Why should I hire an advisor?
You may or may not need an advisor. When we begin working together, many of our clients are busy, successful professionals who don’t want to do it all on their own and would like to have a trusted (and unstuffy) partner to help guide significant financial decisions. Clients who partner with us tend to be high-income earners in fields like medicine, or they run their own businesses, and can benefit from help with portfolio management, tax planning, charitable strategies, and more. Common challenges include reducing taxes, maximizing retirement savings opportunities, equipping the next generation to make good financial decisions, and striking a balance between enjoying today and preparing for tomorrow.
What is your process?
Financial planning is not a one-and-done; it’s an ongoing process that includes thoughtful conversations, action, and review. We don’t believe in 300-page binders that collect dust and become outdated before they hit your shelf. The process is showing up, again and again, whether life is going well or is throwing a curveball or two your way. So we make the conversations inviting, unstuffy, and real—because it’s important that you continue to show up.
In our first year of working together, we typically have a minimum of 3 meetings and several check-in calls. Afterwards, the cadence will vary depending on your situation but with a minimum of one meeting a year, whether in-person, by phone, or virtually.
What is your investment philosophy?
Most of the clients we work with prioritize prudent asset management and risk reduction over stretching for unsustainable performance. We mainly utilize managed portfolios so that we can focus our energy on what cannot be outsourced: understanding and addressing your top challenges, concerns, and vision for the future. We use both active and passive managed strategies, many of which can be customized to meet your needs for tax efficiency, social responsibility, and risk management.
How do you get paid?
We are primarily fee-based, using both flat-fees and asset under management (AUM) fees. We can assist you with selecting life insurance and long-term care insurance, both of which are typically on a commission basis. Every situation is unique, so we will discuss your costs with you at the onset and periodically as your situation changes.
Rather than focus on investments alone, we take a thorough, 360-degree approach to wealth management and sound financial planning. I think of it as a ‘wellness approach’ that helps achieve a balance between money and life, and makes decisions so much easier.
