We begin with a lot of listening. We hold an in-depth discovery meeting with each prospective client to learn about them and their goals, their attitude toward investing, and their tolerance for risk. We have a discussion on what they are looking for, and whether that falls within our areas of specialty. We discuss expectations, such as service levels and communication frequency, and decide on a timeline for delivering the scope of work involved.

Once there is mutual agreement for moving forward, we take a deep dive into the financial, tax and legal documents relevant to the specific areas we are addressing, such as wealth transfer, estate planning or divorce planning. We prepare our recommendations for the client and their tax and legal professionals to help ensure that all strategies are coordinated, and then create a timeline and prioritize an action plan.

We begin implementing the financial plan, including all investment, tax, estate and divorce strategies. We’ll then initiate our ongoing, predictable service schedule to stay on top of all material changes to the client’s financial life.

In the case of recently divorced clients, it means taking action on post-judgement requirements such as a qualified domestic relations order, or initiating distributions from investment accounts. We’ll introduce the client to a recommended tax advisor and hold collaborative meetings with estate planning attorneys to amend documents as needed, then report back to all relevant professionals that all outstanding obligations have been met.