Financial Planning

Together, we will gain an understanding of where you are now, examine the available options, and create a strategy for your goals. As a fee-only financial planner, my compensation never includes commissions. Clients pay me for my work, not insurance companies and brokerage firms.

Fees for the Initial Financial Plan 

First, you and I determine what the scope of work for your plan will be.  Then, I provide you with a fee estimate based upon the projected number of hours needed. The fee estimate is calculated at my hourly rate (currently $290 per hour). The cost for a written plan that includes 2 meetings to go over the plan is typically in the $4,500 to $12,000 range.

If you wish to have your investments professionally managed, please note that the cost of your financial plan can be used to reduce the first four quarters of investment management fees. The investment management fee reduction can be equal to up to half the cost of your financial plan.      

Other Options

If you want ideas and perspective from a Certified Financial Planner™, but not a financial plan, go to Financial Planning Consultation under the Services menu above. If you are primarily seeking an investment manager, please see Investments & Plan Updates.  

How I Help

Big Picture Goals

• Protecting and creating family wealth
• Being able to do the things that are most important to you
• Having your assets serve you instead of feeling like you are serving them 
• Not only having a strategy, but knowing that you have support for acting upon that strategy  

Investments

• Simplifying and consolidating when practical
• Recommendations that you can implement on your own or with my help
• Utilizing low-cost index funds, unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise

Taxes

• Reducing your investment taxes, without reducing gains
• Determining if doing a Roth IRA conversion makes sense for you
• Obtaining a larger tax benefit from your existing level of charitable giving   
• Taking the best advantage of any employment related investing opportunities 
• Placing investments in the type of account that is the best fit for that asset (asset location)

Trusts & Inheritance

• Understanding your options 
• Working with your existing legal and tax professionals
• Strategy for making withdrawals from inherited retirement accounts
• Getting a handle on assets previously managed by a deceased spouse or parent
• For trustees, help you to protect yourself in the same ways that corporate trustees do
• When desired, planning investment strategy with both the current and next generation in mind

Retirement Planning  

• Setting a date for retirement
• When to file for social security   
• Cash flow planning to create a paycheck in retirement
• Establishing a safe spending rate to make sure assets last a lifetime
• Pension decisions such as whether to accept a lump-sum or a lifetime payout

Areas Outside the Focus of My Practice 

I recommend working with a different financial planner if your objectives call for an advisor who provides the services shown below.  

• Accountability partner for spending   
• Strategies involving cryptocurrency (e.g., Bitcoin)  
• Evaluating new purchases of investment real estate
• Plans in which the primary focus is on student loans
• Purchasing individual stocks, other than employer stock purchased at a discount
• Market timing (trying to determine the exact right time to move in and out of the stock market)