What We Do
Our Process
Your life is like a business. There are cash inflows and outflows, which bring opportunities for reinvestment. However, one major difference between the two are the emotions that can disrupt rational decision making. Does money cause you stress and make you feel immobilized at times? Do fluctuations in the financial markets leave you feeling uncertain? Let us help ease your mind, so you can focus on what is most important to you in life.
Determine the Depth of the Engagement
Our process is all about creating comfort. This begins with a casual conversation to identify the scope of the advisor/client relationship. Is this a full financial analysis? A single advanced planning topic? Or something very limited? (e.g. 401(k) rollover or life insurance audit)
Determine Risk Threshold, Identify Emotional Triggers and Prioritize Goals
Examples of your goals may be:
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Retire by a certain age
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Protect assets from market volatility
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Efficiently pass wealth to the next generation
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Insure against risk of injury, sickness or mortality
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Save money on an existing life insurance policy
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Create tax deductions for a business
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Retain key employees
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Protect against disability or death of a business owner or key employee
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Ensure the continued succession of business assets
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Design a buyout strategy for a business
Once we define the nature of the engagement, we want to identify your tolerance for risk. This is the level of risk you are willing to take without the feeling of anxiety. We aim to ease your fears, so you can clearly focus on the long-term objectives.
Next, we look at the things that could potentially impact your decision making. Money, interest, investing, debt, and insurance are all driven by emotion, based on our prior experiences. While in a perfect world we would all remove emotion from the picture, we understand that this is not human nature. We want to make you feel at ease with your decisions.
Finally, we set your goals. Some clients may know exactly what their goals are, while with others, we will work to clearly identify them. Once identified, they will then be prioritized so we can focus on what is most important to you.
Analyze Data and Formulate the Plan
Next, we will gather quantitative information (e.g. financial statements, legal documents, cash flow analysis). We then take this information and perform an in-depth analysis. We evaluate surplus, shortfalls, needs and opportunities, and determine if you’re on track to reach your goals. We then formulate a strategy that will provide you with various options for success.
Implementation
After we have discussed your current situation and identified what areas need improvement, we will then present you with strategies that correspond with your goals, risk threshold and emotional triggers. The final decision on what we implement is always yours.
Periodically Review
The planning relationship never truly ceases. Over the years, you will experience life events that will alter your goals, desires and way of thinking. Our process is an ongoing relationship that we will continue to monitor closely. We will meet with you periodically or at a frequency of your choosing to keep you on track to financial success.