Our Process

We have included a list of steps below, so you know what to expect as we work together to manage your financial goals.

1. Intro Meeting

The primary goal of the introductory meeting, whether by phone or in person, is to address any questions or concerns you might have regarding the services we offer. The three main objectives of this meeting are to:

1. Ensure we're able to provide value by assisting you with your financial needs.
2. Establish a mutually beneficial relationship.
3. Determine how to best work together to build a partnership based on honesty, integrity, and respect.

2. Information Gathering

This meeting is used to gather pertinent information concerning your financial circumstances. Prior to meeting, we will provide you with a list of helpful items, such as bank statements, brokerage statements, 401(k)/retirement statements, tax returns, and any other important financial information to assist in the conversation. The more information you provide, the more detailed we can be in addressing your financial goals. Our priority is to always ensure we're aware of what's important to you, so we can help you accomplish what you value most.

You will also be asked to complete our client questionnaire to help us get to know you better.

3. Organize and Analyze

We organize and analyze the information you share with us to craft a holistic financial roadmap and plan to address your individual needs, objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizon. We will review your existing assets and propose an asset allocation approach that aligns with your objectives and risk preferences in the preliminary plan. Additionally, we'll assess your estate planning, tax optimization, retirement preparation, insurance coverage, funding for education, debt management, and cash flow analysis.

4. Documentation

Upon agreement to work together, we will ask you to complete the required new account and transfer documentation electronically or in person. Generally, publicly traded securities (excluding proprietary investments and annuities) can be smoothly transferred between firms, and all accounts will be set up exactly the same as your current bank and/or brokerage firm. We'll manage the complete transfer process, aiming to ensure your experience is as smooth as possible. On average, it takes approximately ten business days to complete the process. Please note, LPL Financial does not charge any fees to transfer your accounts, however, your existing firm may charge an account closing fee, typically between $50 to $150 per account.

5. Implementation Plan

Following the completion of your account transfers, we initiate an in-depth exploration of each investment currently held in your portfolio, leading to the formulation of a comprehensive implementation plan. Our analysis is based on the insights sourced from reputable research entities including LPL Financial's unbiased research division, as well as Fi360, Morningstar, and Moody’s. This rigorous assessment aids us in identifying investments that remain suitable for your circumstances and we meticulously factor in considerations like capital gains, losses, and liquidation costs. Subsequently, we classify each investment into the appropriate asset category, retaining those we deem prudent while divesting from those we deem no longer relevant. Our ultimate objective is to craft an asset allocation strategy and a holistic financial blueprint carefully tailored to your distinct aspirations, objectives, and risk preferences. We also discuss any other needs you may have during this step to address topics, such as estate planning, tax strategizing, retirement planning, insurance, college funding, debt financing and cash flow analysis. We will work closely with your other advisors, CPAs, attorneys, etc. to make sure all of your needs are met, and if you don't have an established relationship with other practitioners, we can offer recommendations or referrals from our professional network to assist you.

6. Confirmation

We'll contact you to affirm your trade confirmations and go over where we are in the process. We'll also schedule a phone or in person meeting to review your first statement and online account together to ensure you understand everything clearly.

7. Regular Monitoring and Review

We are committed to ongoing monitoring and review of the economy, markets, investment landscape, and your portfolio. You are never in this alone; our aim is to stay one step ahead, anticipating your requirements even before they come to your attention. While not obligatory, we strongly recommend a quarterly assessment of your portfolio and financial circumstances. This serves as an optimal opportunity for us to engage in a conversation about economic and market conditions and their potential impact on your portfolio. Furthermore, we advise periodic comprehensive evaluations of your overall wealth status, at minimum once a year so we can delve into an in-depth exploration of your goals and accounts to ensure alignment and well-informed decisions. The goal of the reviews is to accomplish four things:

1. Examine the progress of your overall plan.
2. Ensure the services we provide not only meet, but but also exceed your expectations.
3. Follow up on any updated personal and/or financial information.
4. Determine if your goals, objectives, and risk tolerances have changed.

It is important for you to let us know if your situation has changed so we can make changes as necessary. We will also use these meetings to provide you with detailed performance information using our internal performance reporting software. Reports are available any time upon request.