We put our clients’ interests first. We are in this business to help our clients be successful. As fiduciaries, we are required to put our clients’ interests ahead of our own and to take on a duty of loyalty and care for them. Furthermore, we choose to put their interests first because that is how we would want to be treated if the roles were reversed.
We believe that financial planning and implementation of that plan are key to long-term financial success. A failure to plan is a plan to fail, so we recommend that all our clients have a plan. The planning process may involve recommendations on budgeting, estate planning, insurance, investments, taxes, and other relevant client issues. This process gives us measurable goals, so we can check a client’s progress year-to-year. For clients who also retain us to manage their investments, we design customized portfolios based on their financial situation, goals, and risk tolerance. We also update their financial plan as needed or about every five years, at no additional cost.
We believe that financial markets work. We believe, and research confirms, that investors and mutual fund managers cannot consistently outperform the market. Many financial publications, discussion forums, and television programs promote market-timing investment habits, but we believe that these strategies are at best unproductive and at worst destructive. Tune them out. Our goal is to reduce the risk of our clients’ portfolios while maximizing long-term returns. We do this by eliminating the risk associated with the decisions of active mutual fund managers, timing risk, and individual stock risk. While we can never eliminate market risk, we believe investors will be rewarded for taking this risk in the long run. That is why we utilize the same tools and processes wherever possible for our own personal portfolios as we use for our clients.
We encourage client contact. We realize our clients have dynamic lives, so it’s important that we stay in frequent contact with them. Our ideal clients will consult with us on all significant financial matters ahead of time, knowing that we can add value.
We use a team approach. Every client is a client of the firm, rather than a client of a particular adviser within it. Clients will meet regularly with two of our financial advisers, instead of just one, so that multiple experienced professionals are contemplating how to guide you toward your financial goals. This also ensures that even if one of us is out of the office, you will still be able to talk with someone you know and trust about issues as they arise.
We expect our client relationships to last a lifetime. While the average mutual fund investor receives little to no help or may find their account “orphaned” by their broker at any time, our goal is to provide each of our clients with ongoing professional guidance and care throughout their lifetimes.
We do not have all of the answers. We will provide referral options as appropriate (e.g., attorneys, tax preparers, or insurance professionals) when the need arises.
We believe that money is the means, not the goal. We want to help you reach your financial goals and take away the burden of worrying about your financial future, so that you can focus on the more fulfilling aspects of your life!
If you have any questions about your financial future, we're here to help. Please use this form or feel free to call or e-mail us.
(703) 385-0870
