Our disciplined approach

Research indicates there are 13 wealth management issues that are critical to the financial well-being of families like yours. We take a disciplined approach to addressing these wealth management issues to help create and grow wealth, protect and preserve the wealth you have, transfer excess wealth during a life, and pass wealth on through your estate at death.

Let’s briefly review these issues so we can identify the ones that you have already addressed or do not pertain to you, and prioritize the ones that remain. That way, we can start developing an action plan to address the issues that are most important to you and your family.

  1. Investments — Your ability to enjoy the lifestyle you want may be strongly correlated to how effectively you build and preserve wealth. As an investor, it may be practical to seek professional assistance managing risks and evaluating your asset allocation. And if you are compensated with stock — or if you have more than one brokerage account — you may want help identifying, liquidating and efficiently re-investing the proceeds from asset concentrations/duplications. Above all, you may be ready to expand your approach to diversification and risk management beyond the investment strategies you may be using to include options, structured products, private equity, hedge funds and other alternative investments.

  2. Insurance — You’ve worked hard, saved and invested wisely to get where you are. With so much at stake, a comprehensive insurance plan can help you protect your current assets and future holdings. We offer life insurance, long-term care insurance and annuity products that can be deployed in a variety of ways.

  3. Managing liabilities — You spend a lot of time and energy developing the assets side of your balance sheet. Managing the liabilities side is equally important. There are lots of great reasons to borrow money: home construction or real estate purchases, education expenses, business or other investment opportunities and more. When you need fast, convenient access to cash, we offer ways to help you keep your assets working toward your long-term goals instead of liquidating them.

  4. Qualified retirement plan/IRA coordination — Your employer-sponsored retirement plan and IRAs play an important role in your retirement income plan. Are your assets allocated efficiently and appropriately across these investment vehicles? Are your beneficiaries current? We can help you make sure these tools are working hard and that there are no surprises someday for your heirs.

  5. Stock options — If you’re an executive, stock options may play a major role in your compensation. But navigating the complex Securities and Exchange Commission regulations that govern them can be challenging. We can develop strategies that help you gain liquidity from your stock options and help you diversify these assets.

  6. Business succession planning — If you are a business owner, your business may be your largest asset. It is probably something you care deeply about, as well. This is why you need a business succession plan, to help you gain liquidity and transfer ownership to another steward when you are ready.

  7. Durable Power of Attorney — What would happen if you had an accident or became incapacitated in some way? Who would make important decisions about your estate? We can help ensure that an experienced, objective professional is there to make decisions that are in the best interests of your loved ones and others you care about by helping you appoint a durable power of attorney.

  8. Gifting to children/descendants — You’ve achieved a level of financial success that few attain. Perhaps you’d like to help your children or grandchildren with a college education. Maybe you want to provide funding so they can start their own businesses. There are many ways we can assist you in helping your descendants today, while you’re there to provide encouragement, offer your wisdom and share in their joy.

  9. Charitable giving during life — In addition to giving to your heirs, there may be worthy causes you wish to support during your lifetime. Is there something you’d like to build for your house of worship? Would a scholarship at your alma mater be meaningful to you? We can help you provide for non-profits with a variety of trust solutions.

  10. Titling of assets — Titling of assets is a frequently overlooked step in a comprehensive estate plan. If not done properly, it can lead to tax and transfer issues that you don’t want to expose your loved ones to. We can help you make sure all of your assets are titled to achieve the results you desire.

  11. Executor/trustee relationships — The role of executor or trustee is complex and the responsibilities are demanding. How confident are you that if something should happen to you, your family would be able to immediately understand and continue your present investment strategy? We can work with you and who you have named as executor or trustee and successor trustee to help ensure they understand your investment strategy.

  12. Distribution of wealth at death — Minimizing your estate tax exposure is probably as important to you as it is to your heirs. Avoiding the publicity, time and expense of probate is probably equally important to all of you. We can help you select and implement a trust arrangement that is suited to your family’s needs.

  13. Charitable inclinations at death — The legacy you leave to your family is important. But the contributions you make to the community and the causes that matter to you are also an important part of a life well lived. To help keep your memory alive in the public, we can help you accomplish your charitable goals with direct gifts, donor advised funds, private foundations and trusts.

Which wealth management issues should we focus on?
Now that you are aware of the 13 wealth management issues that are critical to the financial well-being of successful people and their families, let’s address your most pressing concerns first. Once we feel like we have effectively covered those, we can prioritize and address your remaining wealth management issues. Being aware of these 13 issues and addressing them individually will help us work together efficiently. I hope you see the value in taking a disciplined approach to your wealth management needs. It is a proven strategy — and I am looking forward to developing and implementing a plan to help you and your family prepare for the future you want.