Independent Financial Advisers For The Young

A look at the financial situation of the young considering the pressures of ever increasing debt and the mis-conception of independent financial advisers being for the wealthy.

In today's day and age, it is all too easy to get into debt. Particularly for the young. And the average young person would not consider an Independent Financial Adviser. Many turn to their parents for advice but according to a study conducted by NatWest bank, these youngsters are unhappy with the advice given.

This is because the older generation did not have to deal with such things at such a young age. Further education was only for the well off but these days, if you want to get anywhere, then further education is a must for everyone. Competition for good jobs is strong and anything that can be done to better your chances, the better.

In the news just this week was the case of a young woman who had tragically lost both her parents within a short space of time. Working part time to try and fund her further education, she had to move in with her half sister and was unable to pay any rent. Thus already starting out on that downward spiral of debt.

Easy to say after the event, but independent financial advice is a must for people of all ages. For those with young children, it is a security measure for their future as well as our own. It also imparts parents with the knowledge that they can pass on when their own offspring are taking on their own financial obligations.

Much of the debt young people are stuck with begins before they even get to work. Student loans are the main problem. Where grants used to be awarded by the Government for further educatiion, it now comes down to the individual to pay their way. Immediately, they are in debt with many working long hours after studies to try to re-pay what they owe more than likely jeopardising their studies at the same time.

Another difficulty is the never-ending advertising and offering of easy credit to the young. Socialising is high on their priorities and to keep up with this easy credit is an option that just leads to further debt.

Even if the finances are manageable at college or university and you can walk straight into a job that doesn't mean you don't need an independent financial adviser. Good money management at this stage is crucial to avoid problems later on.

Spiralling debt leads to stress and depression thus leading to a lack of motivation to deal with the problem, time off of work and less finances to repay the debt.

With the precarious job market the way it is, a job for life no longer exists. Many people take on debts and payments plans thinking that their current situation can continue but that is not neccessarily so. All of a sudden you can find yourself out of work with creditors banging on the door and no means of repayment.

The only advice for the young woman at the beginning of this article was to have a baby - that would get her more benefits. That would also get her more debt! Many young people with children of their own will struggle to get what their children need due to an inefficient benefits system and resort to easily obtainable mail order catalogues.

An independent financial adviser would be more likely to help her manage what little money she has to avoid the pitfalls of drowning in debt. The misconception that independent financial advisers are there for people with plenty of money is wrong. They are there for anybody that needs good advice on their finances - and that probably means all of us.

About the author: financial expert Shaun Parker looks into the impact of debt that an independent financial adviser could avoid. To find out more please visit http://www.pennypeople.co.uk/