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A plan you can understand.  An advisor you can depend on.

A plan you can understand.  An advisor you can depend on.

A sound plan is the foundation for long term financial success. I'm not talking about a 75 page report with dozens of pie charts and bar graphs. I'm talking about clearly defined goals such as "retiring by a certain age" or "paying for college," and understanding exactly how we're going to get there. 

Once we've identified your goals our next step will be to create a financial "Road Map" for your household. This document will be a snapshot of your complete financial picture and will guide most of the decisions we make about your plan. The Road Map has 3 main sections:

Household Balance Sheet

In this section we will inventory the financial assets (and liabilities) you have at your disposal to help you reach your goals. This might include Social Security, Roth IRAs, 529 plans, savings, rental properties, and 401(k) plans (and many others).  

Relevant liabilities might include vehicle loans, a mortgage, and credit cards. 

Household Cash Flow Statement

"Where does all of my money go?!"

 We've all asked ourselves this at some point in time, and in this step we're actually going to answer that question. We won't just be mapping out your cash flow today, but projecting how it will change over time due to changes in lifestyle and inflation. 

Open-Ended Questionnaire

The final section is a series of open-ended questions about...you! Don't worry, there are no "right" or "wrong" answers.

"When do you want to retire?"

"Do you have a will and a living well?  If so, when were they last updated?"

Improving Your Plan

Once your Road Map is complete, we'll review it together to determine if there are immediate changes we can implement to improve your financial outlook and put you on track to reach your financial goals.  We may find that we're able to...

  • Reduce your tax burden by making better use of your employer sponsored retirement plan(s).
  • Manage your non-retirement accounts in a more tax-efficient manner.
  • Establish an adequate emergency fund.
  • Use idle savings to pay down high-interest debt.
  • Reduce your investment costs by utilizing index funds in your investment portfolios.
  • Align your asset allocation with your risk tolerance and time horizon.
  • Diversify concentrated stock positions.
  • Save for college without diminishing your eligibility for financial aid.
  • Determine your optimal Social Security timing strategy.
  • Reduce your life insurance costs by implementing a "Buy Term & Invest the Difference" ("BTID") strategy.
  • Earn tax-free interest and investment income.

This is far from a comprehensive list and for illustrative purpose only of course.

Actual investment return and principal value of index funds will fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. A plan of regular investing does not assure a profit or protect against loss in a declining market. You should consider your financial ability to continue your purchase throughout periods of fluctuating price levels. Please obtain a prospectus for complete information including charges and expenses. Read it carefully before you invest or send money.

Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee a profit or protect against loss. 

Staying on Track

Staying on Track

The planning process is one that never truly ends. Once the Road Map is complete and initial changes are implemented we'll transition our focus to maintaining your plan over time. This typically involves...

  • Comprehensive annual plan reviews in person. 
  • Semiannual summary plan reviews by telephone or video conference.
  • Portfolio rebalancing (as needed).
  • Market updates to reinforce positive investor behavior and to help avoid making emotional decisions about money.
  • Modifying your Road Map as needed due to life events.

Of course this timeline isn't set in stone. We can modify the plan maintenance schedule to fit your individual circumstances. And of course, I'm always available to my clients whenever an important financial decision needs to be made.


I hope you've found this information useful. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment (no cost or obligation), please give me call, send me an email, or use the contact form below. Thanks again for visiting!

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