To make a good saving and investing plan, you need to take stock of where you stand financially. Assess your goals and what the future might hold, and consider your experience and attitudes. Then identify what money is available. A fact find is the process by which you gather that information so that you are ready to make your plan.
- Benefits of completing a fact find
- Do a quick check
- Download and complete the full money fact find
- Next steps: make an investment plan
Benefits of completing a fact find
Completing a money fact find will give you a valuable snapshot of your money situation - as well as your future plans.
You have two options:
- Do a quick check to get an idea of your current finances and goals. If things are straightforward, this might be enough to help you create a savings and investing plan.
- Download and complete a full money fact find. This isn’t a five-minute job – there are a lot of questions to think about – but it’s well worth spending time to sit down and go through it thoroughly, especially if your needs are complex. You will then have it to refer to when you come to make choices, review your investments or talk to an adviser.
Do a quick check
Answer the questions below to get a quick view of your current finances and future goals.
For a more detailed picture, please complete the full money fact find using the link below.
The here and now – taking stock
- Does your monthly budget work out OK?
- Do you know the assets you have and what they’re earning? (cash, property, savings, investments, pension and life insurance)
- Do you know what you owe and what it’s costing? (mortgage, credit cards, personal loans)
Looking ahead – your goals and aspirations
- Will your income remain steady?
- What are your money goals, amounts and time frames?
- Are there things on the horizon that will change your life?
Know yourself – your experiences, attitudes, money available
- How were your past experiences with money?
- What is your attitude to risk and your capacity for loss?
- How much time would you like to spend managing your money?
- How much do you have available to save or invest?
Download and complete the full money fact find
Download the fact find questionnaire then fill it in on screen or on paper.
Related guides and tools to help you
If you take a completed fact find to a first visit to a financial adviser it can save time and money.
If you’re completing your fact find by hand, use the links below to help you as you go - you’ll find them included on the form at the appropriate places.
If you’re completing the form online you can link to them direct from within the form.
Next steps: make an investment plan
Finished the money fact find? You should have some clear goals to aim for and a timeline in your mind – which probably involves the words ‘the sooner the better’. Now it’s time to make your plan.
If your main concern is to save enough for retirement, see our guide to checking the progress of your pension planning so far.
Doing your fact find might have raised the question of whether you should use a financial adviser. Read our guide to help you decide.
This article is provided by the Money Advice Service.
