So what are the steps?
1) Introductory Meeting
This is the first part of establishing a fruitful partnership, so be prepared! In this phase we will identify your goals, priorities, preferences, as well as potential obstacles. Along with this, we will mutually establish what your expectations are for us and whether an ongoing partnership is the right fit.
2) Exploration Phase
Based on our introductory meeting, we now want to take a deeper dive into your situation. During this session we can begin to sketch a preliminary plan as we engage in a more comprehensive discussion about your personal and financial goals. The more open this phase is, the more detailed our plan can be.
3) Detailed Planning
Now it is time to set you up with a plan. Based on the prior discussions, we can deliver an easy to follow roadmap that will lead you towards your financial goals. We will specifically address the areas that are of greatest importance to you: retirement savings, early investment options, risk management, insurance, first time home ownership, estate planning, and detail the steps needed to conquer each obstacle.
4) Ongoing Aid and Advice
Your priorities and goals will inevitably shift through time which is why we are here to proactively prepare your plan. We embrace change. As your life circumstances facilitate a different approach to financial planning, wealth management, and savings options, we will be a constant presence to ensure that your plan transitions along with you.
The personal relationship that we develop with each of our clients starts with an initial meeting to identify your investment objectives and risk tolerance levels. We review our philosophy and investment approach with you so that you fully understand our portfolio management approach. You will complete a risk tolerance questionnaire that will become the basis for discussing the allocation of various asset classes within your portfolio.
Over the course of the next few meetings, the content and breadth of each meeting is defined by your personal needs. We can review your estate planning and risk management needs; discuss retirement accumulation or distribution planning; evaluate educational funding needs; review your tax situation; and go over any other items we identify in the initial meeting as being critical to your financial success. If you own a closely held business, we may also discuss business succession planning strategies. We may run a financial projection to evaluate the feasibility of attaining your goals. When appropriate we may also, with your permission, consult your other advisors including attorneys and CPAs.
Once you select an allocation, we put together an implementation plan that will coordinate investment of your portfolio between qualified (tax-advantaged) assets and non-qualified assets in order to maximize tax efficiency. Doing so can substantially increase the after-tax growth of your portfolio. The topics we address during our time with you vary depending on your unique needs and situation. The reason our clients hire us is because we have the experience to know what questions to ask and what actions need to be taken next.
We will provide you with performance reporting that will clearly show your performance net of all fees and compared to applicable market indexes. Additionally your assets are held at a reputable third-party custodian that furnishes independent monthly reports so you can feel confident about the safe handling of your money. Our strategy includes enhanced rebalancing of your portfolio to make sure you do not veer too far from the initial allocation we have agreed on. This ensures that your portfolio risk is consistent with your risk tolerance and financial goals.