What is typically assessed during a financial needs analysis?

A financial needs analysis is primarily focused on understanding a client's current financial situation, including their assets, liabilities, income, and expenses, as well as their future financial needs and goals. This comprehensive assessment helps financial planners identify the gaps between where a client currently stands and where they want to be financially. By evaluating various factors such as life stages, risk tolerance, and specific financial objectives related to retirement, education, or purchasing a home, a financial planner can create tailored strategies and recommendations that align with the client's unique needs.

While considerations like market trends, competitor performance, and government regulations are important in broader financial planning, they serve more as contextual information than core components of an individual financial needs analysis. The analysis itself zeroes in on the client's personal financial landscape, making option B the most relevant and critical aspect of this process.