How to Prep for an Origin Planner Session

According to the CFP® Board, just over half of Americans have worked with a financial planner before. While not everyone needs professional help to navigate their finances, there’s no denying that having expert guidance can make a significant difference in achieving your financial goals. Whether you're trying to save for a big life event, optimize your investment strategy, or create a plan for long-term wealth, an Origin financial advisor can provide the personalized advice and support you need.

But, like any successful partnership, preparation is key. The more you prepare for your session, the more valuable the conversation will be. With the right approach, your meeting with an Origin advisor can help you gain clarity, confidence, and a clear plan for moving forward.

Here’s how you can make the most of your upcoming session and ensure you leave with actionable steps toward your financial future.

1. Link Your Financial Accounts to Your Origin Account

To get the most out of your session, providing a full, holistic picture of your financial life is essential. One of the most effective and efficient ways to accomplish this is by linking your financial accounts to your Origin account. Linking your accounts is secure and seamless, and doing this provides your financial planner with the insights and data they need to make informed assessments and recommendations about your finances. 

Adding your accounts gives your planner access to:

• Financial accounts and transactions: By linking your bank accounts, credit cards, retirement plans, investment portfolios, and loans, your planner can assess your spending habits, savings rate, and debt levels. With a complete view of your financial landscape, your planner can suggest more efficient spending strategies, recommend ways to pay down debt or help you optimize your savings and investments.
• Retirement and investment planning: Your planner can use details from your retirement accounts (e.g., 401(k), IRA, pension) to recommend an investment strategy that aligns with your long-term goals and risk tolerance. By understanding your current retirement savings, your planner can guide you on whether you’re on track to retire comfortably and advise you on how to increase contributions or diversify investments to maximize returns.
• On top of linking these traditional accounts, it’s also important to add any other assets and liabilities you have—things like a mortgage, auto loan, or student debt. Additionally, make sure to manually include assets (or liabilities) that don’t have an account to link, such as a paid-off car or other valuable personal property. This gives your Origin advisor a more accurate picture of both your assets and liabilities, which is essential for developing a balanced financial plan. 

Link your accounts here

2. Upload Your Financial Documents

To add even more pixels to your financial picture, make sure to upload any relevant documents as well. These help further contextualize your financial situation and, again, assist your planner in making the best possible recommendations for you.

These documents can include:

• Tax returns
• Estate plans
• Equity agreements

At Origin, we’ve made the document upload process simple and secure. Once you’ve uploaded your documents, your planner will have a complete financial picture and can give tailored recommendations that help you make informed decisions.

3. Picture Your Financial Future

Visualizing your financial future is key to setting meaningful goals. Think about where you want to be in the next 5, 10, or 20 years. Whether it’s buying a home, funding your children’s education, or retiring early, having a clear picture of your financial aspirations helps your planner craft a strategy to get you there.

4. Consider Any Life Changes

Life changes—big or small—can significantly impact your financial situation. Share any recent or upcoming life events that might alter your financial picture. 

These could include things like:

• Job or career changes
• Large inheritances or windfalls
• Marriage, divorce, or birth of a child
• Major purchases (e.g., buying a home, starting a business)

Changes like this will inevitably shift your financial plan. For example, if you're getting married or having a baby, you may want to revisit your budget, update your insurance, or start saving for college.

5. Prepare Questions

Your financial planning session is your time to get expert advice, so don’t be afraid to ask questions, and prepare in advance by taking some time to think and write these things down. Say you have budgeting down to a science but have some gray areas when it comes to investing and asset allocation. Use your financial planner's expertise to help fill in the gaps. Focus on areas where you need the most help, not just your strengths.

Some other good examples include:

• How can I reduce my tax liability next year?
• What are the best investment strategies for my goals?
• What are some practical steps I can take to pay off debt faster?
• How can I plan for big life events (buying a house, starting a family, etc.)?

6. Be Open to Feedback and Recommendations

The purpose of your session is to receive professional guidance, not to confirm everything you already know. Ideally, you should come out of the meeting with a different perspective or two, and armed with some newfound knowledge about something as well. 

Your Origin Account Provides Ongoing Support Between Sessions

Your journey toward financial security doesn’t end after your meeting with an Origin advisor. In fact, your Origin account continues to provide ongoing support, empowering you to manage and navigate your personal financial decisions even between sessions with your planner.

Our holistic money management platform integrates all aspects of your financial life—from budgeting and saving to investing and tax planning—giving you the tools you need to stay on track. Whether you're reviewing your spending, adjusting your savings goals, or exploring investment options, Origin makes it easy to stay informed and make confident financial decisions on your own.

And whenever you need personalized guidance, your Origin advisor is just a session away. Together, you’ll stay aligned with your financial goals, making progress every step of the way.