FNA
Questionnaire

A guided conversation for Financial Needs Analysis meetings

1Join the Team
2Discovery
3Protection
4Assets & Savings
5Debt & Liabilities
6Cashflow
7Personal Info & Wrap

Read the SAY script aloud or in your own words.

Ask the bold questions. Listen more than you write.

Skip what doesn't apply. This is a conversation, not a test.

Client ________________________________   Date __________________   Advisor __________________
1 Join the Team
1
Join the Team
A light discovery — what they want, what they can give, and whether there's a mutual fit before handing off to the RVP
SAY Thanks for your interest in joining the team. Before I connect you with our RVP for a deeper conversation, tell me a bit about what you're looking for. That way I can make sure this is worth your time. This'll take about 5 minutes.
Income & Motivation
Q1What got you interested in this?
Q2If this works out the way you hope, what would your income look like a year from now?
Q3What would that kind of income make possible for you?
SAY Let me get a sense of your schedule — this helps us figure out what pace makes sense.
Time & Commitment
How many hours a week do you think you could put into this right now?
Are you working another job? Full-time or part-time?
Q4How soon would you want to see income coming in?
SAY We have a training system that teaches you the business — you won't be figuring this out alone. How do you learn best?
Coaching & Support
Q5What would help you feel confident getting started?
Is there anything about this that makes you nervous?
SAY Present the "3 Ways to Learn This Business" now. After that, set up a time for them to meet your broker. Make it clear: your broker gets the final say on whether this is a fit.
Next Steps
Presented the 3 Ways to Learn This Business?
"My broker gets the final say — let me set up a time for you two to chat. They'll answer any questions I can't and decide if this is the right fit."
Date & time:
Broker Meeting Notes
Follow-Up Needed
Documents / Notes
2 Discovery
2
Discovery
Understand their goals, dreams, and what "better" looks like
BRIDGE: "Now let's talk about what you want to do with your money. I'm going to ask some questions to get a picture of where you are and where you want to go — there are no wrong answers."
SAY Tell me about what you want to do with your money — the things you want to build, own, or experience. What does "better" look like for you?
Financial Goals
Q1Paint me a picture — if money weren't an obstacle, what would you want your life to look like?
Q2What's the price tag on your top goal — roughly?
Q3When would you want to have that in your life?
Q4Which one matters most to you right now?
Q4bAnd which one would change your life the most if you had it today?
If home ownership is a goal
SAY Let's talk about what you're picturing for a home.
Home Buying
Q5Where are you in the home buying process right now?
Where are you hoping to move to?
What price range are you looking at?
Do you know what kind of down payment you'd need?
Have you started putting money aside for it?
Have you talked to a lender about a pre-approval yet?
Additional Goals & Dreams
Goal or DreamCost (today's $)Years from today
Gap Identified
Proposal Needed
Documents / Notes
3 Protection
3
Protection
Assess insurance coverage — life, mortgage, home, and auto
BRIDGE: "Now that I know what you're working toward, let's talk about protecting it. If something happened, I want to make sure everything you're building doesn't come apart."
SAY Let me see how you've protected what you're building. Let's start with life insurance.
Life Insurance
Q1Do you have any life insurance or mortgage insurance right now?
YES — Has Life Insurance
Who's your life insurance through?
How much coverage do you have?
What do you pay each month for it?
Q2When you got the insurance — were you thinking savings, protection, or a bit of both?
What do you like about your current policy? Most people haven't had a chance to read through it in detail — when's the last time someone actually walked you through what it covers?
Q3If something happened to you tomorrow, what would you want to make sure is taken care of?
Q4If you weren't around anymore, what would you want life to look like for your family?
What would you want covered?
NO — No Life Insurance
When we meet someone who doesn't have life insurance yet, it's usually for one of three reasons: they didn't see the need for it, they didn't think they could afford it, or they never got around to it. Which one sounds most like you?
Handling objections: "Didn't see the need" → share a real story. "Can't afford it" → most people overestimate cost by 3×. "Never got around to it" → that's why we're here now.
SAY I can't make any promises — but if I can put together an insurance plan that gives you more coverage for less money than you're paying now, would you want to see it? IF YOU GET STUCK: If they get defensive about insurance: "I'm not here to sell you anything today — I'm just getting a clear picture so I don't make assumptions about what you need."
SAY While we're on insurance — let's take a quick look at your home and auto.
Home & Auto Insurance
Which company handles your home and auto insurance?
How many cars insured?
How many homes insured?
How many drivers are covered?
What do you pay each month?
When do your policies renew?
Gap Identified
Proposal Needed
Documents / Notes
4 Assets & Savings
4
Assets & Savings
Map out what they've already built — retirement, investments, pensions, education
BRIDGE: "Now that we've covered protecting what you have, let's look at what you've already built. Tell me about your savings and investments — I don't want to recommend something you've already covered."
SAY Let's look at what you've already built. I want to see what you've got in place so I don't accidentally recommend something you already have. Tell me about your savings.
Retirement
When would you like to stop working?
How much would you need each month in retirement to feel comfortable?
Q1Do you feel like you're on track to make this happen?
SAY Walk me through what you've got — retirement accounts, investment accounts, anything like that.
Investment Accounts
Account TypeCompanyApprox. BalanceMonthly ContributionKnow what you own?
RRSP
TFSA
Other Accounts
Spouse's RRSP
Spouse's TFSA
Spouse's Other
If they have an existing advisor: "That's great — a second opinion never hurts. My job isn't to replace them, it's to see if there's anything they might have missed."
How often do you sit down with your current advisor to review things?
If you could change one thing about how your investments are set up, what would it be?
What do you want this money to do for you?
SAY I can't make any promises — but if I can build an investment plan that outperforms what you've got now and gets you to retirement faster, would you want to see it? IF THEY HAVEN'T STARTED SAVING: "When we meet someone who hasn't started saving yet, it's usually for one of three reasons: they didn't see the need, they didn't think they could afford it, or they didn't know where to start. Which one fits you best?"
Pensions
Do you have a pension through work? (Not counting CPP or OAS.)
Do you know what kind? Defined Benefit pays a fixed amount for life (e.g., OMERS, Teachers', HOOPP). Defined Contribution matches your contributions up to a certain percentage.
Did any past employer set up a pension you might still have sitting there?
Other Assets
Got any other assets tucked away? Stocks, gold, silver, rental properties, anything like that?
How much do you have set aside for emergencies?
SAY Tell me a little about the education plan for your kids.
Children's Education
Q2How much of your kids' education are you hoping to cover?
Who handles your education savings right now?
How much have you saved so far?
Do you put money in every month?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that this'll cover their education without them taking on student loans?
SAY No guarantees — but if I can put together an education plan that helps your kids graduate without student loans, would you want to see it?
Gap Identified
Proposal Needed
Documents / Notes
5 Debt & Liabilities
5
Debt & Liabilities
Understand what they owe — mortgages, consumer debt, loans
BRIDGE: "Now let's look at the other side of the ledger. Almost everyone I meet with has some form of debt — there's no judgment here. I just need the numbers so I can build a plan that actually works."
SAY Now let's look at the other side. I want to get a picture of what you owe so I can build a plan that gets things paid off as fast as possible.
Mortgage — Principal Residence
Who's your mortgage with?
What do you pay each month?
What's your interest rate?
How much is left on it?
What's your home worth today, roughly?
What do you pay in property tax each year?
Do you carry mortgage insurance? (This sometimes shows up as a line item on your mortgage statement.) How much monthly?
When does your mortgage renew?
Mortgage — Other Properties
Who's the lender?
Monthly payment?
Interest rate?
How much is left?
What's it worth?
Annual property tax?
Mortgage insurance $/mo?
When does it renew?
SAY Tell me about any other debts — credit cards, lines of credit, personal loans, that kind of stuff.
Consumer Debt
Debt NameCurrent BalanceMinimum PaymentInterest Rate
SAY I can't make any promises — but if I can put together a plan that gets you out of debt faster and pays off your mortgage sooner, would you want to see it? IF THEY'RE HESITANT ABOUT SHARING DEBT: "I get it — debt can feel personal. You're not alone. Most of my clients are carrying some form of debt. The numbers just help me build something that works in real life, not on a spreadsheet."
Gap Identified
Proposal Needed
Documents / Notes
6 Cashflow
6
Cashflow
Build a monthly budget snapshot — current spending and the future picture
BRIDGE: "This last piece helps me make sure the plan fits within your monthly budget. Rough estimates are fine — round to the nearest $50 and don't look anything up. We just need a clear picture."
SAY This last piece helps me make sure the plan fits within your monthly budget. Rough estimates are fine — we just need a clear picture. Where do you see your spending now, and what would you like it to look like going forward? PACING: You don't need to fill every line. Focus on the big three: Housing, Debt Payments, and Savings. Ask for rough estimates on the rest only if time allows. "Rough estimate" means round to the nearest $50 — they don't need to look anything up.

Housing

Current $/moFuture $/mo
Rent / Mortgage
Cell Phone
TV / Internet
Gas (home)
Electricity
Water & Waste
Maintenance
Other

Family

Current $/moFuture $/mo
Food & Groceries
Child Care
Alimony / Child Support

Giving

Current $/moFuture $/mo
Charity
Tithing
Gifts

Transportation

Current $/moFuture $/mo
Gas (auto)
Maintenance & Repairs
Other

Leisure

Current $/moFuture $/mo
Vacations
Memberships
Restaurants
Subscriptions

Debt Payments

Current $/moFuture $/mo
Mortgage
Other Debts

Insurance

Current $/moFuture $/mo
Life
Home & Auto
Mortgage Insurance

Savings

Current $/moFuture $/mo
Retirement
Non-Retirement
Education
Short-Term
Emergency Fund
Other

Taxes

Current $/moFuture $/mo
Income Tax
Property Tax
Gap Identified
Proposal Needed
Documents / Notes
7 Personal Info & Wrap
7
Personal Info & Wrap-Up
Capture contact details, confirm commitment, and schedule the follow-up
BRIDGE: "Almost done. I just need a few details so I can reach you and build your plan. Then I have a couple of quick questions before we wrap."
SAY Almost done. I just need a few details so I can get in touch and start building your plan.
ClientSpouse
Contact Details
Full Name
Date of Birth
Email
Phone 1
Phone 2
Income & Employment
Monthly Take-Home Pay (approx.)
Employer
Job Title
Years of Service
Children
Child 1 — Name, Birthday, Gender
Child 2 — Name, Birthday, Gender
Child 3 — Name, Birthday, Gender
Child 4 — Name, Birthday, Gender
SAY Before we wrap, I want to shift gears for a moment. This next part is separate from your financial plan — it's about something else entirely. You can say no to this and it won't affect anything we've discussed today. Fair?

Commitment Questions — Must Ask All Three

  1. 1 If I put together a plan that gets you to your goals and fits within your budget, would you want to move forward with it at our next meeting? Yes   No
  2. 2 Assuming you're happy with what I do for you, would you be open to introducing me to people you know who could use this same help? Yes   No
  3. 3 Completely separate from your financial plan — if at any point you wanted to explore what a part-time income opportunity looks like with our team, would you be open to that conversation? Yes   No
SAY It'll take me a few days to put your plan together. When's a good time for us to get back together?

Schedule the Follow-Up Appointment

What day of the week works best for you?
Are you more of a mornings person, afternoons, or evenings?
Gap Identified
Proposal Needed
Documents / Notes