The pursuit of financial success begins with a plan
Financial plans are talked about often. But what does that actually mean?
We prefer to talk about a retirement/legacy plan. After all, most of us are saving so we can one day replace our employment income with investment income for our retirement years or to pass on a legacy.
In our early years it’s simple, just save as much as you possibly can, get a good return, and keep going. What happens when, after a number of decades, you may start to wonder ‘Am I There Yet?’ Do I have enough saved now to be work optional or even retire? If not, when will I be at that point? How do you even calculate that? How do I assess all my current or future sources of income from my 401K, pensions, social security, real estate, inheritance, sale of a business, etc? How do I take tax planning and inflation into account? How do I even know how much money I/we will need for the rest of our lives?
It can be overwhelming! Sometimes it’s easier to say, maybe I’ll just work for another year and keep saving, and then another year, and another, and…. you get the picture.
Where we excel is helping our clients make sense of all these questions (and more), because we’re all unique. Everyone’s circumstances and desires are different. There is no one size fits all, this process really needs to be customizable, understandable, and flexible as we all know even the best laid plans can be derailed by unexpected events. It’s how adaptable our plan is to those events that can be the difference between us being financially free or not.
We cut through industry jargon that is often used. We explore ideas and tools designed to fit your unique needs. Our team wants to know what keeps you awake at night and what makes you truly happy. We work with you to personalize a plan using our decades of knowledge within this field. We take the time to get to know you and your family and take pride in helping you retire the way you want to.
If you’re wondering ‘Am I There Yet?’ please contact us and we can help you figure it out.
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Realistic goals provide the foundation for a solid financial plan. That is why it is important to codify your own. They can include educators for children, a second home, your income needs in retirement, your philanthropic interests, and plans for your estate. Because no two people are the same, building a financial plan around your specific goals creates a plan that is uniquely yours. We will work closely with you to identify and define your near- and long-term goals, check for goals that may conflict and work to resolve conflicts that arise. Even more important, we’ll set metrics with which to define success and adjust your plan as necessary.
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Along with a complete picture of your goals and time horizons, a personalized plan must incorporate current assets and liabilities in order to establish your net worth and review it throughout the years to come. We also consider your comfort level with risk so investments can be made accordingly. If applicable, consideration is also given to consolidating accounts to make finances and cash flow easier to track and manage.
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Finally, we believe a financial plan should be as dynamic as the life it represents. Things change, priorities sometimes shift and new opportunities wait just over the horizon. That is why we review your plan’s progress relative to your defined objectives. Should changes need to be made, we rely on myriad resources and experts to help guide our decision process and also to suggest appropriate actions or strategies. Together, we can review the options and make objective decisions. To keep you apprised, we provide reporting of your account activity and conduct reviews. Because we are truly partners in this important endeavor, we also rely upon you to communicate any significant changes in your life.