A day in the life of a financial planner in Spain: Meet Peter Dougherty
What does a financial planner do? And how can having one on hand help expats living in Spain?
Peter Dougherty, EFP, CRPC®, is a Financial Planner at BISSAN Wealth Management in Spain. Peter brings his passion for finance to the job every day. And thanks to his nearly 25 years of experience in the financial sector, he also brings wisdom and knowledge to his work.
What is the work of a financial planner?
As Peter explains, “A financial plan is a roadmap for our finances that increases the likelihood of achieving our goals. Having a financial plan is particularly important for expats living in Spain. Without one, we increase the possibility of frustration, confusion or even financial loss. Creating a financial plan on our own, though, can feel overwhelming. To ensure we’re doing it right, it’s best to partner with skilled professionals such as the team at BISSAN Wealth Management. BISSAN’s experts can help build a well-thought-out strategy to give us the confidence we’re on track to meet our objectives, as well as provide guidance around tax strategies to help minimize costs.”
What is a typical day for this cross-border financial planner?
Peter has made a lifetime goal of listening to his clients to understand and meet their needs. He measures every day asking himself two questions: 1) Did I provide helpful counsel and assistance to clients? and 2) Did I improve my ability to do so in the future?
- When he sees the weight lift from his clients’ shoulders, Mr. Dougherty knows he’s been helpful. It’s one of the most rewarding parts of his job.
- Peter has returned to the classroom repeatedly to improve his skills:
- 2021 – accredited as a European Financial Advisor by the European Financial Planning Association of Spain (EFPA España)
- 2022 - accredited as a European Financial Planner by EFPA España
- 2023 – certified as a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor® by The College for Financial Planning
- 2024 – awarded a Master’s degree in Spanish taxation by Instituto Europeo de Asesoría Fiscal (Institute of Tax Planning)
Can anyone in Spain hire him?
Yes. Peter assists clients across all of Spain geographically and across a wide range of income and wealth levels.
Peter’s firm, BISSAN Wealth Management, does not have a minimum investment amount for its clients. As Peter explains, “BISSAN started helping families in Spain with their investments in 2010. Shortly afterward, we began helping with financial planning. But in 2012 the Spanish stock market suffered a sudden 50% drop. Curiously, the families we’d helped with financial planning did not sell their investments in those moments of panic. On the other hand, the families that had merely invested with us – and not received our help with financial planning – often sold at or near the market’s bottoms. The Spanish market quickly recovered, and by the end of 2012, BISSAN’s investments were again in the black for the year. Nonetheless, we learned that financial planning is the ‘secret ingredient’, it helps allow our clients to invest successfully. That’s why we welcome clients who seek financial planning, not merely investment advice. Whether those clients have a lot of assets or very few is less important than what they seek when they hire us.”
For a free consultation: https://spainfinancialplanning.weebly.com
