The butcher the baker the candlestick maker, they all have an important specific job!

In speaking with my mother this week regarding taxes, I realized that it's one of those areas that provides so much confusion that people avoid or give up on trying to keep track and get ahead. The toughest part is to find someone who has every possible professional title. Then you might end up with the right answers but no one can possible be an expert in all areas - we just don't have that kind of time. You really want people to be experts in their field, not trying to juggle many different roles. See, each of us - financial advisors/planners, accountants, lawyers, realtors and the like know a lot about one area and a bit about the others. What I have found my client's really need is a team of people who can communicate to give you the best well rounded advice out there.

To be honest, your professionals should be suggesting this right from the get go - that they are willing or would like to meet with the other advocates you have working for you in your life's biggest decisions and or finding those people who will go to bat for you in each area of your life. If the only thing these people have in common is your best interest, then that's all you need.

When it comes to taxes, there isn't one specific person who is going to have all the answers. Accountants are tax specialists but they don't always (and rarely) know all the tools for you to use in order to reduce tax. Life insurance is the biggest one that they don't often know about.

As far as financial advisors go, we know what can reduce your taxes but we need to know more about how you report and what your business structure looks like so in comes the accountant and so on.

It can be compared to dentists, doctors, naturopaths, chiropractors, accupunturists etc. All of these people want to help you become healthy but you wouldn't go to your dentist for a pap/prostate exam. I know that's extreme but you get the point right?

So instead of trying to find all these people, ask a professional you trust to help build your team for you. If they care a lot about taking care of you in a holistic way, they will have this team built and at your disposal.