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We spend so much time at work. Of course, ideally, we all have a very fulfilling profession, something that we love doing that gives us purpose, but also suits our strengths and pays the bills.

People come to me pretty often not happy in their current career and wanting to see if they can do a career change. They're concerned because perhaps they would be making less with the new career or they'll be out of the workforce for a period of time as they make the change. These are all things that I can help you with - I can analyze how that's going to affect your financial plan and your goals. Set up a roadmap for you to be successful. First, I need you to do a little bit of homework for me.

#1 Start talking to people that are in the profession that you're interested in.

You want to both get an idea of what a typical day is like, just to make sure it's what you expected, but also understand what the spectrum of possibilities are. What I mean by that - with most professions, there's different avenues you can take. You can work for a big firm, small firm, be self-employed, work hourly. Just seeing what is possible and what avenue you're most attracted to is going to help me do a better job running the numbers.

#2 Get an idea of the income that you can expect in a new career.

So when you're talking to people, don't be afraid to bring up that topic. Do research online. Get an idea of what the average salaries you can expect are. Say, does this seem appropriate? This is what I found. Can I expect something like this when I'm starting out? Just to get other people's perspectives as well.

For the people that are self-employed especially, you want to dig a little bit deeper. You want to get an idea of what their overhead costs are because they're paying for a lot out of pocket. What are they paying for registration, licensing, insurance? How many projects can they take per month? What are they charging per month? Whatever is appropriate for whatever industry you're looking into. We just want to be able to build that income and expenses expectation into the plan as accurately as possible.

#3 Research and document the time and the money that it's going to take for you to complete the career change.

Be as specific as possible about how you're going from Point A to Point B. Do you have to go back to school where you're paying tuition? Are you going to have to do an internship? I need to get an idea of how much of a cash reserve we need to account for in the plan to be able to support you during this process.

That's it. If you can get me that stuff, then I can do the rest.

Career changes can be really exciting, and it's easy to get wrapped up in the fun things but following this process just makes sure that we are clear on the costs and the time that you need to give yourself to be able to complete the transition successfully. My name is Linda Rogers, Owner of Planning Within Reach.

Content originally posted in blog form 3/28/2013.

Linda Rogers, CFP®, EA, MSBA is the owner and founder of Planning Within Reach, LLC (PWR). Originally from New Jersey, Linda services clients throughout San Diego county and nationwide. She leads the design of PWR's investment portfolios which utilize broad, low-cost investments that integrate environmentally, socially, and governance (ESG) factors.

Planning Within Reach, LLC (PWR) is a fee-only and fiduciary wealth management firm offering one-time comprehensive financial planning, ongoing impact-focused investment management and tax preparation services in San Diego and nationwide. PWR is a woman-owned firm that specializes in busy professionals and impact investors. Planning Within Reach, LLC and their advisors do not receive commissions and do not hold any insurance licenses or brokerage relationships.