Minnesota financial planning group prepares for annual event to help savers and investors

Oct. 26--Until you buy the winning Powerball ticket, the Financial Planning Association of Minnesota has another idea to help you prepare for retirement -- and it won't cost $2.

On Saturday, the association will host its annual Financial Planning Day, a chance to meet with investment professionals with no sales pitches, long presentations or fees.

Anyone can show up at the Wilder Center in St. Paul, attend classes and get up to 30 minutes of one-on-one time with a certified financial planner to ask any question or cover any money topic, no matter how simple.

When should I start taking Social Security? What's the best way to reduce debt? Am I investing my 401(k) in the right mutual funds? Should I open a health savings account? Do my kids deserve an inheritance? Those are some of the questions asked in the past.

Kyle Nemeth, a 43-year-old state employee, said he's found the event very helpful in past years.

"Last year I went to one of the investment workshops for an investment I was considering," he said. "But I've also asked about the best way to save for a rainy-day fund and my 457 account [a retirement fund for government employees] investments."

More than 30 advisers will be on hand to answer questions.

Nick Gearhart attended the event last year as an aspiring financial planner. Since July, he's been an associate planner for CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors in Minneapolis.

"Even if you don't need a full-on relationship with a planner, you can stop in if you need confidence that you're on the right track," he said.

Keynote speaker Brooks Bollinger, a former Minnesota Viking and now a financial planner, will speak for 30 minutes at 10:15 a.m. on the topic, "The Importance of Talking about Money."

The topics for workshops through the day include debt management, retirement planning, estate planning, Social Security basics and budgeting.

Organizers suggest some attendees may want to make a list of questions before the event and bring relevant financial documents and a financial summary.

The event runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wilder Center, which is on 451 Lexington Parkway N. in St. Paul.

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