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FAQ
Do you have questions? Check our FAQ for answers to most commonly asked questions.
About Plan & Act and financial wellness
When you say Plan & Act provides “expert” advice, what do you mean? What is the basis of your expertise?
Our advice is based on key contributions of Nobel Laureates, such as the Intertemporal Consumption Capital Asset Pricing Model of Robert Merton (1973), Rational Expectations Theory of Robert Lucas (1997) and the Equilibrium Market Hypothesis of Eugene Fama (2013). We take holistic approach and emphasizes the personal circumstances of individual clients when crafting financial advice. We use innovative tools and decision-making rules that are very different from what you find in online financial planning software. We apply concepts such functional asset allocation on top of traditional asset allocation modern portfolio theory which is not practical for investors with small portfolios. Functional asset allocation means make recommendations about major consumer decisions such as buying a car, the size of home to buy and what kind of mortgage to use and the difference between good debt and bad debt.
How do I know I can trust Plan & Act's advice?
As Fee-only advisers we accept a fiduciary duty of loyalty, which means you have the legal right to trust us because we are required by the law to put your interests ahead of our own. We must eliminate the conflicts of interest created by accepting fees or commissions for products or services we recommend. We also accept the fiduciary duty of prudence, which means we hold professional designations and ourselves to strict codes of professional and ethical conduct.
Your financial plan is designed to stand alone, but each subscription level offers different levels of implementation services to measure and ensure your progress. Examples are online implementation courses, group coaching, masterminds, and individual coaching. Planning services begin with the Silver level for Do-It-Yourselfers and transition to Advisor-Assisted plans at the Platinum level.
Does Plan & Act receive payments from any entities as a result of the advice provided in the plans it produces for its clients?
No. We are independent, objective, and act as a fiduciary on your behalf in the creation of your Plan. Collectively, we only get paid by you for the advice we give you, and never take payments from third parties in exchange for recommending their products or services, and therefore have no conflicts of any kind.
Why do you need personal and financial data about me?
After you subscribe to Plan & Act, we ask you to complete a detailed interview about your finances. We use this data to create projections that show how you can accomplish your financial goals. The more accurate and complete the data, the more focused your plan can be.
How do I know my personal and financial information will be kept secure?
Plan & Act uses bank-level security to protect your information. Transmission of your personal and financial information while you complete your interview is encrypted, and areas of the Plan & Act site where your information are stored (for example, the My Plans and My Account pages) are password protected. You will always know when you are in a private and secure session because this will be clearly indicated in the upper right corner of the page.
What is financial wellness?
Financial wellness is what has traditionally been known as financial planning. It is the process of understanding your financial goals, learning when you will need to use your money and what you will be using it for, and then laying out a plan of action with specific steps you need to take to achieve those goals.
What if Im not sure about my financial goals, either now or in the long term?
Our questions and recommended Next Steps will help assess where you are right now and help you begin to lay the groundwork for determining your financial goals. You can always ask your financial adviser to help you identify the right goals for you.
I am doing Kickstart on the mobile app and applying the lessons to how I deal with my money. I even have a Budget and watch Plan & Act's video Tips. Do I also need a personalized Plan & Act Plan?
You can make a lot of progress by doing Kickstart, starting a Budget, and exploring Tips on mobile. Depending on your situation, this may be enough for now.
Eventually, you may feel ready for more. A Plan & Act Plan will give you personalized, actionable advice focused on the most important Next Steps for your unique situation. You’ll also have access to coaching from our financial advisers.
About Services
What does it mean to subscribe as an individual?
Plan & Act is available both to individuals and to employees whose employers contract with us to provide financial wellness services as a company benefit. If your employer does not provide Plan & Act to you as a benefit, you may sign up for Plan & Act as an individual. The same services will be available to you, at the rates shown on this page.
How is an individual membership different from an employee subscription?
The main difference is that an employee subscription is employer-sponsored, while an individual pays for his or her own subscription. Employers decide the exact services to include in their Plan & Act company benefit, while individuals may choose the Plan & Act services they want for themselves.
What does it mean to subscribe as an individual?
Plan & Act is available both to individuals and to employees whose employers contract with us to provide financial wellness services as a company benefit. If your employer does not provide Plan & Act to you as a benefit, you may sign up for Plan & Act as an individual. The same services will be available to you, at the rates shown on this page.
Plan & Act help vs. consultation with a financial adviser– which do I need?
Plan & Act customer service representatives can help you get started, help you complete your interview, and help you get your Plan & Act Plan. We’re here to help you get the most out of Plan & Act.
A Plan & Act financial adviser, on the other hand, gives you customized financial planning advice, can answer questions about your Next Steps or other questions you have, and based on the details of your situation, can go into more depth than your Plan & Act Plan. Just like your primary care physician, your Plan & Act financial adviser will study the details of your situation and give you advice that's customized for only you.
Because we are not investment advisors, we cannot offer specific investment advice or recommendations to individuals, and at no time should you infer that specific investment advice is being given.
Still not sure which kind of help you need? Contact us – we’ll help you figure it out.
What happens to my consultation time if I don’t use it up in one session?
Your consultation time balance appears on your Account page. As you use your time or purchase additional time, the balance will automatically update.
About my Plan
What kind of financial issues will my Plan & Act Plan address?
Our sample plans will provide you a good sense of what kind of financial issues a Plan & Act Plan will address. Such issues include, but are not limited to:
How much you need to save, including your emergency fund
What types of retirement accounts to use (IRA, ROTH, 401(k), etc.) and how much to be saving in your retirement accounts
What type of mortgage you should have
Whether it makes sense for you to pay off your house
What type and how much insurance you need (life insurance, long term care insurance, disability, and even property and casualty and health insurance)
What changes might improve your tax situation
How to pay off debt and improve your credit report and credit score
Because we are not investment advisors, however, we do not offer specific investment advice or recommendations to individuals, and at no time should you infer that specific investment advice is being given. The information we give you will help you work with bankers, insurance agents, accountants, and even your own investment advisers.
How can Plan & Act generate my Next Steps and Plan & Act Plan so quickly? Can advice that is automatically generated really be right for my unique personal situation and goals?
This is an excellent question and one we are proud to answer. The artificial intelligence that generates your Plan & Act plan is firmly grounded in The Cambridge System™ approach to financial planning. Our proprietary system was developed by a team of top financial and technology experts over a period of 6 years and has been thoroughly tested to ensure that the advice you receive aligns with what you would receive from an expert financial adviser in person. Nothing else like it exists online today.
What if I have questions about my three Next Steps?
You may never need the additional help, but if you do, FI4Me financial advisers are available to answer your questions. Your FI4Me adviser will have access to your full Plan so that she can familiarize herself with your situation and goals before your consultation. To request a consultation, log in to your account and select Consult in the Dashboard menu. Follow the on-screen prompts from there.
What kind of advice will I receive in my Plan?
For a glimpse inside a Plan & Act Plan download some Sample Plans here.
Why does my Plan & Act Plan only contain three steps?
Once you complete your interview, you’ll have access to a Plan that includes your balance sheet and income/expense statement. However, the key to your success with Plan & Act is to focus on just your three Next Steps at any given time. So, we identify those three Next Steps and give you the information and support you need to get them done. This uniquely streamlined approach is central to our philosophy at Plan & Act. We could identify many more future steps for you, but we truly believe that by focusing on just your three Next Steps, you will accomplish more, faster, and feel more confident immediately.
What happens after I complete my three Next Steps?
After you complete your Next Steps, you may return to Plan & Act.com and complete a new interview. Your Next Steps will update automatically. A great feature about your Plan & Act subscription is that you are allowed you to update your Plan as many times as you wish throughout the year. So, when you complete one or more of your Next Steps, or if your circumstances change, simply log back in and update your Plan. With Plan & Act, you have a Plan that evolves and grows with you over time. It all adds up!
About my Interview
How long will this take?
It depends on your situation. Many clients say completing their interview takes about 30-45 minutes. We promise, it will be worth it!
What information and documents will I need to gather before I start completing the interview?
Your completing the interview will go much more quickly if you gather certain documents ahead of time. Click to see a list of the documents you need.
I’m sharing a lot of sensitive, personal information. Is my data safe?
Absolutely. Plan & Act uses bank-level security to protect the information you enter and the documents you upload while completing your interview. For more about how Plan & Act protects your information, click here. It is always a good idea to mark out any personally identifying information on documents, such as account numbers or Social Security numbers.
What documents will I need to upload?
You will need to upload statements from your financial institutions that describe any securities you own, so that we can load these details into Plan & Act for you. After you send us the statements, we will confirm via email that we have received your data, and then email you again when your Plan is ready.
Can I estimate?
Yes. You can estimate income, expenses, or other info to get an idea of your financial picture and your most important Next Steps, so you can take action right away. Most people, however, then take the time to gather and enter their information in detail, for a fine-tuned Plan.
I’m not sure I understand a financial term.
Click the ? button next to a particular question to learn more about it.
Can I pause to find a statement, or just to take a break?
No problem. Click save and exit – your interview will be ready for you to complete when you log back in.
I didn't find my answer in FAQ!
Click Helpand submit your question. We'll respond the next business day. During business hours (9 – 5 pm ET), please feel free to chat with us using the blue Support Online link at the right side of your screen.
About my Account
How can I reach Plan & Act for assistance?
Click Help and submit your question. We'll respond the next business day.
How do I log into my account?
Use the login prompt at the top right of the screen to login.
How do I get a copy of my Plan?
Log in, and go to My Data. You can view, download, or print your Plan at any time.
How long does my subscription last?
We follow a quarterly billing cycle. Because of this, if you sign up after the start of a quarter, we will prorate your initial subscription length and fee to reflect when your service began.
For example: If you sign up on June 1, 2021, your initial period will run from June 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022. Your initial subscription fee will also reflect this, so you will only pay for 10 months. When you renew, your service period will be for a full year.
During your service period, you will have unlimited access to your account and our Knowledge Center. Your subscription’s expiration date is indicated in “My Account” on your Dashboard.
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