We're not wealthy. What can a financial planner do for us?

A 63-year-old reader and her 68-year-old husband, who is still working, write in wanting what they call a 'state of the nation' check-up on their finances, along with real direction on what to do next. Allan starts with the discovery meeting, the unglamorous but essential first step where a planner actually learns how a couple lives, what they value, and what keeps them up at night, arguing that skipping it is why so many plans miss the mark. From there he introduces scenario planning, likening it to a flight simulator that lets the couple test different what-ifs, retiring now or waiting a few more years, downsizing the house, delaying CPP and OAS, or drawing down their RRSP, TFSA and non-registered accounts in a different order, before anything is locked in. The goal isn't to hand over one 'correct' answer but to let the couple see the trade-offs of each path clearly enough to choose a direction they actually believe in and can stick with. It's a grounding read for any couple who feels like they have decent savings but no real plan, and wants to understand what a financial planner actually does beyond picking investments.