Planning for your financial well-being is complicated. Fortunately, we’re equipped to help with each and every detail. With our experience, knowledge and resources, we can help you navigate changing tax laws*, volatile financial markets, inflation, and evolving personal family and business circumstances. When you engage us, you engage a team of professionals with extensive experience in investment, retirement, estate and business planning.
*Please note, changes in tax laws or regulations may occur at any time and could substantially impact your situation. Raymond James financial advisors do not render advice on tax or legal matters. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.
Our Planning Process
Introduction Interview
- Discuss our services and your current situation and unique circumstances
- Disclose how we are compensated
- Set expectations and timelines
Data Gathering
- Gather/discuss relevant financial data, objectives and risk tolerance
- Discuss and establish goals
- Discuss attitudes, views, concerns and expectations
Plan Design
- Assess current situation relative to goals, objectives and attitudes
- Analyze current estate documents and financial status
- Confirm and clarify data
- Prepare preliminary plan
- Test ideas and include key advisors in the process
- Refine recommendations
Formal Plan Presentation
- Present final plan document
- Answer questions
- Establish an action plan
Implementation
- Coordinate with other advisors
- Review and recommend specific financial instruments as necessary
- Assist in plan implementation
Review and Services
- Analyze ongoing issues
- Report results
- Make adjustments as your situation warrants
- Keep planning current
To ensure a full understanding of your situation, we gather and review necessary data including information about your family, your objectives and your goals, your business and your assets. Your wills and trusts, tax returns, life and disability insurance, and any other pertinent financial documents are also reviewed.
Prompted by questions you may never have asked, your objectives are clarified, qualified and solidified. We do this so we know the desired outcome for each area of planning. For example, “I want to retire at age 65 on a $250,000 inflation-adjusted income.” “I want to protect my daughter or son from themselves, creditors or from unintentional disinheritance with trust planning.”
A major benefit of our process is that problems present in your current planning are brought to light. Issues and opportunities are uncovered – some you may never have thought of – due to the depth and breadth of our planning.
Once all alternatives are weighed, recommendations and specific strategies for implementation are developed. To put you in a position to make an informed decision, the impact of our recommendations are measured and quantified and you are informed of the pros and cons of each recommendation. We encapsulate the agreed upon courses of action in a written financial plan.
When it’s time to implement your plan, we will assist you and will work with your attorney or CPA, as necessary, on your behalf.
Once implemented, your plan will be updated periodically to reflect changes in your situation or tax laws that affect your plan.
You will also be provided with webinar, conference call and workshop opportunities. To ensure all who are involved with your planning – including advisors of family members – are adequately notified, we coordinate individually planned conference calls. You will also be provided with updated market information and learning opportunities through workshops.
