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The year is 2010. Somewhere out there is a woman sitting at home alone, or perhaps just feeling isolated in a group of colleagues or friends or even within a marriage, worrying about her financial security. She is probably, though not certainly, between the ages of 45 to 65, still employed or newly retired. She grew up with one set of attitudes and expectations about money, but now finds herself in a world where what she learned is not helping her to handle the financial issues she now faces. She is uncertain where to turn. Even with her friends, with whom she discusses just about every issue under the sun, she is afraid to talk about money. Worse still, she is reluctant to go to a financial consultant, not knowing whether they can be trusted. Or perhaps she has had a bad experience with an advisor who did not listen to or understand her concerns, but was just trying to sell her something.

Somewhere in Texas, I am standing in a room of almost 50 Certified Financial PlannersTM at a four-day financial planning retreat. I had posted an invitation to an informal lunchtime discussion about the personal finance issues facing women and had expected about 10 or so people to join me. The room was packed, and people kept coming in throughout the session to sit on the floor. These advisors were mostly women, but there was a handful of men, and each shared in turn his or her thoughts and experiences about working with women. The stories were different – some advisors shared that they loved to work with women; others found their women clients challenging and sometimes difficult. But behind all the shares was a passion and energy around the desire to do it better: to engage women in financial planning in a manner and method that is different from the way we’ve done it before.

I kept thinking during that session, if only I could reach that woman I know is out there, feeling alone and overwhelmed by her finances, and invite her into the room to just listen to and observe  these professionals, many of them thought leaders in the financial planning world. I think she would be encouraged to know that her issues are being taken seriously, and that there are advisors thinking “outside the male box” about ways to work with her and gain her trust. I think she would have felt safe in that room, and optimistic that she is valued by a group of advisors who are committed to changing the personal finance conversation for women.

Please share with me, so I can share with this emerging advisory group, where you are in your journey towards financial security, whether you are very far away or have taken some positive steps. We need to hear what you want and need from us, so we can indeed do it better.

Eleanor K. H. Blayney, CFP®
President, D<span style=”font-variant: small-caps;”>irections</span>, LLC

Financial advice for women…
…because women ask for directions

Eleanor@directionsforwomen.com