My training and experience cover the areas of expertise shown on the bottom of this page. All services are fee-based, with the exception of insurance sales.
Financial Planning
Financial planning is the intentional use of limited financial resources to accomplish short and long term goals and objectives carefully chosen from an unlimited number of alternatives.
A good financial plan is the heart of a good strategy for financial security and financial independence. I always encourage people to start with a plan.
Financial planning is generally done for a set rate once the complexity and scope of the planning project is known. Initial consultations with new clients are complementary, and an advisory agreement, including the fee, will be set following this meeting. Annual reviews are done at a reduced rate, and questions in between planning reviews are welcomed and strongly encouraged.
See the
ADV Part II for details on fees and how I operate.
Investment Management
Investments are managed in a variety of ways, depending on the amount of assets under management and the complexity of your needs. The most common investments will be done with mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETF's). Separately managed accounts, unified managed accounts, and individual securities are also available, although not frequently used.
Fees are based on the amount of assets under management per my
ADV Part II.
Consulting
Consulting services by the hour are available for more specific needs. For instance, evaluating the funding of company buy-sell agreements; debt management; insurance needs; portfolio reviews, etc.
Insurance
The best way to evaluate your insurance needs is within the scope of a comprehensive financial plan. However, if you feel that insurance is the only area that needs to be examined, I suggest doing it under a consulting agreement, in which your needs will be analyzed, and if appropriate, recommendations will be made to you using the best companies and products for your need. The recommendations may require going to a captive agency, since the most appropriate products may only available through a captive agent (not me). You are free to use any agent or company that you like, and you may already have an agent that has served you well. I have written more about insurance, what you need to know, and what to watch out for when working with agents.
In the case of insurance, I am a licensed insurance agent. I believe in the philosophy of fee-only financial planning, and I do not sell a lot of insurance. However, having an insurance license is very helpful for my clients, as it allows me to shop around the marketplace for them find the best alternatives for their needs. If low cost term life, disability, or long term care insurance is needed, I can probably provide it. If insurance products are purchased through me, I am paid a commission by the insurance company, and possibly additional compensation from the insurance brokers. However, in no way are clients obligated to purchase insurance through me, and there will be many cases where I recommend going to other agents and companies, because I do not necessarily have access to all of the best or most appropriate companies. (See related
Insurance educational information. You will learn a LOT about how the industry works, and how to protect yourself when shopping for insurance.)
Workshops & Seminars
I love to provide workshops and seminars. I often do short presentations at no cost, for instance for medical residents and fellows, senior citizens groups, chambers of commerce, etc. They can be very broad, or focused on a single topic.
I can put on larger workshops for employers or churches that for an entire day, or over several days or weeks.
