EP | Wealth Advisors

Financial Planning

Our financial planning process begins with listening.

We believe that before any advice is given, it is essential to understand all that is important to you and customize strategies around your objectives. When determining the right approach for our clients, we find it paramount to understand the entire picture. As such, we believe a personal financial plan should have many of the same characteristics as a business plan. Similar to a business, we believe it is essential for clients to have a strong understanding of their personal balance sheet, profit and loss statement, as well as their potential opportunities and risks.

Developing Your Road Map

Once you are confident in your goals, we will construct and maintain your personalized financial plan.  This financial plan will serve as a road map going forward. Our comprehensive planning process seeks to provide you with the information you need in order to make prudent and well-informed decisions.

• Cash Flow Analysis: A common question clients have is, “Will I have enough?”  We best answer the question by utilizing a statistical probability report called a Monte Carlo Simulation.  Utilizing this analysis can empower you to make decisions by analyzing the impact certain financial choices may have on your financial future in an uncertain market environment.
• Risk Assessment & Mitigation: After we analyze your financial projections, we then discuss any deterrents that could impact successfully achieving your goals and objectives.  We review insurance, health care, investment risks, business risks, potential legal issues or other risk exposures that could compromise a positive financial outcome.
• Estate Preservation & Legacy Planning: The goal of planning is to be prepared for the future.  Proper estate planning should assure loved ones are able to avoid legal, administrative and taxation issues during an already difficult period.  We discuss possible estate liabilities, potential tax minimization strategies and charitable bequests to provide you with the comfort of knowing that your estate will protect and benefit the people and charities you hold close. In addition, we work closely with each client’s estate planning team to assist in developing an effective estate plan.
• Business & Executive Benefit Counseling: For many clients, their most valuable asset is their closely held business or employer company stock. For business owners, we can assist in recommending appropriate retirement plans and corporate structures to maximize EBITDA.  In addition, we analyze transition and liquidation options to generate the largest after tax return. For clients that have concentrated positions in company stock, we help them diversify through option collars, prepaid forwards, exchange funds or other recognized techniques.  Furthermore, NUA (Net Unrealized Appreciation), charitable gifting, and other repositioning strategies may be utilized.
• Tax Minimization Concepts: Taxes play a large role in planning decisions. Whether we are evaluating issues such as converting all or part or your retirement plan to a ROTH IRA, or maximizing your annual gift exclusion, tax implications are always important. Often, potential tax liabilities paralyze decision-making. By clarifying tax issues and providing you with a long-range view, we can assist you in making decisions that are beneficial from both a financial planning and tax perspective.
• Monitor: Life is fluid and therefore monitoring is a vital step in every financial plan. We can periodically update your plan as tax laws, resources, goals and life events change.  Simply, planning is not a static process, but constantly evolving.  We help you achieve comfort by helping you make confident financial decisions.