One of the most rewarding aspects of being a financial advisor is working with clients when they realize a financial plan isn’t really about finances, per se, but rather what they want to accomplish with… Read More
Budget Seems to be the Hardest Word
Budget. If there is a another word in the financial advisor’s lexicon that generates such a strong reaction among clients, I’m not aware of it. For some clients, budgeting is something they’ve always done automatically,… Read More
All Our Friends are Staying Together
My wife and I dated for nearly 9 years before getting married. We are both naturally cautious, but one of the things that weighed on both our minds was that both of our parents were… Read More
Tips for Couples on Building a Strong Financial Plan
You never enter into a relationship with the expectation that finances are going to become a big problem, and yet financial issues are among the most often cited reasons for divorce. Even couples who build… Read More
Advice from a Recovering Know-it-All
Years ago, my girlfriend – and now wife – pointed out that from time-to-time, I could come across as a bit of a know-it-all. I asked for a few examples which she had helpfully cataloged, and… Read More
What is Investment Consulting?
In the most recent blog post, we covered our definition of wealth management, which entails the following three components: WM (Wealth Management) = IC (Investment Consulting) + AP (Advanced Planning) + RM (Relationship Management) In… Read More
What is Wealth Management?
If you’re seeking financial advice and fall into what the industry considers “high net worth” – typically over $1 million in investable assets – you’ll often be steered towards wealth management. However, in many instances… Read More
The Real Cost of Annuities
On the surface, annuities seem like a simple investment. The investment generally entails paying an insurance company a lump sum with the expectation that, at some point, the insurance company will begin making a string… Read More
Adding It All Up – The Cost of a Financial Plan and How to Save
The total cost of financial advice includes a number of items we’ve discussed in the last few posts. For clients who work with us those costs include: The hourly cost of the plan Cost for… Read More
The Cost of Investment Advice and Investments
The cost of investments is a key component of your financial plan. Regardless of whether you work with fee-only advisors or commission-based brokers, portfolio design is likely the largest cost of your plan. So how… Read More