Comprehensive Financial Planning for Life's Transitions

Financial planning would be easy if life always progressed according to plan. But life is a series of transitions – some planned, some unplanned – and the financial decisions made during these transitions can be the most critical ones. The time we take to understand you – your goals, your values, your relationships, your personal history, every aspect of your finances – and our availability to you as part of your retainer helps us be effective, trusted guides during your life’s transitions.

Goals and Values

Your goals and values are the foundation on which your personal financial plan is built. Everything else is coordinated so that you can achieve your goals while remaining true to your values.

Cash Flow Planning

Deciding in advance how you will spend your money ensures you are making regular progress toward financial independence and keeps your plan on track. If you are dealing with debt and spending issues, we will help you set your priorities and gain control over your money.

Tax Planning & Projections

You don’t have a choice about paying taxes, but you can avoid making the mistake of overpaying them. Tax planning helps to lawfully structure your income and take advantage of the adjustments, deductions, and credits for which you qualify so that you pay only what you owe when you owe it. Tax planning during retirement can be significant to making your money last longer. We will help you project your tax liability and estimate your quarterly payments if needed.

Education Funding

If you have children or grandchildren, identifying the right mix of alternatives and maximizing their use is a complex and confusing process, but there are ways for families of any income level to effectively save for future college costs. We can help you project the amount that will be needed to achieve college or other post-secondary education funding goals, along with advice on ways for you to save the desired amount. If needed, we will review your financial picture as it relates to eligibility for financial aid.

Portfolio Analysis

We compile a complete inventory of your investments and analyze each for costs, tax efficiency, and diversification. We help you to understand what you have and whether what you have is appropriate for you. We will help you create an overall net worth growth or preservation plan that protects you during market downswings and helps you fully participate in times of prosperity.

Retirement Planning

Retirement planning is more than simply insuring that you won't outlive your money. It also involves the timing of benefits, including Social Security and Medicare. Beyond the money aspects, it's about how you will make your retirement years personally fulfilling and enjoyable.

Social Security Analysis

Review and evaluate the client's opportunities for maximizing social security benefits with respect to the value total benefits, the effect on retirement income, and the effect on income taxes.

Estate Planning Reviews

Estate planning goes well beyond making a will. It may involve naming a guardian for minor children, making provisions for dependents with special needs, addressing medical directives and other end-of- life considerations, minimizing estate taxes, determining when a trust is appropriate, and deciding how to most effectively transfer ownership of a small business. We’ll help you consider choices you can then implement with your attorney.

Risk Management

Determining how much insurance coverage you need, what risks you can afford to self-insure, and understanding and maximizing your employee benefit package are vitally important to your financial security. We will help you to review your existing policies to ensure proper coverage for life, health, disability, long-term care, liability, home and automobile.