No, we don’t believe that access to high-quality, fiduciary, financial advice should be that limited. In our first meeting we will discuss the service that best fits your needs – either a project-based financial plan, or financial planning + investment management. We primarily recommend ongoing management for portfolios over $500,000, but every situation is unique.  

If you are starting to think seriously about your retirement plans, yes. We are most often brought on by people mid-career or later, but everyone has their own timing and needs. We have specific experience with doctors, public service employees, small business owners, and corporate executives.

Yes, we help with planning around the unique benefits and compensation structures found in the tech sector. Whether you receive incentive stock options (ISO), non-qualified stock options (NSO), restricted stock units (RSU) or restricted stock awards (RSA) we will optimize your cash flow and taxes as a part of your overall financial plan. We are well versed in the benefits of Seattle-area companies.

An initial meeting runs around 30 minutes. We will answer your questions and ask what prompted you to start looking for an advisor – if there’s a particular pain point that needs to be addressed right away. We’ll also have a few questions about your financial situation to see how we can best help. You don’t need to prepare in advance. It’s complimentary, no strings attached, and won’t sign you up for obnoxious marketing lists.

Once you sign up, we’ll ask for your most recent tax return, pay stub(s), and investment account statements. We’ll pick the best method for reviewing your cash flow, review all debt (mortgage, student, loans, etc.), and anything else specific to your situation. We’ll also review – or discuss how to put in place – your estate plan and look at any insurance policies. Basically, if there is a dollar sign attached, we’d like to see it.

We tune out the noise and focus on what investors can actually control:

• Cost – Fees and transaction costs can have a dramatic impact on portfolio returns. We use passive, index-based portfolios where appropriate.

• Diversification – We build portfolios to provide broad diversification across markets and asset classes with an eye to the long-term; we don’t chase fads, returns, or headlines.

• Risk – Investing comes with risk, and each portfolio has its own risk profile; we ensure that your portfolio fits your needs and tolerance.

• Taxes – We manage your portfolio to optimize your taxes. Both for today, and far into the future.

Once your portfolio is in place, we focus on education; our clients know how and why they are invested. 

Absolutely. We found that the ease and convenience of meeting virtually was a benefit for our local clients and now function primarily as a virtual practice. We work with people across the country. (You do need to be US based.)

The only compensation a fee-only advisor receives is from their client. That means no incentive trips to Hawaii for selling an expensive fund, no referral fees from other professionals, no commissions on insurance policies (and no, we don’t sell any insurance products), etc. It sounds obvious, but that’s not the norm in this industry. As a fee-only advisor, you can rest assured that our advice and recommendations are always made in your best interest.

We want to ensure that the advice you pay for makes you better off. One-size-fits-all advice is useful as a starting point, but it can do damage if applied incorrectly. Your finances are a system, and that system is best viewed as a whole. Comprehensive planning ensures that all parts are working together optimally.

The first few months are highly interactive as we get to know you, collect the necessary data, and work together to build your plan. Once your plan is in place, we offer quarterly meeting to keep you on track. Of course, we’re always available to answer questions, help evaluate new opportunities, or to just check-in.