I know that this can be confusing and what you need for the step you’re at in your finances. What profession would work best for you? Finance coach, financial planner or financial advisor?
There are a few different stages in financial professions, that do different things from one another, but they all have a great value that the others don’t do.
Financial advisors are at the top tier, and can do some of the same jobs as the next two professions. They can help with getting different insurance policies (life insurance, disability insurance), investments and credit (lines of credit or student loans). Most financial advisors specialize in one of these categories and have one or more licenses to match what they specialize in. They are most commonly found at banks.
Financial planners are those who work with your financial portfolio. This includes them guiding you about investments for retirement, increasing the value of your estate, or other savings goals. A financial planner can help watch your investments and help you to decide when to cash out or to hold on to an investment longer. This can include stocks that are not a part of day-trading, but rather a stock that you can hold on to for longer periods of time. The most common ones people know about are gold, oil and Tesla stocks.
A financial planner, depending on your area, doesn’t have to be licensed to practice, but requires a certificate.
Now we have finance coaches. Depending on where you look, they can also be called money coaches, but for this article I will stick with finance coach.
A finance coach is someone who teaches the basics about finances and how to make a budget, pay down your debt and how to save. They also have more contact with their clients compared to the other professions. This makes it easier to feel you’re being truly supported and listened to instead of feeling like the professional is trying to sign you up for something to receive a kickback.
This is what I do. I’m a certified financial coach. I help guide people out of their financial struggles, without judgment, and bring them back to where they want to be. A place where debt is gone or at least manageable, and you can enjoy the greater things in life. Guilt-free and your dreams are within reach.
Your life doesn’t have to stay where you’re working 40+ hours a week and going from paycheck to paycheck. According to H&R Block, as of this year, 2025, 85% of Canadians are living this way, which is a huge jump from last year. This doesn’t have to be you. Even if this has been a multi-generational occurrence in your life, you can break the cycle. I believe in you, and you can get there. No matter who you choose to help you on this journey.
