Planning Process & Fees

Our first priority is helping you take care of yourself and your family. We want to learn more about your personal situation, identify your dreams and goals, and understand your tolerance for risk. Long-term relationships built on open and honest communication have always been our foundation.

What Working With Us Looks Like

Strategy comes before products, and clarity comes before commitment. Here is exactly what working with us looks like, step by step, so you know what to expect before you ever write a check.

1. Exploratory Call (about 30 minutes). A short, no-pressure call to see if we are a fit. We talk through where you are, what you want retirement to look like, and how we work. If we are not the right firm for you, we will say so and point you somewhere better.

2. Retirement Assessment Review. Beforehand, you complete our Retirement Assessment Worksheet, a straightforward picture of your income, assets, and what keeps you up at night. Then we sit down together and walk through it: your values, your goals, and whether your money is actually organized to deliver the life you want.

3. Executive Summary Session. Think of this as the jumping-off point. We present your personalized Retirement Life Vision and show you exactly how we will build a plan around what matters most to you. It is where you see that we heard you, along with a clear, flat-fee proposal to build the plan.

4. Mutual Commitment. If it is a fit for both of us, you decide to move forward and we begin building your comprehensive retirement plan. This is a two-way choice. We take on clients only when we know we can make a real difference in your financial life, not just a marginal one.

5. Planning and Implementation. Over a series of working sessions, we build your plan and put it in motion. The core pieces are your Income Floor and Bucket Plan, a proactive Tax Strategy, Long-Term Care and Health Funding, and Estate and Legacy Coordination. You also gain access to our trusted network of CPAs, attorneys, and specialists for the advanced work.

6. Ongoing Alignment. One to four times a year, we meet to keep your plan aligned with your life. These conversations are about what changed for you, not what the market did last quarter. Life changes, and your plan should keep up.

How Our Fees Work

We keep our fees simple and clear, with no surprises. Here is how they work.

Planning starts with one flat fee. Not a percentage of your assets, and not an hourly meter running in the background. A single, agreed fee for building your plan.

Your fee reflects the complexity of your situation, not the size of your portfolio. A straightforward plan costs less than a complex one. Two people with the same account balance can have very different planning situations, and we think your fee should match the work, not your balance.

You will know your exact fee before you commit a dollar. We quote it in writing at your Executive Summary Session, along with everything it covers. If you move forward, that fee covers a full year of planning, meetings, and support.

If you choose to have us manage your investments, that advisory fee is separate and disclosed clearly, and any insurance-related compensation is disclosed too. You will always know what you are paying and why.