Many individuals confuse financial planning with general savings and investing advice. While how to save (and how much!), and where and when to invest those savings, is every bit important, prudent Financial Planning goes much beyond the realm of just saving and investing.

While many of us don’t realize it, we are constantly engaged in subconscious acts of investment planning. We plan how we can best invest the limited time we have at our disposal. Would the 2-hours we have best be spent visiting a friend at the hospital, or would it be better invested?

For some people, financial planning is mainly concerned with how best to go about building a nest egg, and how to make it last through retirement. But for many, there is a desire to ensure their estate delivers benefits beyond their own retirement, and produces a lasting legacy even after they’ve passed.

Long before retirement even hits our radars, we’re planning what type of education, skills training and professional designations we’ll acquire. We also spend a lot of time planning which industries are the best place to work in, and which employers to work for.