Our Financial Planning Process
To ensure a secure and prosperous future, it is crucial to have a well-defined financial plan in place. Our financial planning process is designed to help individuals and families navigate the complex world of personal finance and make informed decisions.
- Initial Consultation: Generally, this includes a high-level conversation about the primary goals of the prospective client. We begin the process by determining whether we’re a good fit. We get to know you and understand your financial goals, aspirations, and concerns. This helps us tailor our approach to your specific needs. Financial planning and investment management agreements are executed electronically via DocuSign.
- Discovery Meeting: Once the prospective client and advisor have determined that we’re a good fit to work with one another, we schedule the “discovery meeting”. We’ll use this time to gain a better understanding of your current financial situation, what got you here, and ultimately what you envision in the future. We’ll collect and analyze comprehensive data about your current financial situation, including income, expenses, assets, liabilities, investments, and insurance coverage. This helps us gain a holistic view of your financial landscape.
- Setting Goals: Together, we establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals that align with your long-term objectives. Whether it’s saving for retirement, purchasing a home, funding your children’s education, or starting a business, we ensure your goals are realistic and attainable.
- Risk Assessment: We assess your risk tolerance and examine your comfort level with different investment strategies. This step is crucial in determining the appropriate asset allocation that strikes a balance between growth potential and risk mitigation.
- Recommendation Meeting: We’ll provide a comprehensive plan that outlines various recommendations in all areas of your financial situation. This plan includes investment recommendations, tax strategies, estate planning considerations, and insurance coverage suggestions.
- Ongoing Planning Service: Plan Implementation: At the next meeting(s), we’ll assist in implementing the agreed-upon recommendations to ensure they’re carried out. A plan without any action is useless! Once the plan is finalized and approved by you, we proceed with its implementation. We help you establish investment accounts, set up retirement plans, make necessary insurance adjustments, and take care of any other actions required to put your plan into motion.
- Ongoing Planning Service: Regular Monitoring: We’ll conduct annual progress meetings to ensure you’re on track, make adjustments, or provide further clarity. Financial planning is an ongoing process. We review and monitor your plan regularly to ensure it remains aligned with your ever-changing circumstances and goals.
- Ongoing Planning Service: Continual Support: We have an open-door policy, so more than two meetings typically occur throughout the year which includes email support. Our commitment to you extends beyond the initial planning stages. We strive to be your trusted partner throughout your financial journey, providing ongoing support, education, and guidance to help you stay on track and make informed decisions as life unfolds.
By following this well-structured financial planning process, we aim to empower you to make sound financial decisions, achieve your goals, and secure your financial future. It’s never too early or too late to start planning. Let us help you create a roadmap to financial success.
Investment Philosophy
Our investment philosophy is centered around a combination of passive, low-cost investments and active management where it counts.
Sweeping changes don’t need to be made every day or every month for a portfolio to perform well over the long run. Instead, we focus on what we can control, which is our reactions to market swings, coaching healthy financial habits, keeping fees low, proper asset allocation decisions, and tracking toward your goals. In the end what matters is you’re able to live the life you want, free of financial concerns. If we’re able to achieve that, we’ve achieved our desired rate of return.
Generally, we utilize a globally diversified asset allocation while ensuring particular assets are located within their most tax-advantageous account(s). We rebalance periodically to ensure we stick to our rules-based approach. Finally, we can educate/advise on alternative investments for accredited investors.