FAQ

The majority of our clients are women age 50 and above. They are typically facing some type of transition and are seeking objective advice. They realize that proper planning requires partnering with a well-trained professional and they want to establish a long term relationship with someone to coordinate and handle their financial affairs. Their top three questions are: How much do I need to save in order to have the option to retire in the lifestyle I desire? How do I ensure I don’t run out of money? and How should I claim Social Security?

We proudly serve as fiduciaries, meaning that we are legally required to place the interests of our clients above our own at all times. No hidden motives or incentives. Just genuine advice from women who truly know the difference it makes to feel at peace with your financial life. As a firm, we take our fiduciary duties very seriously. In addition to a legal obligation, our firm has been built on a foundation of placing the client’s interest before any thoughts of our own compensation. In the financial industry, all advisors (fee only, fee and commission based, and commission based) have to be aware of the inherent conflicts they face, and have processes in place to address those conflicts. The solutions we provide are well researched and put in writing, which holds us to a high level of accountability. We recommend for clients the same investment strategies used in our personal accounts and the accounts of our immediate family members. Our commitment to honest and ethical behavior has allowed us to build long lasting relationships with our clients.

We have assisted clients in addressing a variety of financial challenges and decisions such as divorce, real estate, widowhood, debt reduction, Social Security strategies, Medicare, aging issues, college planning for grandchildren, planning for adult children with special needs, gifting, downsizing, inheritance, job loss, retiring to a different location, and other financial issues. While we certainly don’t have all the answers, through our network of resources, we will not stop until a solution has been found.

For our clients, we serve as a single point of contact for all of their financial needs. This includes coordinating every aspect of their financial needs. The subject areas addressed are as follows: Cash flow and budgeting, Debt Management, Insurance (Life, Disability, Long Term Care, Property and Casualty), Education Planning, Retirement and Income Planning, Social Security/Pension Planning, Medicare Planning, Company Benefits Analysis, Estate Planning, Proactive Aging Planning among other less common planning issues. Each of our clients has a written Financial Summary and Action Plan detailing all of the actions needed to achieve their financial goals. We provide the structure necessary to make sure the plan is implemented. As needed, these action items are coordinated with accountants, attorneys and other professionals.

We do our best work with clients who have saved at least $750,000 in their investment accounts and are wanting to know more about how to make the most of their resources in order to achieve their goals for retirement.

Our investment strategy is an “evidence-based” approach incorporating decades of rigorous peer-reviewed research. We believe in well diversified, low cost, and tax efficient asset class investing that takes advantage of the long term growth potential that takes place around the world. We are not stock pickers or market timers, and we make no attempt to predict market tops or bottoms (or even direction). Consider how often economic forecasts are wrong and how often actively managed funds underperform the market. We believe the best strategy is a disciplined approach to take advantage of the benefits that accrue to patient investors over time.

For your convenience and safety, we use Charles Schwab as the custodian for the majority of our client assets. Charles Schwab administers more than $3.25 Trillion in assets. As custodian, Charles Schwab holds your funds and provides reporting to you and the IRS. Your accounts can be viewed at any time at www.schwab.com.

We certainly do! Due to advances in technology, we are able to accommodate clients in any way that best suits them. We can meet virtually, by phone and/or in person.

A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional designation is recognized as a standard of excellence for competent and ethical personal financial planning. Only 25% of financial professionals have been awarded this designation.

The RICP® is a professional designation for financial advisors. Having the RICP® designation means the advisor has completed specialized education developed by 45 of the industry leaders in retirement income, and is committed to professional and ethical best practices. Only 7.5% of financial advisors have been awarded this designation.

LUTCF stands for Life Underwriting Training Council Fellow. This is a professional designation that is given jointly by The American College and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. The LUTCF® is the industry-benchmark for insurance credentials.

After the initial plan is complete, we typically meet face to face or via phone 3 to 6 times annually. Client education is a big focus for our firm. We publish quarterly newsletters explaining what the headlines mean for our clients. We also hold client education events on a variety of topics. Each quarter, we mail a performance report that clearly displays what is going on in your accounts. Most important, we always want to be the first call clients make when they are faced with a financial challenge or new opportunity.

We are compensated in a variety of ways. All new clients begin the process with a financial plan and we charge a fee to develop this comprehensive plan for our clients. Once we determine the amount of time needed to complete your customized financial plan, a fee is established and mutually agreed upon in writing. The fee usually ranges from $2500 to $10,000. Half of the fee is paid when the agreement is signed, and the remainder is paid when the plan is delivered. The plan then informs all financial decision making and allows us to make the most of the client’s resources. In order to ensure the client remains on track, the plan is then re-evaluated and retested on at least an annual basis for an annual fee. We charge an investment management fee which ranges from .60% to 1.25%, depending on the level of assets we manage. As detailed in our client agreements, each quarter we deduct one quarter of the annual fee directly from the accounts under our management. This deduction is detailed in the quarterly statement we provide to every client. Our clients prefer to have an advisor who can address any insurance needs they may have. As an independent insurance agent, we are paid a commission for an insurance product when the plan shows it is necessary. We always disclose to our clients any conflicts we may have and the amount of commission the insurance company pays as we believe our clients should know exactly how much we are compensated. If you would like more detail, please click here. It only makes sense to hire a financial advisor, or any professional, if the value they provide exceed the fees being charged. If for any reason, a client believes she is no longer receiving commensurate value, she may terminate our relationship. Likewise, if we find that we are no longer a good fit for a client, we will offer a referral to a better suited advisor.

We invite you to get in touch to schedule a complimentary 30-minute conversation so we can discuss your needs, and ascertain if our services may be a good fit for you.