By Terri Weatherbee

Before I share some thoughts with you on planning, let's get to know each other a bit.

I'm Terri Wetherbee and among a long list of things that define me, my career/title is financial advisor. My office is in downtown Scranton but my heart is in Tunkhannock with my family.  I'm a mom of three wonderful children ages 4, 11 and 14; a wife, a sister, daughter, volunteer and unpaid cook, housekeeper and chauffeur. So enough about me…

This column is really your opportunity to allow me to use the resources of my experience and the expertise of Citi Smith Barney to help you navigate your financial journey. Think of me as your financial GPS - tell me where you are and where you want to go and I'll draw you a map to help you find the way. 

So please send me your questions at Theresa.L.Wetherbee@smithbarney.com, and I'll do my best to answer them in a timely manner. If you don't use a computer, you can write me care of the Scranton Post, 329 Penn Ave., Suite 203, Scranton, 18503.

For my first couple of columns, I'll share some fundamentals of investing with you from complete articles that can be found at my website,  fa.smithbarney.com/wetherbee. The following excerpt is by the Smith Barney Division of Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

While it's never a bad time to revisit the fundamentals of investing, it's an especially good time to do so when volatile markets start making investors feel anxious and uncertain. It's during times like these that you'll hear a lot about asset allocation.

The whole point of asset allocation - the spreading of funds across different asset categories such as stocks and bonds - is to achieve your long-term financial goals with less risk. But in order for your asset allocation to be truly effective, your goals must be based on more than just market returns, industry sectors or the interest rate on a bond. Instead, your financial goals should correspond to your lifestyle, family and passions. Only when you've identified what you want to get out of life can you begin to build an appropriate long-term investment plan around that insight.

How do you get started?

Get ready to have a number of intimate conversations with your spouse or partner and other integral family members. These discussions should help clarify the lifestyle you wish to maintain when you are no longer in your peak-earnings years. In addition to funding your vision of retirement (do you want to live like you do today, more modestly or more extravagantly?), you should consider how you will cover tuition expenses, charitable outlays and anything in between near and dear to you, while still having enough readily available to jump on new opportunities.

Ask yourself if you are more of a conservative or aggressive investor - and why. If you consider yourself conservative, for example, is it because you had a bad past experience? Do you understand how issues such as the possibility of living longer than expected factor into a conservative allocation? The more you can articulate who you are and what matters to you, the better equipped you will be to put together a portfolio that aims to help you fulfill your goals and ideals.

Because as important as a sound asset allocation strategy is, it's only as good as the goals and ideals you've identified. The performance of your investment portfolio has to do more than just look good on paper - it has to also be good enough to allow you to get what you want out of your life.

So tell me what topics you feel will help you plan beyond the numbers!  Looking forward to hearing from you!

Terri Wetherbee is a Financial Advisor with Smith Barney in Scranton, PA and may be reached at 888-302-8727 or theresa.L.wetherbee@smithbarney.com.  Or visit her website at http://fa.smithbarney.com/wetherbee 

Diversification does not ensure against loss.

Smith Barney is a division and service mark of Citigroup Global Markets Inc.  Member SIPC.