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For an individual client, a financial planning analyst uses financial modeling software to evaluate fiscal needs; suggests portfolio additions such as stocks, bonds, or mutual funds; and forecasts potential earnings over time.
For a corporate client, the financial planning analyst performs in-depth research and analysis of a wide range of capital investment opportunities, such as securities, venture capital offerings, and real estate acquisitions. Using financial modeling software, he or she develops a comprehensive business plan, which may include an audio-visual presentation with illustrated fiscal scenarios, to be delivered to the client corporation in person or online.
The financial software suites provide obvious opportunities for technical writers, and the business plans seem to provide more. For verification, I talked to Michael Fuller, a technical writer and local expert who formerly held analyst and management positions with financial services, securities, and investment firms. He reached an advanced proficiency with standard desktop publishing tools used by technical writers, and routinely submitted business plans and marketing presentations to his managers and attorneys for review.
I asked Michael if he knows of other technical writers in the financial industry, and he answered with a touch of irony, "Yes, but they are attorneys and paralegals!" When a wealthy client needs estate planning, Michael explained, the project is so technical—involving real estate, tax, probate, and investment law—that it must be transferred to an attorney and legal staff who specialize in this field. The easiest way for a technical writer to play this game, Michael asserted, is to become a certified paralegal. The existence of legal and financial cross-functional specialties was news to me!