Well, the quick (and somewhat cliché) answer is because it’s the right thing to do. While that should be enough, let’s look at a little bit deeper and consider a longer and more pragmatic answer:
Financial planning is a long distance marathon. We each will go through a variety of stages in life, each require a somewhat different financial solution. I’m licensed and trained to help you with your financial plan from start to finish. My desire is to work with you, your friends and family for many years to come, helping you build, maintain and adjust your financial plan as you move through the various stages of life. Apart from it being the right thing to do, you can’t build the trust needed to be a personal’s financial planner for decades to come if you short change them today. I’ve positioned myself and my business so that I have the tools needed to help most people with their financial plans for the long haul. Being honest and upfront is necessary to serve my clients well and ultimately to make sure my business is here for the long haul too.
In addition to honestly and straight-forwardness being the right thing to do, consider this: It’s more cost effective for me to keep clients (and gain referrals) by doing a good honest job for them, than to make a quick buck today but always be having to be searching for new clients. Some financial service business can survive on the “churning through clients model”. Mine isn’t one of them, nor would I wish it to be one of them.