your HR department and set up an account right now.” 

Some experts suggest waiting until you’re completely debt-free (except your mortgage) and have a fully funded emergency fund (three to six months’ worth of savings) before you start saving and investing for retirement.

Whether they wanted to wait is up to them, said their Facet Wealth CFP® Professional. “She gave us so much personal space,” said Jessa. “It really is personal financial advice with Facet Wealth.”

Jessa liked that Facet Wealth will make sure all assets are managed properly, not just the assets the company directly manages. It’s a very holistic approach. 

After the Appointment

After the appointment, Jessa told me she couldn’t get over how well matched she and Aiden were to their advisor. “You could really tell that they took time to match us to the right professional, and they said they don’t pass you from person to person.”

“What about the costs?” I asked. 

Jessa said Facet Wealth charges flat fees instead of commissions or by AUM so nobody gives you unnecessary advice to line their own pockets. 

What You Can Do this Valentine’s Day 

You don’t have to skip the chocolates and fancy restaurant this Valentine’s Day. Just make sure you get an appointment with Facet Wealth. 

Get started with Facet Wealth. With one click, you’re a minute away from scheduling a free, no-obligation session with a Facet Wealth CFP® Professional.

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The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.