Achieving Financial Success One Bite at a Time
Financial Planning in Steps
A BOOK REVIEW BY CAROL LOEWEN | Chair , Pension and Financial Wellness Committee
By Frank Wiginton John Wiley & Sons Canada , Ltd , 2013 Paperback , 274 pages Available as an ebook Available at the ATA library , Barnett House
How to Eat an Elephant
Achieving Financial Success One Bite at a Time
How to Eat an Elephant is a step-by-step guide to financial planning for Canadians . The book is divided into four parts , with twelve chapters . The suggested approach is to work on and complete one chapter a month . Spending four hours one day a month gives the reader the optimum time to read , study and use the book ’ s suggested website to fully understand and work through the material presented .
This guide is presented in small , easy-to-follow steps , as the reader completes one chapter a month . Each chapter also has a number of additional points entitled One Frank Thought through which the author explains or presents additional points about how the process of planning works or can be approached .
Each chapter presents examples of how people have approached their financial challenges and have worked with the author to reach their financial goals . Some people started working with the author , then continued their financial planning , using materials presented in the website tools available .
This book is well presented and easy to read and the directions are easy to follow . It is accompanied with its own website that gives readers the opportunity to work on their personal , financial long-range plans .
The last chapter , “ Finding the Right Advisors ,” offers descriptions and ideas about the different types of financial advisors that are available in Canada . Having read the book and worked through the exercises , readers would now have the resources required to ask the questions that will give them the information they need to find a financial advisor to help them become financially successful . This chapter also includes questions to ask a future advisor .
The final One Frank Thought is , “ Remember the difference between wants and needs , don ’ t forget the guide to shopping discipline , and make your important goals the priority !” �
news & views WINTER 2017 | 35