The Planning Process

The Discovery meeting is a our first chance to get to know you as a client; what are your goals, your interests, your challenges.  Much of this phase will be qualitative, but we'll start looking at your quantitative status quo - analyzing existing investments, reviewing in-force wills/trust/insurance policies, and determining your risk tolerance.

The goal for Discovery is for our team to develop an accurate understanding of your current financial circumstances as well as your desired milestones & end-state for each of the following phases.

In this phase we will compare your cash flow needs to all your current and future sources of income.  These include guaranteed sources like Social Security, Pensions, and Annuities.  It also includes non-guaranteed sources like interest from Bonds, dividends from Stocks, expected inheritances, or proceeds from the sale of a business.

Once we understand what you want to accomplish, we'll develop an investment strategy to accomplish it.  Whether your focus is preservation, growth, income, or a combination of the three, we will bring to bear the necessary investments such as individual stocks and bonds, exchange traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, and money-market funds.

As financial resources increase, so do your taxes.  That's why we dedicate time in our planning process to address them head-on.  You'll receive clarity on anticipated tax levels for each year of your financial plan, as well as suggested strategies to reduce what you pay as much as possible, both now and in the future.

The two greatest risks to any financial plan are passing away early, and living too long.  That's where insurance and annuities can help.  These products are designed to address early mortality and longevity risk respectively.  We'll help you frame your longevity risk and determine what, if any, protections you need for you and your family.  

When you want to leave a legacy, you don't want to leave it to chance.  That's where estate planning comes in.  We'll work with you to understand your intent and suggest the most efficient way to structure your estate with a combination of Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, and Proxies.  We also leverage our extensive network of attorneys, trustees, and fiduciaries to help you build an estate planning team you're comfortable handing the reins to.

Some clients possess circumstances that require extremely detailed work of a highly specialized variety.  We are happy to accommodate.  These include but are not limited to Special Needs Planning, Business Valuation, Executive Compensation Analysis, Veterans Benefits Analysis, and Ultra High Net Worth Planning.  

Once the above phases are complete, we'll put your financial plan into action.  While it feels like this phase is the "completion" of something, it is really just the beginning.  We are continuously monitoring the effectiveness of your financial plan and making minor adjustments as necessary.  We'll plan to meet at least quarterly to discuss updates and major adjustments, although you can contact us whenever you feel the need.