Did you know that, according to the 2009 Sun Life Unretirement Index, 57 per cent of working Canadians don’t have a written retirement plan?

The Unretirement Index also indicated that 86 per cent of working Canadians who have a financial advisor feel that they make better financial decisions than those without an advisor, and 83 per cent of Canadians with an advisor feel more confident about their finances.

So, if you’re one of the almost half of working Canadians who doesn’t have a written plan, what do you need to do to take charge of your financial future?

Creating a complete financial plan that addresses your current and future needs doesn’t need to be intimidating. Here are five steps to help you get started:

• Understand the purpose of a financial plan, and what it is
• Find out where you are today and where your money is going
• Define your short-term and long-term goals
• Consider finding a financial advisor to help you start your financial plan
• Review your plan on a yearly basis to ensure it still meets your needs

Meeting your financial goals and preparing for the future are important, and many products and services exist to help you achieve these goals.

For those Canadians who own a home, their house is likely their largest asset, making their mortgage the largest part of their financial plan. Consider how a product like the National Bank All-In-One product is a good way to manage your mortgage and overall finances.

An all-in-one account presents many benefits to users, including:

• Flexibility: the account allows for a combination of fixed and variable interest rates in your sub-accounts, and the ability to deposit and withdraw funds against the loan
• Debt consolidation: the account pulls together all of your debt, loans, income and savings so they can be tracked and managed through one account
• Debt reduction: the income and savings in your account reduce your debt, decreasing the amount of interest that must be paid and increasing the speed at which you pay off your debt

More information is available online at www.sunlife.ca/MyFinancialPlan. Check out the webisodes at www.youtube.com/sunlifefinancial for a humorous perspective on the importance of financial planning and obtaining a financial advisor.