Rabu, 21 Desember 2011

Conference Calling As a Tool for Financial Planning

While the term "conference calling" has existed for quite some time, it refers to a very different concept than it did once before. For years when someone said they had to sit in on a conference call, the call was almost always associated with business. And the individuals that usually participated in the call were those in upper level management.

Today, though, when conference calls are held there can be any number of participants, from lower level associates, to the very top managers of a company. And these days conferencing is not only used in business, but in many other aspects of life as well.

With the advancements in technology that have taken place over the last couple of decades, it only makes sense that conference calling programs have grown more sophisticated, and easier to obtain as well. This is the reason for the growing popularity in using conference calling programs, and this is why more and more people are finding creative ways to utilize such programs, ways that do not necessarily have anything to do with running a business. And one way in which conferencing programs can really come in handy is as a tool for financial planning.

Financial planning is something that nobody really looks forward to but that everybody has to eventually tackle, at least if they want to be secure after retirement they do. The problem is that financial planning involves, well, a lot of money for one thing, but it also involves making investments, and you want those investments to be safe enough to relieve your worry about the future. For this reason there are almost always other people involved in the financial planning process, and communicating with those people is not always easy. This is where conference calling comes in, as it can be used as a tool in the financial planning process in two very specific ways.

1. Conferencing With a Financial Counselor - Before making any investments it is important to assess your current financial situation first. A financial counselor can help you do this by helping you analyze your current investments, your liquid assets, and your projected future income. They can also make advisements to help you to put yourself in a situation where you can make additional investments. Having the option to hold a conference call between you and your financial counselor makes your life much easier when it comes time for financial planning.

2. Conferencing With a Financial Planner - A financial planner is indispensable when it comes to financial planning, and conference calling programs make it easy to constantly stay in touch with them. Many people try to manage their financial planning themselves, but the expertise of a professional planner can help you make your financial future look even brighter. And with video conferencing they can easily show you exactly what they are doing at any time you feel you need an update. You would not believe the peace of mind that this type of communication with your financial planner can give you throughout the process.

Financial planning must be carefully constructed if you are to be set after retirement, and having these two types of individuals involved will definitely help with that. And a conference calling program can help you to keep in touch with them throughout the process.

A consultant to Rondee.com's free conference calls service, author Andy Court is a technology expert. Court has commented extensively on the use of conferencing systems to enhance effectiveness.