Our Investment & Wealth Management Process

Our Investment and Wealth Management Process

 

Introduction:

 

We believe that prudent investing and the management of one’s wealth begins with a structured, but yet simple, process that’s centered on you and results in a program that is tailored (customized) to your specific values, beliefs, goals, concerns and needs.  In essence, we utilize (what we consider to be) a client-centered consultative process regarding your investments and the management of what you’ve accumulated.  It’s your feedback and input that drives and determines our ultimate recommendations that are personalized to you.

 

We consider a sound investment and wealth management process that includes six (6) steps; those steps being:

 

1. Understanding “You”:  We begin with an initial client meeting, during which we gather information and gain an understanding of what you want to accomplish.  This includes gathering information about you, your family, your goals, dreams, aspirations, concerns, current financial situation, your past investing and planning experiences, your investment and planning horizon, your definition of (and tolerance for) risk, your current and anticipated spending requirements, any other special circumstances, and how all of the foregoing “fits”, today, relative to what you want to accomplish and any potential obstacles.

 

2. Establishing your Strategy:  Driven by what we learn from Step 1 and what we, collectively, agree upon, we develop a written “game plan” that’s yours; a specific plan of action that is designed to help you distinguish between your needs and wants, to help you prioritize each, to clearly outline expectations, and to provide a road map for getting you to where you want to be (or making sure that you “preserve” and manage where you already are — assuming where you “are” is where you want to "be").  Your strategy can range from spending all of your current income to developing an extensive savings and investment program for your future financial security and peace of mind. If your goals are primarily investment-driven, your strategy can include a goal of attaining a certain minimum return over a particular period of time, the types of investments to be utilized, the “mix” of investments to be utilized, the frequency with which investment performance is to be reviewed, etc.  If your goals and/or concerns are more tax-efficiency driven, your strategy might include utilization of certain tax-friendly investment vehicles and certain minimum thresholds of tax-free income.  An effective strategy for you may target all five (5) areas of wealth management (i.e., the accumulation, protection, management, enjoyment, and transfer of your wealth.

 

3. Identifying Alternative Courses for Action:  Developing alternatives is crucial part of making good decisions.  Although many factors can influence the alternatives that may be available, the choices, typically, include:

·         Continuing the current course with no changes.

·         Continuing the current course with minor changes.

·         Continuing the current course, but with some significant changes.

·         Taking a new course, all together.

 

4. Evaluating the Alternatives:  We feel that taking your life situation, personal values, and current economic conditions into consideration is paramount when evaluating and weighing the possible courses of actions available to you.  Choosing a particular course of action may have the effect of preventing another.  For example, choosing to increase your funding for retirement or helping a family member with college expenses may result in your having to forego a more expensive vacation.  “Opportunity Cost” is what one gives up by making a particular choice.  The cost cannot always be measured in dollars and cents.  Therefore, we feel that you should consider and weigh any lost opportunities that might result from the decision or decisions made.

Uncertainty is also a part of making decisions.  We feel that a thorough evaluation and assessment of the risks are also crucial and that the risks (as evaluated and assessed) be consistent with your tolerance for risk before actually adopting that particular decision.

 

5. Create and Implement a Financial Plan of Action:  Working together, we (collectively) develop a written “Action Plan” with specific tasks, assigned to specific people with specific deadlines, specific expected outcomes.  This requires choosing ways to achieve your goals – those goals being: short-term, intermediate, and/or long-term.

 

6. Reevaluate and Revise Your Plan of Action:  Planning is a dynamic and ever-evolving process.  It does not end when one takes a particular action.  Changing personal, social, and economic factors may require more frequent assessments and (where warranted) revisions.  When life events affect your needs, the planning process can provide the vehicle for adapting to those changes.  Regular review of the decision-making process will help you make any needed priority adjustments for bringing your goals and actions “in line” with your current and evolving circumstances.