What Is In Your Financial DNA?

By Scott McCord, AAMS®, BFA™

Contrary to popular belief, money isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet. Whether it’s a figure in your bank account or a goal you have, those numbers tell a bigger story about your life, your financial habits, and your views about money. That’s why you shouldn’t make financial decisions without first knowing why and how you’re making them.

That’s where Financial DNA comes in.

You And Your Money

Oftentimes, people invest because they are told to. Many of us choose a vague portfolio mix based on a generalized risk profile of low, moderate, or high. But what happens when the markets drop? Will you be confident that your portfolio is built to achieve your goals no matter what happens? Or are you tempted to panic and get out of the market ASAP to avoid loss? What if you had a full picture of how you might react to various circumstances? What if you were aware of your financial strengths and weaknesses so you could build a plan to leverage your strengths and avoid pitfalls?

That’s why we spend so much time getting to know you as an individual before we talk about your money. Who you are (your past, your propensity to take risks, your goals, and your spending patterns) all play a significant role in how you manage your money and react to change or stress.

What Is Financial DNA?

Simply put, Financial DNA is a proprietary solution that gives you more than 200 behavioral insights that give you a glimpse into your financial personality. Financial DNA helps you answer questions like:

• What has shaped your financial perspectives?

• What are your most important values?

• How do you handle loss or adversity?

• What motivates you?

Based on comprehensive behavioral financial research, your insights can then allow you to move forward with confidence and make decisions that reflect what’s most important to you, avoiding emotional decisions that put your future at risk. We use your results as a foundation to help you create a goals-based financial plan that prepares you for both life’s many challenges and unexpected events and your hoped-for dreams. Knowing your Financial DNA gives consistency and direction to your financial plan and helps us, as your advisors, know how to best serve you and guide you toward your ideal future.

Try It Today!

The reason our team at Anthem Financial focuses on behavioral finance is because our experience has shown that financial success is about more than just making the right investment decisions at the outset; it’s also about managing the many behavioral and emotional pitfalls we face on the journey.

We encourage you to give Financial DNA a try right now and let us help you align your values with your Financial DNA behavior. Schedule a free introductory meeting online or reach out to us at scott@anthem-financial.com or 309-214-0152 with any questions.

About Scott

Scott McCord is founder and Investment Advisor Representative at Anthem Financial, providing values-based financial advice as a fiduciary. With over 20 years of experience in the financial industry, Scott focuses on building long-term relationships with his clients so he can understand their unique values and guide them through the ups and downs of their financial lives, keeping them focused on their short-term and long-term financial goals. Scott has a bachelor’s degree in business management and accounting and holds the Behavioral Financial Advisor™ (BFA™) and Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS®) certifications, the Series 7 and 66 licenses, as well as life, health, and disability income insurance licenses. Scott is married to his intellectual and spiritual ally, Heather, and together they have two beautiful children, their daughter, Meyer, and their son, Grady. When Scott is not focusing on his clients and family, he volunteers his time on the Peoria Public Schools Foundation board, Impact Peoria board, and Rotary of Downtown Peoria board. To learn more about Scott, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Investment Advisor Representative of and advisory services are offered through Independent Wealth Network, Inc. a Registered Investment Advisor. Anthem Financial is not affiliated with Independent Wealth Network, Inc.