Independent

We are proud to acknowledge that we are not affiliated with (or in any way obligated to) any particular investment or insurance company. Our independence enables us to objectively look at all available options for our clients and select what we believe best fits their financial situation.

Integrity

Our relationships with our clients are vitally important to us. We act in a fiduciary manner in our planning recommendations so that we can be proud of the work we have done as we review it years down the road. We will only make recommendations that we believe provide value and benefit to our clients.

Long-Term Focus

Our clients benefit from our ability to help them look into the future and consider and plan for things they wouldn't otherwise think about. Our planning process centers around helping you clearly define your long term goals, expectations, and concerns and helping you navigate potential pitfalls before implementing an investment strategy. We also help you maintain an appropriate focus on your long-term outcomes when the noise of the short-term would try to distract you.

Comprehensive

We have a broad range of experience in the areas of financial planning, investments, and insurance that aid us in properly implementing planning strategies throughout every phase of our clients lives. We also acknowledge that there are many other professional advisors that play key roles in our clients’ financial lives and have developed strong relationships with our external team of legal, accounting, banking, real estate, mortgage, insurance, and other professionals to assist our clients.

Our core philosophy stems from helping our clients make consistently educated decisions through a focus on the financial habits (such as cash-flow planning, saving, investing) and core financial actions (such as organization/budgeting, goal-setting, accountability, asset allocation). Through this education, we work collaboratively on implementing strategies that our clients can control, that can help them win in life with and ultimately impact their family for future generations.

While, as a financial planning firm, we engage clients specifically in Phases 3 and 4, our vision is to additionally be a resource to young people in Phase 1 (including the college-aged children and grandchildren of our clients) to have the early foundation of financial literacy and goal-setting. For those in Phase 2, or in the early stages of their careers, where debt and poor cash flow management often take people off course from their goals. We are actively involved with supporting organizations (such as Junior Achievement and The Dave Ramsey Show) and resources focused on these Phases.

Phase 1 - Early Financial Literacy

Phase 1 focuses on providing resources for improving financial literacy, exploring career and entrepreneurial aspirations, and encouraging families to have conversations that give the right foundation for having balanced success in life. Our heart is to give back to young people through partnerships with schools and organizations like Junior Achievement, so our next generation gives thought to lifetime planning issues earlier than most of their parents and ideally can bypass Phase 2 to go straight to Phase 3.

Areas of Consideration:

• Providing resources related to paying for and most successfully optimizing college while minimizing/avoiding the use of student loans

• Awareness of debt and budgeting issues for students heading off to or who are currently in college

• Discussions related to early handling of money for children

• The benefits of investing in yourself and your kids

• Discussions of work ethic, entrepreneurship, and goal-setting

Phase 2 - Financial Challenges

Phase 2 is one that we would love for everyone to avoid, but it is where many people find themselves when they realize they need to improve their financial situation. We can provide referrals to resources that offer help to people who are either:

1. In the early stages of their careers and family, and/or

2. Who find themselves in a challenging financial situation that they now have a strong urgency to improve, and/or

3. Who are transitioning from a previous career or business to another

Areas of Consideration:

• Improving cash flow and establishing and implementing budgets

• Minimizing or eliminating debt

• Establishing emergency funds and other savings

• Implementing appropriate insurance coverages

• Implementing basic estate planning documents

• Improving communication regarding finances with significant other

Phase 3 - Income Growth & Asset Accumulation

Phase 3 is where we typically begin to work with clients in a role of active accountability toward goals while implementing the financial solutions necessary to accomplish those goals. Clients in Phase 3 have established a solid foundation for cash flow, minimizing or eliminating debt (aside from mortgage), and have an emergency fund that now allows for focused investing toward financial goals.

Areas of Consideration:

• Saving for bigger goals, including home, college, retirement, and family legacy

• Providing resources related to paying for and most successfully optimizing college while minimizing the need for loans

• Focus on maximizing your biggest asset - your ability to consistently increase income over your career (via education, career improvement, and/or business ownership)

• Optimized account type and investment selection

• Coordinate tax, insurance, and estate planning

• Alignment of business, real estate, company stock & retirement plans, and other portfolio investments into a comprehensive plan

• Advanced goal setting, assessment, and tracking using industry leading financial planning software

Phase 4 - Financial Freedom

Phase 4 is the focus on freedom that we have for our clients pursuing a financial situation where their recurring income & scheduled cash flow from assets exceeds their expense needs that allows for a work-optional lifestyle. It also refers to an attaining and continued pursuit of your most worthy motivational goals. Most people think of this as "Retirement", but it doesn't have to be in your 60's and for many it can challenge the traditional view of retreating from meaningful work. Reaching Phase 4 is ideally just a new beginning as you are able to focus on doing what you love, while setting new goals for enjoyment, giving, and family legacy.

Areas of Consideration:

• Resource and planning related to the transition from accumulation of resources to the effective coordination of those resources for accomplishing retirement and other goals

• Personal vision of success in Phase 4 related to activities, relationships, involvements, etc.

• Implementation of a plan to coordinate and maximize Social Security and pension income with other retirement cash flows

• Tax effective utilization of retirement and investment accounts (and other accumulated resources) to supplement income needs and accomplish other desired lifestyle and legacy goals

• Comprehensive estate planning & gifting strategies

• Family discussions related to legacy goals

Outside of our direct team, the nature of our business is such that we are central coordinators of many of our client's secondary planning relationships. We have developed relationships with many quality professionals who we consider to be part of our extended service team. If you need a referral for a specific professional for your planning, we will be happy to make introductions. We also love working closely with your advisors who are currently part of your planning team.