Here are some areas of focus.
Optimize Investments
Our investment philosophy is deliberately simple:
- We think long term. This means that we don’t put all our eggs in one basket and don’t make promises we can’t keep. We are patient and know that it takes time to move the needle.
- We seek to minimize costs, including taxes. It’s easy to miss the internal expenses and fees of some investments, especially when they don’t always show up on your statement. Excessive trading can also result in unnecessary transaction fees and tax implications. These costs may seem small as a percentage but have a dramatic effect on your performance over time.
- We don’t get too “fancy”. There are complex trading strategies out there that are sometimes successful. But that’s not what we do. We’d rather focus on a few “good” long-term strategies so we can spend our time with clients.
What does this mean for your investment portfolio?
If you are just getting started when it comes to investing or have a “clean slate” lump sum of cash that you’ve decided to invest, we are likely to recommend a low-cost, diversified portfolio of exchange-traded funds. The allocation of funds in the portfolio will depend on your financial goals and tolerance for risk.
If you have an existing portfolio of individual stocks or bonds, we will “work” with what you have. This means we carefully assess the outlook of each of your holdings and determine the tax implications (capital gains/losses or estate planning considerations) of any proposed transactions.
In either case, we will:
- Meet with you to define your investment goals and tolerance for risk, which are part of your Investment Policy Statement (IPS).
- Monitor performance of recommended investments over time and make replacements as needed.
- Monitor performance of your portfolio over time and rebalance the portfolio as needed, usually 1-2 times per year.
Interested in a second opinion on your investment portfolio?
Boost Work Benefits
Does your compensation package seem to get more complicated every year? Are you taking full advantage of all the benefits that you could be?
Roughly 10% of all U.S. employees own stock options, and about 50% in technology companies. But many miss out on potential benefits by neglecting to diversify over time, or to even sign up at all. Your company HR may be helpful, or they may not be.
We have the experience needed to help you understand, manage and maximize these important benefits.
Discussion topics which become part of your financial plan may include:
- Tax implications of Incentive Stock Options (ISO) vs. Non Qualified Stock Options (NQSO)
- Concentration risk of company stock in your portfolio
- Tax-aware strategy for timing the diversification of your portfolio
- Vesting schedule of your stock options or restricted stock, and how it fits into the timeline of your financial goals
Do you have questions about your executive benefit plan or company stock plan?
Afford Education
If you’re wondering how to best save and pay for your children’s education expenses, you’re not alone. Many parents want to develop a proactive savings plan for education. A financial planner can help you to create a savings strategy and a college funding plan that allows you to help your kids while still protecting your own financial interests and goals.
We can help you determine:
- The most tax-efficient way to pay for your children’s college or graduate school
- Whether you can afford private school
- The best methods to save for education
- How to leverage different savings vehicles and assistance programs to reduce the total cost of college
- How to balance your other financial goals with education funding
Buy a New Home
If you’re considering a move to a new home, you may be wondering how much home you can afford. You might also be wondering about the best way to pay for what is probably your largest purchase.
If you’re looking at a multi-family homes, you might need some advice about the financial implications of owning rental property.
We can help you determine:
- How much you can afford to spend
- The best strategy for paying down your mortgage
- Whether a home with rental income is the right choice for you.
- How home ownership plays into your other lifestyle goals?
Together, we’ll build a comprehensive plan that addresses your desire to buy a home that doesn’t compromise your other financial goals.
Plan for Retirement
As retirement is creeping closer, are you starting to wonder, “am I on track?”
- Will you get the Social Security and Medicare benefits you are counting on?
- Can you retire before your kids graduate from college?
- Will you have the cash to pay out of pocket medical expenses if you need to?
- How much should you be saving NOW?
You’ve been saving, but what will that be worth when retirement comes around? And will that be enough?
And if you haven’t been saving for retirement, what can you do to maximize your tax-advantaged savings so you can start catching up?
If your retirement “Plan A” is looking iffy, a financial planner can help you prepare for the next stage of your life, by providing an objective opinion regarding your retirement outlook and developing a sound financial plan that can help you get (or stay) on track.
Do you have questions about your retirement planning?
Navigate a Divorce
There are many financial decisions to be made when you are in the process of divorce. Please visit PowerOverDivorce to learn more about Divorce Financial Planning Services.
We specialize in helping busy professionals with families understand their options and make informed decisions surrounding the financial aspects of divorce.
As a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) practitioner and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA™), we can help you understand your financial needs and clarify the implications of a divorce settlement agreement.
You can come to
- Even if you’ve never created a budget before your lawyer asked for it.
- Even if you never really understood your tax return.
- Even if you felt blindsided by this divorce in the first place.
Our goal is to help you start fresh with dignity and financial stability. We are not attorneys and have a very different role. We focus on the financial aspect of the divorce only.
Please visit PowerOverDivorce to learn more about Divorce Financial Planning Services.
Please note that Sara Stanich is NOT an attorney or CPA and we do not provide legal or tax advice. Changes in tax laws may occur at any time and could have substantial impact upon each person’s situation. You should discuss tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.