Paraplanners have seen a lot of changes in recent years. It is generally a complex job that requires a lot of technical knowledge, which can take time to develop.

Paraplanning is primarily analytical. It uses technology to streamline processes and allows much more work to be done remotely. This has become even more important since the recent pandemic. Paraplanners are essential to client service and the smooth running of the process. Administrators are what enable advisors to do their best work, but sometimes the industry doesn’t give it the respect it deserves.

Some skills and traits can be shared between paraplanners, including excellent organisation, time management, and communication skills. However, paraplanners who excel at this task possess patience, initiative, and persistence. Paraplanners are often the glue that binds the business processing team together. They organise information and timescales to make sure clients have a seamless experience.

What is the greatest benefit to employing the services of a paraplanner in your financial planning business? It is the ability to conduct detailed research and analyse the client’s needs, allowing for more business freedom. The paraplanner’s expertise allows the advisor to manage their client relationships better, and it also allows them to do their core job of giving advice. It also allows them to maximise their time with clients.

PJM Paraplanning is an excellent resource for advisers and can offer many benefits that may not be obvious. Paraplanners can challenge proposals and help clients understand technical issues.

Paraplanners’ role has changed tremendously in recent years. It is now more technical and complex than ever before. While some paraplanners may continue to work in client-facing roles or compliance roles, many others now consider Paraplanning a career. This is excellent news for the industry and helps to improve its professionalism.

These are the top six reasons that paraplanners are needed by firms seeking to grow and improve their profitability.

1. Technical Knowledge: Paraplanners are proud of their product knowledge, which is a result of writing daily about tax, investments, and protection products. They enjoy finding new solutions and allowing the adviser to focus on sourcing new business.
2. Administration Skills. Paraplanners are generally very detail-oriented and can double-check and check their facts. This skill is often not mirrored by advisers. A paraplanner can help you find the facts and soft facts and then transform them into clear objectives for your client report.
3. Building A Financial Plan: Creating a cohesive financial plan can take a while. Including the paraplanner allows for a plan to be created, with the adviser demonstrating the options available to the client. Paraplanners are often present at client meetings to answer “what-if” questions and provide any details required during the research and report writing process.
4. Communication: Many advisers believe that paraplanners don’t want any client contact. However, this is often false. Paraplanners often work with clients to ensure correct information is collected. They can then show their talents by explaining the complexities of the report writing process and clearly presenting it to them during the meeting.
5. Challenge: The judges evaluate the strength of character when shortlisting the “IFP Paraplanners of the Year” award. For example, they look for assertive advisers to challenge them on how to approach clients with their recommendations. Paraplanners should not be order takers who make it easier for “product salesmen” but must be independent thinkers and help the adviser mitigate compliance risks while still giving the best advice to clients.
6. Reality: A financial program isn’t set in stone. It is only as good and reliable as the assumptions that it is based upon. Paraplanners can help with the report writing process.

Paraplanners allow advisers to focus on building and maintaining client relationships. This allows them to expand their client base while providing excellent service to existing clients. Paraplanning Services can help advisers deliver the essential components of the advice process with greater confidence and speed.