Broker Check

Goals Conversation

In order to determine "where you want to be," our financial planner must discover what is most important to you and to your family. By having you paint a mental picture of "where you want to be in the future," our financial planner can help you design a "financial plan" to get you there in an efficient way. It is important that you have clear goals, determine priorities and have a compass to get you back on course when necessary. Having a well defined financial plan that takes into consideration your personal values will help ensure completion of your financial goals.

Here is a sample of the most frequently asked client questions that require careful thought in providing appropriate solutions:

Retirement:

  • How much money will I need in retirement to meet my desired lifestyle?
  • What is the most appropriate retirement plan to maximize tax savings?
  • How long will my retirement income last?
  • Can I protect my retirement investments from market losses?
  • Can I guarantee my retirement income streams for "Life?"
  • Will my Social Security benefits be taxed?


Investments:

  • How much risk should I take with my investments to reach my goals?
  • How can I minimize downside volatility with my investments?
  • What should I do when the financial markets and the economy tanks?
  • Do I have my emergency money invested appropriately?

Education:

  • When my child attends college, how much will it cost?
  • In our personal circumstance, what is the best college saving plan?
  • What options are available for financing college or financial aide?
  • What is the appropriate investment risk with my children’s college money?

Business:

  • How much money will I need to acquire net after taxes from the future sell of my business in order to retire in my desired lifestyle?
  • How can a key employee or family member purchase my business when they have "no" money?
  • I am a sole proprietor, how can I protect the business value at my death until my heirs can sell the business?
  • Which type of retirement plan is more advantageous?
  • I do not want to go into business with my business partner’s spouse at his/her death, what can I do to prevent this from happening?
  • How can I retain key employees?


Estate:

  • How can I minimize inheritance and income taxes for my beneficiaries?
  • I have a child who works in the family business, how can I give the business to the participating child and treat my other children equally, especially when the business is my largest asset?
  • How do I protect my beneficiaries in the event of a divorce or creditor issues?
  • This is my second marriage, how can I provide for my spouse and protect my children’s inheritance?
  • How do I provide and protect assets for a special needs child without disrupting their government assistance?


Risk Management:

  • Will my family struggle financially in the event of my death?
  • Can we survive financially if I have a disability or a medical catastrophe?
  • Are are my assets protected?
  • How do I prevent a long-term care event from destroying my spouse’s finances, children’s inheritance and/or my spouse’s health?

Cash flow & Balance Sheet:

  • How much money should I have set aside for emergencies?
  • How can I get out of debt as quickly as possible?
  • How do I set up a workable budget?

Tax:

  • How can I grow money tax deferred and minimize taxation?
  • How can I minimize my current income taxes?
  • How can I minimize and/or eliminate inheritance taxes?
  • What are the best tax strategies for retirement savings?